QUEENSLAND'S GERMAN CONNECTIONS - PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE

To the far side of the world

Hamburg

Asia

Europe

Madeira

Tsingtao

Suez

Canary Islands

Hong Kong

Aden

Cape Verde Islands

Africa

Colombo

Equator

Singapore

“The Doldrums”

Moreton Bay

Cape Town

Antarctic Current

“The Roaring Forties”

Lat. 50°S

Pack Ice

Pack Ice

In the second half of the century (gold line), armed with increased knowledge and confidence, emigrant vessels’ masters might head deep into the South Atlantic, almost skirting the northern pack ice, before swinging east to take advantage of ‘the Roaring Forties’ – relentless circumpolar winds between 40°S and 50°S blowing west to east with the earth’s rotation – for some often very fast (and nonstop) passages indeed.

Sea routes to the Fifth Continent in the first half of the 19th century (black line): much as the First Fleet had done a few decades before, ships might call at one or more of the island groups in the North Atlantic for provisions, before proceeding to Cape Town, then striking out almost due east, riding the Antarctic and Indian Ocean currents, with landfall virtually guaranteed somewhere on the Australian coast.

map graphic by the editor, referencing an original drawn by Margaret Hooper for the Spriggs family heritage website; reproduced with permission

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