Syren (clipper)
Encyclopedia
The Syren was the longest lived of all the clipper ships, with a sailing life of 68 years 7 months. She sailed in the San Francisco trade, in the Far East, and transported whaling products from Hawaii and the Arctic to New Bedford
.
and New York
from 1851 to 1856, making five passages. She then made a voyage from Boston and Calcutta, and served in the Boston - Honolulu - New Bedford trade until 1861. She then made four more passages in the San Francisco trade.
In 1866, Syren returned to the Boston - Honolulu - New Bedford run, a route she sailed for ten more years. In 1877, Syren began to voyage to Alaska and the Arctic to transport whale oil
and the catch of whalers; she also transported coal to the north, and a load of spars
from Seattle to Bath, ME.
In All About Hawaii, written in 1920, there appears the following note about Syren:
by 17 days. On this voyage, Syren also bested four other clippers bound for New York: Northern Light
and Belle of the Seas, both by three days, and Sierra Nevada and Mary Robinson
, both by 4 days.
, Liverpool, and London. The stop at Baker Island suggests that she was engaged in the guano
trade.
Another fast voyage was an 1857 round trip between Boston and Calcutta, of 99 days to Calcutta and 97 days returning.
However, Syren was not known as a particularly fast ship on the East Coast to San Francisco run, as she seemed to run into more than her share of calms, light winds, and bad weather off Cape Horn
. Her times typically ranged from 120 to 152 days.
On April 25, 1861, Syren was beating out of San Francisco, near the entrance to the Golden Gate
, when she struck Mile Rock
two times. Syren made it back into the harbor with four feet of water in her hold. She was nearly sinking by the time she was beached on the mud flats. Repairs at Mare Island Navy Yard
cost $15,000.
Like many clippers, Syren lost rigging
and topgallant
masts off Cape Horn and in the South Atlantic, in 1853, 1856, 1858 and 1864.
An unknown vessel collided with Syren on a voyage from Boston to Honolulu, Dec. 18, 1870, near the Equator in the Atlantic; however, Syren did not sustain serious damage.
New Bedford
-Places:*New Bedford, Illinois*New Bedford, Massachusetts, the most populous New Bedford**New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park*New Bedford, New Jersey *New Bedford, Ohio*New Bedford, Pennsylvania...
.
San Francisco trade and transport of whaling products
Syren sailed in the San Francisco trade 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...
and New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
from 1851 to 1856, making five passages. She then made a voyage from Boston and Calcutta, and served in the Boston - Honolulu - New Bedford trade until 1861. She then made four more passages in the San Francisco trade.
In 1866, Syren returned to the Boston - Honolulu - New Bedford run, a route she sailed for ten more years. In 1877, Syren began to voyage to Alaska and the Arctic to transport whale oil
Whale oil
Whale oil is the oil obtained from the blubber of various species of whales, particularly the three species of right whale and the bowhead whale prior to the modern era, as well as several other species of baleen whale...
and the catch of whalers; she also transported coal to the north, and a load of spars
Spar
In sailing, a spar is a pole of wood, metal or lightweight materials such as carbon fiber used on a sailing vessel. Spars of all types In sailing, a spar is a pole of wood, metal or lightweight materials such as carbon fiber used on a sailing vessel. Spars of all types In sailing, a spar is a...
from Seattle to Bath, ME.
In All About Hawaii, written in 1920, there appears the following note about Syren:
Dec. 23, 1858, ship Syren, 1064 tons, Green master, 96 days from Boston via Rio Janeiro, with cargo for this market. Feb. 23, 1860, she is back with another eastern cargo, reporting a trip of 114 days. Was the crack ship of the Brewer line of Boston packets several years. In 1868 she made the run in 105 days, and in 1872 it was 109. She also figured in the San Francisco-China trade later, and was finally condemned at Rio, July, 1888.
Fast voyage from San Francisco to Boston, 1861
In 1861, Syren made a fast voyage from San Francisco to Boston of 103 days, besting the KingfisherKingfisher (clipper)
The Kingfisher was an 1853 extreme clipper that sailed on the San Francisco route. She was one of the longest lived clipper ships, with a sailing life of 36 years and 5 months.-Construction:...
by 17 days. On this voyage, Syren also bested four other clippers bound for New York: Northern Light
Northern Light (clipper)
The Northern Light was an American clipper ship. In 1853 she sailed from San Francisco, California to Boston, Massachusetts via Cape Horn with Captain Freeman Hatch at the helm in a record-setting 76 days, 6 hours. The record still stands for a single hull vessel. In 1993 the record was soundly...
and Belle of the Seas, both by three days, and Sierra Nevada and Mary Robinson
Mary Robinson (clipper)
Mary Robinson was an 1854 medium clipper in the San Francisco, India, and the guano trades. She was known for having spent an entire month attempting to round Cape Horn in bad weather.-Voyages:...
, both by 4 days.
Far East voyages and guano trade
Other ports of call during Syrens long career included: in the Far East, Manila, Whampoa and Batavia; Baker IslandBaker Island
Baker Island is an uninhabited atoll located just north of the equator in the central Pacific Ocean about southwest of Honolulu. The island lies almost halfway between Hawaii and Australia, and is a possession of the United States. Its nearest neighbor is Howland Island, to the north.Located at...
, Liverpool, and London. The stop at Baker Island suggests that she was engaged in the guano
Guano
Guano is the excrement of seabirds, cave dwelling bats, and seals. Guano manure is an effective fertilizer due to its high levels of phosphorus and nitrogen and also its lack of odor. It was an important source of nitrates for gunpowder...
trade.
Another fast voyage was an 1857 round trip between Boston and Calcutta, of 99 days to Calcutta and 97 days returning.
However, Syren was not known as a particularly fast ship on the East Coast to San Francisco run, as she seemed to run into more than her share of calms, light winds, and bad weather off Cape Horn
Cape Horn
Cape Horn is the southernmost headland of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago of southern Chile, and is located on the small Hornos Island...
. Her times typically ranged from 120 to 152 days.
Mishaps
Syren suffered various mishaps during her long career, but remained in service nonetheless.On April 25, 1861, Syren was beating out of San Francisco, near the entrance to 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...
, when she struck Mile Rock
Mile Rocks Light
Mile Rocks Lighthouse is a lighthouse on a rock about southwest of the Golden Gate Bridge, California. It's now an automated and unnatural looking lighthouse with a flat top and red painted rings which tends to stand out very obviously between the Golden Gate Bridge and the Cliff House to the south...
two times. Syren made it back into the harbor with four feet of water in her hold. She was nearly sinking by the time she was beached on the mud flats. Repairs at Mare Island Navy Yard
Mare Island Naval Shipyard
The Mare Island Naval Shipyard was the first United States Navy base established on the Pacific Ocean. It is located 25 miles northeast of San Francisco in Vallejo, California. The Napa River goes through the Mare Island Strait and separates the peninsula shipyard from the main portion of the...
cost $15,000.
Like many clippers, Syren lost rigging
Rigging
Rigging is the apparatus through which the force of the wind is used to propel sailboats and sailing ships forward. This includes masts, yards, sails, and cordage.-Terms and classifications:...
and topgallant
Topgallant sail
On a square rigged sailing vessel, a topgallant sail is the square-rigged sail or sails immediately above the topsail or topsails. It is also known as a gallant or garrant sail....
masts off Cape Horn and in the South Atlantic, in 1853, 1856, 1858 and 1864.
An unknown vessel collided with Syren on a voyage from Boston to Honolulu, Dec. 18, 1870, near the Equator in the Atlantic; however, Syren did not sustain serious damage.
External links
- Syren Clipper Card
- Engraving of sailing ship Syren, San Francisco Public Library
- Syren Clipper Card Poster
- Syren Ship Model
- Syren and other ships of the Glidden & Williams Line, The Boston Daily Atlas, February 13, 1852
- Illustration of clipper ship Syren, from The Story of the American Merchant Marine, by John Randolph SpearsJohn Randolph SpearsJohn Randolph Spears was an American author and journalist, born at Van Wert, Ohio. For some time, he was associated with the Buffalo Express and the New York Sun. Later, devoting himself to writing, he settled at Little Falls, N...
- Photograph of Syren in New Bedford, held by Mystic Seaport Museum
