Many of the gold seekers from the Eastern United States chose the sea route to California. The route around Cape Horn was an 18,000 nautical miles trip, often taking up to eight months to complete. The voyagers were plagued with rough weather, lack of fresh food and water, diseases such as scurvy, and periods of supreme boredom. Click on the links below to find out more about this route.
General Information
Simple
Map of the Sea Routes - drawing showing both the sea and Panama
routes
The Journey by Sea - Information about the journey in a simple, bulleted form
The Wreck of the Frolic - Information on a Gold Rush Cargo Ship
Going By Sea - Brief introduction to the journey around the horn
A Forty - Niner Fourth of July - Summary of how the Gold Seekers celebrated Independence Day. Includes primary source references
The Ship's List - A list of passengers on the Barque Selman (1849) and primary source letters from the passengers
The Journey by Sea - Information about the journey in a simple, bulleted form
The Wreck of the Frolic - Information on a Gold Rush Cargo Ship
Going By Sea - Brief introduction to the journey around the horn
Websites
which include Primary Sources
The Maritime Heritage
Project - Primary source as
reported in the local papers, of
the trip around the hornA Forty - Niner Fourth of July - Summary of how the Gold Seekers celebrated Independence Day. Includes primary source references
The Ship's List - A list of passengers on the Barque Selman (1849) and primary source letters from the passengers