page_title: Sea Witch (clipper)
section_title: Voyages
hierarchical_section_title: Sea Witch (clipper) / Voyages
caption_attribution_description: English: SEA WITCH Clipper ship sailing card. Mailler &amp; Quereau Kangaroo Line (established 1853). J. H. Drew, Master. 1288 tons register.
context_page_description: Sea Witch was an American clipper ship designed by naval architect John W. Griffiths for the China trading firm of Howland & Aspinwall. She was launched at Smith & Dimon in Manhattan on December 8, 1846.
context_section_description: After gold was discovered in California, Sea Witch's owners, Howland & Aspinwall, transferred her from the China trade to the new Cape Horn run from the East Coast to San Francisco.  In early 1850, Sea Witch  completed this passage in 97 days, the first vessel ever to do so in less than 100 days.
  Later in the 1850s, Sea Witch physically deteriorated and her place in the fast-freight trade was taken over by newer vessels.  The aging clipper ship was reassigned to serve as a steerage vessel carrying immigrants to the Western Hemisphere.  In 1856, with approximately 500 immigrants from China on board, she ran aground 12 miles (19 km) west of Havana.
caption: Clipper ship sailing card
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