Image: Dow, G. (1922). Flying Cloud [Illustration]. The Sailing Ships of New England. Boston: Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities. Fig 97.
Eleanor Creesy was an American navigator who set world sailing records for the fastest passage between New York and San Francisco in 1851 and 1854. She proved to be one of the most capable navigators of her time.
Eleanor was born in 1814 and learned ship navigation from her father. When she married Captain Josiah Perkins Creesy in 1841, she became his ship’s navigator. In 1851, Eleanor’s husband became captain of a new clipper ship, the Flying Cloud, which was said to be the fastest clipper ship yet built. Eleanor Creesy put this to the test on the Flying Cloud’s maiden voyage from New York to San Francisco. She used the latest wind and current charts compiled by Matthew Fontaine Maury of the U.S. Navy to plot a new course around the dangerous waters of Cape Horn. The Flying Cloud’s voyage lasted 89 days and 21 hours, beating the previous speed record by a full week. Their arrival made headlines around the world, and Eleanor and Captain Creesy became famous. Eleanor and her husband sailed the Flying Cloud between New York and San Francisco again in 1854. This time, they beat their own record, completing the voyage in 89 days and 8 hours. This speed sailing record would remain unbeaten until 1989. Eleanor’s exceptional skill, intelligence, and courage set an example for what women could accomplish at sea.
