Clipper route

The clipper route ran from west to east through the Southern Ocean, making use of the consistently strong westerly winds called the Roaring Forties.

Many ships and sailors were lost in the heavy conditions along the route, particularly at Cape Horn, which the clippers had to round on their return to Europe.

The clipper route fell into commercial disuse with the introduction of marine steam engines, and the opening of the Suez and Panama Canals.

The clipper route from England to Australia and New Zealand, returning via Cape Horn, offered captains the fastest circumnavigation of the world, and hence potentially the greatest rewards.

Many grain, wool and gold clippers sailed the route, returning home with valuable cargos in a relatively short time.

[1] The route ran from England down the east Atlantic Ocean to the Equator, crossing at about the position of Saint Peter and Paul Rocks, around 30 degrees west.

[3] The route crossed the Greenwich meridian at about 40 degrees south, taking the clippers into the Roaring Forties after about 6,500 miles (10,500 km) sailed from Plymouth.

The great circle route from the Cape of Good Hope to Australia, curving down to 60 degrees south, is 1,000 miles (1,600 km) shorter, and would also offer the strongest winds.

[9] Once again, eastbound ships would be running more or less within the ice zone, staying as far south as possible for the shortest route and strongest winds.

The strong winds and currents, which flow perpetually around the Southern Ocean without interruption, are funnelled by the Horn into the relatively narrow Drake Passage.

Coupled with turbulent cyclones coming off the Andes, and the shallow water near the Horn, that combination of factors can create violently hazardous conditions for ships.

[15] Already dwindling rapidly due to the advent of modern engines, use of the clipper route was halted entirely by World War II and the consequent near-total interruption of commercial shipping.

He wanted to make the fastest ever circumnavigation in a small boat, but specifically set himself the goal of beating a "fast" clipper-ship passage of 100 days to Sydney.

In March 2005, Bruno Peyron and crew, on the catamaran Orange II, set a new world record for a circumnavigation by the clipper route, of 50 days, 16 hours, 20 minutes, and 4 seconds.