The following was the famous Cutty Sark’s experience. I have taken it from Captain Woodget’s private journal:—
Wednesday, 8th February.—Lat. 50° 08′ S., long. 46° 41′ W., course N. 50° E., distance 150 miles. Gentle S.W. breeze and fine. 6.00 a.m., foggy; 6.30, fog lifted and we found ourselves surrounded by icebergs; 8 a.m., foggy again; ice ahead, in fact there was ice all round. As soon as we cleared one berg another would be reported. You could hear the sea roaring on them and through them, the ice cracking sometimes like thunder, at other times like cannon, and often like a sharp rifle report, and yet could not see them.
At 1 p.m. the top of an iceberg was seen which one could hardly believe was ice, it looked like a streak of dark cloud. Then we could see the ice a few feet down, but we could not see the bottom. It was up at an angle of 45 degrees, we were only about 1000 feet off, so it would be 1000 feet high, it had a circular top but we could not see the ends.
A few minutes later another was under the bows, we only cleared it by a few feet. It was about 100 feet high and flat-topped. Just as we were passing the corner there was a sharp report that made you jump, as if it was breaking in two.
Found another on the other side quite close, and a few minutes later saw the long ridge of ice almost ahead. Kept off, and then another came in sight on the other bow. We were too near it to keep away, but I felt sure that it was no part of the big one—as we were passing this the point of the big one came in sight, the fog cleared and we passed in between them, there being not more than 400 feet between them. When we had cleared the big one, I saw its north end and took bearings. After sailing 8 miles I took other bearings and found that the east side was 19 miles long; and we could not see the end of the side we sailed along. We sailed about 6 miles alongside of it, water now quite smooth. Before noon the water was quite lumpy from all ways. After we had cleared the passage by about 3 or 4 miles, it cleared up astern and what a sight it was! Nothing but icebergs through the passage and on the south side of the passage (for the south berg was only about ½ mile long north and south, same height as the big berg. I expect it had not long broken off.) There was nothing but a sea of ice astern, and another large flat-topped iceberg, which as far as you could see extended like land, it must have been 20 miles long or more.
After we were through, there was nothing but small ice from small pieces to bergs 100 feet long. Also there was one about a mile long covered with what looked like pumice stone or lumps of tallow.
“Loch Torridon’s” Voyages, 1892-1908.
Notwithstanding her fine wool passage in 1892, Loch Torridon could not find a cargo in London and was obliged to leave the Thames in ballast. With only 350 tons of flints and a quantity of “London rubbish” as stiffening, she sailed in magnificent style.
She left Gravesend on 30th July, 1892—was off Start Point, 31st July—crossed the equator, 19th August, 20 days out—lost S.E. trades in 22° S., 29th August—crossed the Cape meridian, 14th September, 46 days out—made Moonlight Island, 7th October, 69 days out.