Effie M. Morrissey’s “Record Run” Centennial

click the photo to read the account of how this photo was taken

On December 10, 1912 Frederick William Wallace boarded the “Morrissey” for what would become her “Record Run” from Portland, ME and Yarmouth, NS.

“From the dock in Portland to anchor in Yarmouth, she had made the 200 mile passage in 20 hours – an average of 10 miles per hour. The mainsail and jib were on her for four hours of that period; for eight-and-a-half hours she carried foresail and jumbo only, and the last seven-and-a-half hours of the passage was made under foresail alone. Allowing for the time working our of Portland and into Yarmouth, the easy 25-mile jog from off the Lurcher into Yarmouth, the old hooker must have been travelling 16 knots at times. In the sea that was running, it took a stoutly-built and well-geared vessel to average 10 miles an hour under the conditions prevailing.”  from Wallace’s “Roving Fisherman”

Wallace had his camera along as well as his notebooks and took some amazing photos of the voyage.  Some can be found in the book “A Camera on the Banks”.  An archive of photos and negatives is held by The Maritime Museum of the Atlantic in Halifax, NS.

Furling the jib

Wallace also penned a ballad “The Log of the Record Run” “with the names changed to protect the innocent” which is still sung in chantey fests today!

This kind of history can’t be found in any replica, support the “real thing” today!