Five Days Crawl Toward the Goal: Schooner Days MCXLV (1145)

by C. H. J. Snider

Canadians After America's Cup - 5

THERE was no auxiliary power in 1876 except the "white ash breeze," which meant taking to the oars, afterwards humorously known as the Armstrong motor. When a sailing vessel got into a calm she stayed in it until she got out, either by a breeze springing up or her crew springing to the sweeps, or towing ahead in her boat, or kedging her by running light anchors ahead, hauling her up to one by a long line and going ahead with the second anchor when the first had been tripped. These resources only served for short distances.

We left Commodore Gifford's America's Cup challenger Countess of Dufferin becalmed among sharks and whales and Mother Carey's chickens and fishing craft near Seal Island, at the west end of Nova Scotia, on her way to the cup match. Terms of the contest then, as now, required challengers to come "on their own bottoms." Up to this time none had been towed across the Atlantic, as later ones have been. Commodore Gifford, good sport that he was, stuck to his sails and his Sabbath observance though it took five days to creep 400 miles in the prevailing light July weather. The log of the Countess continues:

SLOW SAILING

July 12th, continued — About 4 a.m. a slight breeze came in from SE with fog. Put the yacht on the port tack heading SW with sheets eased off a little. At 7 a.m. wind veered more to the S a slight breeze. Yacht making about 4 knots close hauled. Course still SW to get out of the gulf. Ran 10 1/2 in the last 12 hours. Cape Cod supposed to bear from us about SW. The current getting us to the S. By dead reckoning at 8 a.m. we were 68 miles E of Seal Island, 120 miles from Cape Cod, bearing from us about SW and about 68 miles from the nearest American coast. From 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. we made 38 1/2 miles. At 4 p.m. head W 1/2 S in a direct line for Cape Cod, ran on this course about 8 miles at midnight. Put her on the starboard Tack which she held till morning. Hardly any wind. Beautiful night, moon came up clear and the morning lovely, no wind, a slight air came up from the W.

July 13th—At 6 a.m. had a bath with the water warm and pleasant. Playing astern the fins of a large sword fish, sighted at early morn about half a mile to Windward. Wind continued very light all the forenoon from the W. The yacht on the Starboard tack at noon, we were in Lat; 42.08 Cape Cod bearing from us W by N about 45 miles by 6 p.m. We made 21 miles at 7 p.m. A little better breeze sprung up from the SW put the yacht on the port tack and stood about W, breeze very unsteady with a slight fog. At 9 p.m. fog cleared off, a very fine night, wind very light from W, continuing so all night.

DRIFTED SOUTH

July 14th-—At 6 a m. on the 14th, we had run 14 miles W towards the land, having fallen off in the night to the NW northerly, the current setting up to the Southward. At 1 o'clock, we were SE, lighthouses bearing NW from us distant 12 miles. We were, therefore, about 17 miles more southerly than which our dead reckoning gave us. This was evidently caused by the current carrying us to the S. Wind very light and variable. Schooners and ships all around. The wind freshened into a good sailing breeze. About 6 p.m. it veered round dead ahead for passing the Pollock Rip lightship where there is a steam whistle going every half minute. We got to the lightship about 9 p.m. The tide setting very strong against us and the weather very foggy with no wind. Dropped anchor at 10.50 p.m., having previously touched our centre board on a shoal. Lightship about 1 1/2 miles from us, steam whistle going, tide running about 2 knots.

July 15th—Weighed anchor at 5 a.m. wind very light, current running to the W, very strong. Fog commenced. About ship and made for the Pollock Rip lightship, after beating about for an hour. We finally followed a schooner laden with lumber, on a WSW course. We made the Handkerchief light vessel at 8 a.m. Passed the Cross Rip Light ship. At 9.50 a.m. nice sailing breeze, well abeam from the North. The yacht on the starboard tack, heading NNW. At 11 a.m. passed Edgar Town. Wind N, very light. Beautiful day, sun very hot. At 3 p.m. passed Gay Head, Nantucket Island. Distance run today, to this time, 41 miles. Wind, good breeze, right astern. Breeze went down and we made no progress all night.

CHURCH AS USUAL

July 16th—Breeze got up again from the W in the morning. We beat up all day, at times the tide taking us astern. Beautiful weather, very hot sun. Divine service at 11 a.m. During the service, the Active, cutter yacht from the New York Yacht Club, passed us, and saluted with two guns. We answered with one. Another sloop yacht of the NYY Club also saluted us. We had a nice sailing breeze during the afternoon and evening. We had some amusement in racing a smart fore and after, which we beat. After sundown breeze fell to a calm and we came to anchor in 7 fathoms off the point shoal.