Erik Eriksen

Who was Erik Eriksen?

Erik Eriksen, was a Norwegian ice sea captain born in Lyngør, Norway. He later moved to Hammerfest, Norway. Eriksen was the inventor of the grenade harpoon used in modern whaling. Erik Eriksen travelled to Tønsberg with a wooden model to commercialize the harpoon with the help of Svend Foyn. Svend Foyn patented and industrialized the harpoon. Erik Eriksen did neither get profits nor honor for the invention, but Svend Foyn later helped out his family in Hammerfest after Eriksen left his wife and 9 children and emigrated to the U.S.A. where he died in a blizzard in Dakota.

The strait Erik Eriksenstretet between Kong Karls Land and Nordaustlandet is named after him.