China Clipper

Listen and you can hear the wind whisper the name of a lost ship and its skipper. The wind’s name is Favonius, winged god His sotto voce is but a whimper. Gentle breeze doth tell of China Clipper Bound back toward London by English shipper Lost from sight ten days out of Adelaide for all those involved a real fear gripper. Fast Lammermuir was used in the tea trade, Built by W. Pile’s Company twas then made Clipper’s capacity a thousand tons With errant compass windjammer now strayed Off course by three degrees vessel now runs, till Mate’s use of sextant now captain stuns Ocean current is also a surprise This phenomenon Captain Bell now shuns The current wants to go counter clockwise Loss of ship’s control is what this implies Sails unable to give pull to the right though steersman at wheel with strength vainly tries Lammermuir was in a terrible fight Not turning right was a dangerous plight All hands on deck knew their situation Hard battle continued both day and night Exactly where was their lost location Question captain sought with much vexation Average speed of Jammer was fifteen knots Get back on course or it’s their damnation No welcome sight of other ships or yachts Current’s tying captain’s stomach in knots Break free now or else certain death will come Possibility gives worrisome thoughts. New day same latitude they’d started from A three hundred mile circle left all numb From circling current they couldn’t break free Trying all things they refused to succumb. Lighten ship over the side went the tea Sails pulled harder still that wasn’t the key Rear stern chaser was next without effect Flying, scared lady raced over the sea Caught fast in a maelstrom of no escape Swirling in circles of concentric shape Ever decreasing circumference toward hole Ever increasing speed toward yawing gape West wind speaks no more of piteous sight Wraps wings to cover eyes from ship’s bad plight Finis, finis, Lammermuir sails no more Ending day ends in blanket of black night. Distance To London From Adelaide is: 10110 miles / 16270.47 km / 8785.35 nautical miles Distance To Shanghai From Adelaide is: 4706 miles / 7573.57 km / 4089.4 nautical miles