Sea History 019 - Winter 1980-1981

The Wavertree in her prime, around 1900, sits at anchor off Telegraph Hill, San Francisco, for a formal portrait by TH. Wilton's Elite Studio. Deep-laden with grain, sails bent and anchor chain hove short against the flood tide coming through the Golden Gate, she's waiting only for her skipper to come out to hoist in the accommodation ladder slung over the side, pick up her anchor and take a towlinefrom a tug to begin the long voyage south, round Cape Horn and home to England. Photos, National Maritime Museum, San Francisco.

The grace and order of the decks of a first-class deepwaterman: Wavertree's sistership Milverton, photographed at anchor by William Hester of Seattle, getting on fora century ago. Standing on the scrubbed planking of the poopdeck just to one side of the steering wheel, you are lookingforeward past polished binnacle, elegant skylight and companionway hatch, past well kept boats on skids and the sturdy iron columns of mizzen, main and foremast, to the rising sweep of the forecastle head. A wisp ofsmoke from the stovepipe promises a cheery welcome, this grey wet day, in the saloon under the deck you 're standing on.