History & Heritage

The Sea

Sailors

Tiree men have long been associated with the sea. In the early nineteenth century men began going away on deep sea sailing ships and when steam ships began to multiply in the second half of the nineteenth century even more men from Tiree went to sea.

Tiree was also well-known for its smacks and schooners, which carried cargo around the west coast. There were over thirty in the 1880s. The most famous one was the Mary Stewart, sailed by Donald MacLean (Dòmhnall Òg). Her remains lie in Scarinish harbour today.

Tiree has produced many fine sailors. One of the finest was Donald MacKinnon who won the most famous tea clipper race of all time in 1866.

Donald MacKinnon (Dòmhnall ’ic Nèill ’ic Dhòmnaill Ruaidh) had three brothers who also became sea captains and the fourth a doctor in the Belgian court. Donald made his name on the Canada run, breaking the record for the voyage from Quebec to Greenock.

At that time London tea importers paid a premium for the first China tea of the season to arrive in London. Consequently a fleet of fast tea clippers was built and lined up each year for the dash home to London.

On May 30th 1866 16 clippers were ready at the Pagoda Anchorage, Foo Chow Foo. The Fiery Cross was away first, followed by the Ariel, the favourite, and two hours later the Taeping, captained by Donald MacKinnon and loaded with 1,108,709 pounds of tea.

Donald MacKinnon’s boat, The Taeping, arrived at London’s East India Dock half an hour ahead of its nearest rival, 16,000 miles and 99 days after leaving China.

After the race Captain MacKinnon returned to Tiree in glory and was given Pairc a’ Chrannaig (park of the pulpit) in Heanish. However his trip home was to end in tragedy. The ferry from Mull, the Chieftain’s Bride, encountered vicious weather, and the crew begged their famous passenger to take command. To lighten ship he ordered 54 head of cattle and sheep be thrown overboard but in the battle to save the ship he was injured.

He seemed to recover and rejoined the Taeping in London for her return journey to China. Tragically his injuries were more serious than he thought. He became ill again on the voyage round the Cape and was put ashore at Algoa Bay. Picked up by a later ship, he died and was buried either at sea or near Cape Town.