The Marco Polo was a 3-masted wooden clipper ship, launched in 1851 at Saint John, New Brunswick. She was named after Venetian explorer Marco Polo. She measured 184 feet in length, with a beam of 36 feet and draught of 29 feet. She displaced 1625 tons and had 3 decks. At her launch on April 17 at the shipyard of James Smith, located at the mouth Marsh Creek on Courtney Bay, the Marco Polo's keel struck the mudflat and the vessel fell on its side, injuring several workers. She was floated free by April 22, apparently suffering little damage, however due to her large size, she subsequently grounded in Marsh Creek where she lay for 2 weeks before again being floated free. It is speculated that during one or both of these incidents, the vessel's keel was affected, which may have led to her subsequent speed records. In the summer of 1851 the Marco Polo sailed from Saint John to Liverpool, England with a cargo of timber, making the crossing in 15 days. In 1852, the ship was purchased by the Black Ball Line and converted for passenger service between England and Australia. That year the Marco Polo sailed from Liverpool to Port Phillips Head, Australia in 76 days. After spending 3 weeks in port, she returned to Liverpool in another 76 days. Her total trip time was 5 months, 21 days, making this the first recorded round trip in less than 6 months. In 1867, the Marco Polo was converted back to cargo use. On a trip from Quebec on July 22, 1883 she sprang a leak north of Prince Edward Island. Pumps were not holding back the water so her crew deliberately grounded on a beach at Cavendish, Prince Edward Island. Her masts were cut down to prevent the wind from blowing Marco Polo further onto the shore, however a gale the following month caused her to break up. Today the wreck site is in the waters immediately offshore from Prince Edward Island National Park and is considered a National Historic Site. A ship portrait and many artifacts from the ship are on display at the New Brunswick Museum in Saint John, New Brunswick. Another ship portrait is displayed at the Yarmouth County Museum in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. The original half-model of Marco Polo now lies in the Mariners' Museum in Newport News, Virginia.
References
- Merchant Sailing Ships 1850-1875, David MacGregor -- contains hull lines plan for the Marco Polo
