1850. The Charlotte Jane in antarctic waters, at 50 degrees south.
J.E.FitzGerald’s ‘Study of the sea in a gale of wind’. Sketched from the deck of the Charlotte Jane on her voyage to New Zealand. Latitude 50 south. Nov. 1850.’
After rounding the Cape of Good Hope, the Charlotte Jane headed south for Stewart Island. Although this island lies at latitude 47 degrees south, the most direct route took the vessel to beyond 52 degrees south, hence FitzGerald’s gale at ‘Latitude 50 south’.
Edward Ward, also aboard the Charlotte Jane wrote in his diary on Wednesday, 27 November: ‘Towards evening it came on to blow a whole gale, with snow and intensely, unendurably cold…..Lat 49.38 S.’ Three days later he wrote: ‘The ship barely keeps S.S.E., which, besides taking us out of our straight course, is taking us to more cold – more we can hardly bear now. It is utter misery…Lat 50.58 S.’ A week later, the Charlotte Jane began to sail north: Towards evening it blew very hard with rain from the N.W., but at the worst it changed to clear sky and wind from W. The temperature is much milder.’
As the ship sailed closer to its destination, the spirits of those on board began to rise. By then they had spent 80 days at sea, without putting into a single port, en route.
‘Study of the sea in a gale of wind’ by James Edward FitzGerald 1850
Article courtesy of Haydn Rawstron - John Robert Godley Memorial Trust