The Last Cape Horners: rare first hand accounts from men who sailed from Europe to Australia to load grain and return to Europe by way of the treacherous Cape Horn
The Last Cape Horners: rare first hand accounts from men who sailed from Europe to Australia to load grain and return to Europe by way of the treacherous Cape Horn
As an accompaniment to this documentary, I commend this ditty:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAY5saopMgg
Many years ago, watched a documentary about the tall ships focusing on a ship out of – I think – Sweden and crewed by young men and cadets. As I recall, they passed close to another training ship, the “Pamir”, which shortly after was taken out by a hurricane. I still remember the two ships crossing paths, with the crews waving excitedly at each other, and the – as the Swedish ship docked – news of the sinking of the “Pamir” being broadcast.
Perhaps the best known account of one who apprenticed at the age of 18 in one of the grain ships was Eric Newby and his written account, “The Great Grain Race”, published in 1956. The grain race was the last possible profitable venture for commercial sailing ships. The use of all sailing ships on a commercial basis transporting cargo started to end with the completion of the Suez Canal in 1869, and the completion of the Panama Canal in 1914.
Beat me to it – I too was going to recommend “The Great Grain Race” (and anything else by Eric Newby)
The video is worth a watch too.
I thought it was going to be about Batman fetishists, so I was a bit disappointed.