COLUMBIA & LADY WASHINGTON leaving Boston.
1787

Watercolor 21" x 29"


The first Americans to test the possibilities of the fur trade were merchants from Boston, Salem and New York. Together they financed two vessels for a voyage to the Northwest Coast, the 220 ton ship COLUMBIA REDIVIVA under Captain John Kendrick, and the sloop LADY WASHINGTON under Captain John Gray. Captain Kendrick was in overall command of the enterprise.

They sailed together from Boston on the morning tide of October 1st, 1787. The two ships arrived at Nootka Sound in September 1778, the WASHINGTON five days ahead of COLUMBIA. The two ships wintered in Nootka, the first ships ever to do so. Here the contrasting character of the two captains emerges. In the spring, while Gray was actively trading for furs along the coast, John Kendrick had the COLUMBIA rigged down and swinging idly at anchor for ten months.

When the LADY WASHINGTON returned to Nootka in July 1779, after trading all season for furs, the two ships sailed for Clayoquot Sound where for some reason the two captains exchanged commands. Captain Gray then sailed the COLUMBIA to Canton via Hawaii. Kendrick kept the LADY WASHINGTON on the coast to finish the season, then she joined COLUMBIA in China in January1790. After trading their furs, COLUMBIA sailed for Boston, arriving on August 10, 1790, to “salvos of artillery and cheers”. She was the first American ship to circumnavigate the globe.



Columbia Redeviva and Lady Washington Departure from Boston, October 1, 1787

September 30
“ The ship was got under way and proceeded down as far as Nantaskit roads where we anchored it being nearly calm in Company with the Washington....”

October 1
“ Early on Monday morning we weighed and came to sail and by sunrise were out of the harbour, “

The two ships proceeded around Cape Horn and into the Pacific. The Washington anchored in Freindly Cove on September 17, 1788, the first American ship to reach the Northwest Coast. Columbia arrived five days later, and went on to become the first American ship to circumnavigate the world when she arrived back in Boston on August 10, 1790.