Golden Fleece (clipper)
Encyclopedia
Golden Fleece was an 1855 medium clipper
in the California trade, built by Paul Curtis
. She was known for arriving with cargoes in good condition, for making passages in consistently good time, and for catching fire with a load of ice
.
This was the second clipper named Golden Fleece built by Paul Curtis, for the same owners. The first Golden Fleece sailed from 1852-1854.
to San Francisco, with an average time of 117 days.
She made 12 passages from New York
to San Francisco, with an average time of 125 days.
Other ports of call included Manila, Cebu, Honolulu, Yokohama, Callao, Liverpool, and Queenstown.
, arriving three days before the White Swallow
, a clipper known for her speed. White Swallow had left the Golden Gate with a two day head start.
. Nevertheless, she had several mishaps.
In 1857, on her second voyage, as Golden Fleece was entering the Golden Gate
, she struck Four Fathom Bar off Point Bonita
, better known as the "Potato Patch". Golden Fleece was run up on the mud flats, and made it to the wharf with 12-14 of water in the hold.
In 1873, Golden Fleece lost all her sails, and much of her rigging on an outbound voyage from New York. She put in for repairs in Rio de Janiero.
She left New York bound for Bombay with a load of ice on July 1, 1871, under Capt. Bray. Three days out, a fire was spotted at the bottom of the forward hold, in the sawdust and shavings used to pack the 1902 tons of ice. Since it was not possible to extinguish the fire, Golden Fleece put in at Halifax
, the nearest port, two days later.
Golden Fleece was scuttled at Tobin’s Wharf, Halifax. The 20 ft. of water in her hold was then pumped out with a steam fire engine. After the ship was pumped out, fire broke out a second time, but was extinguished by spraying water into the hold. The cause of the fire was thought to be stevedores smoking while loading the cargo of ice.
, she was condemned and sold. Her cargo was sent on aboard the clipper Granite State.
Medium clipper
A Medium clipper is a type of clipper designed for both cargo carrying capacity and speed. An evolutionary adaptation of the extreme clipper, the medium clipper had been invented by 1851, when the hull type appeared in U.S. shipyards...
in the California trade, built by Paul Curtis
Paul Curtis (shipbuilder)
Paul Curtis was an American shipbuilder who built ships in Medford, Massachusetts .-Background:Shipbuilding was one of the two big businesses at Medford in the mid-19th century...
. She was known for arriving with cargoes in good condition, for making passages in consistently good time, and for catching fire with a load of ice
Ice
Ice is water frozen into the solid state. Usually ice is the phase known as ice Ih, which is the most abundant of the varying solid phases on the Earth's surface. It can appear transparent or opaque bluish-white color, depending on the presence of impurities or air inclusions...
.
Construction and namesake
Golden Fleece was built from the same model as the clipper Reporter. She had a knight in armor as her figurehead.This was the second clipper named Golden Fleece built by Paul Curtis, for the same owners. The first Golden Fleece sailed from 1852-1854.
Voyages to San Francisco
Golden Fleece made 3 passages from BostonBoston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
to San Francisco, with an average time of 117 days.
She made 12 passages from New York
New York Harbor
New York Harbor refers to the waterways of the estuary near the mouth of the Hudson River that empty into New York Bay. It is one of the largest natural harbors in the world. Although the U.S. Board of Geographic Names does not use the term, New York Harbor has important historical, governmental,...
to San Francisco, with an average time of 125 days.
Other ports of call included Manila, Cebu, Honolulu, Yokohama, Callao, Liverpool, and Queenstown.
Race with White Swallow
In 1868, Golden Fleece made a 44 day passage from San Francisco to Hong KongHong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, arriving three days before the White Swallow
White Swallow (clipper)
The White Swallow was an extreme clipper built in Boston in 1853 for the California trade.-Voyages:"She made three runs from Boston to S.F. and six from N.Y. to S.F. The fastest was 110 days and the slowest 150; average of the fastest 4, 122 days...
, a clipper known for her speed. White Swallow had left the Golden Gate with a two day head start.
Race with Golden State
In 1860, the two clippers Golden State and Golden Fleece left New York on the same day. Despite taking different routes in the Atlantic section of their voyages, the two ships arrived in San Francisco a few hours apart, on Oct. 29th, after passages of 128 days.Mishap outside the Golden Gate
Golden Fleece sustained relatively little damage for a ship with so many voyages around Cape HornCape Horn
Cape Horn is the southernmost headland of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago of southern Chile, and is located on the small Hornos Island...
. Nevertheless, she had several mishaps.
In 1857, on her second voyage, as Golden Fleece was entering the Golden Gate
Golden Gate
The Golden Gate is the North American strait connecting San Francisco Bay to the Pacific Ocean. Since 1937 it has been spanned by the Golden Gate Bridge...
, she struck Four Fathom Bar off Point Bonita
Point Bonita Light
Point Bonita Light is a lighthouse located at Point Bonita at the San Francisco Bay entrance in the Marin Headlands near Sausalito, California. Point Bonita was the last manned lighthouse on the California coast.-History:...
, better known as the "Potato Patch". Golden Fleece was run up on the mud flats, and made it to the wharf with 12-14 of water in the hold.
In 1873, Golden Fleece lost all her sails, and much of her rigging on an outbound voyage from New York. She put in for repairs in Rio de Janiero.
Caught fire with a load of ice
Golden Fleece made only one voyage from the East Coast with a destination other than San Francisco, in 1871.She left New York bound for Bombay with a load of ice on July 1, 1871, under Capt. Bray. Three days out, a fire was spotted at the bottom of the forward hold, in the sawdust and shavings used to pack the 1902 tons of ice. Since it was not possible to extinguish the fire, Golden Fleece put in at Halifax
Halifax Harbour
Halifax Harbour is a large natural harbour on the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia, Canada, located in the Halifax Regional Municipality.-Harbour description:The harbour is called Jipugtug by the Mi'kmaq first nation, anglisized as Chebucto...
, the nearest port, two days later.
Golden Fleece was scuttled at Tobin’s Wharf, Halifax. The 20 ft. of water in her hold was then pumped out with a steam fire engine. After the ship was pumped out, fire broke out a second time, but was extinguished by spraying water into the hold. The cause of the fire was thought to be stevedores smoking while loading the cargo of ice.
Loss of the ship
On Feb. 22, 1877, she went aground at the mouth of Rio de la Plata, Uruguay. After being surveyed at MontevideoMontevideo
Montevideo is the largest city, the capital, and the chief port of Uruguay. The settlement was established in 1726 by Bruno Mauricio de Zabala, as a strategic move amidst a Spanish-Portuguese dispute over the platine region, and as a counter to the Portuguese colony at Colonia del Sacramento...
, she was condemned and sold. Her cargo was sent on aboard the clipper Granite State.