The Herzogin Cecilie was a four-masted steel barque built in 1902 as a sail training ship by Rickmers AG, Bremen, for North German Lloyd. She was built to carry a crew of about 20 with 60 trainees. The ship was named for Kaiser Wilhelm II's prospective daughter- in-law the Herzogin Cecilie von Mecklenburg-Schwerin. Launched in April 1902, she sailed on her maiden voyage under the command of Captain Max Dietrich, leaving from from Bremerhaven for Astoria (at the mouth of the Columbia River in Oregon, USA, down from Portland). On 22 Aug she arrived in Montevideo with severe rigging damage. On 09 Oct she sailed again from Montevideo and reached Astoria on 13 Dec, making the trip in 66 days. Max Dietrich was her captain until 1908 when command passed to Captain Otto Walther.
Later, the Herzogin Cecilia became one of the most famous sailing ships of her day, after being impounded during World War I, and changing hands. Her career ended in 1936, on the last leg of a voyage from Port Lincoln, Australia with 4250 tons of wheat bound for Ipswich. Sailing out of Falmouth on a foggy day she grounded on the Ham Stone rock and drifted onto Bolt Head. Later refloated, she was not allowed into Salcombe harbour because of her rotting cargo, and was beached at Starehole Bay outside, ready for repairs. However, in July her keel was broken during heavy swells, and she was abandoned and has broken up and sunk. She is now a venue for divers.
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© John Stowell 2006