The discovery of gold in California in 1848 had a dramatic impact on this country and the rest of the world. In the shipping industry, for example, speed and capacity became even more important for shipping goods to the booming city of San Francisco. It was during this time, at the height of the clipper ship era, that George Raynes built the Witch of the Wave at Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Built primarily for Far East trade, a typical voyage took her from the East Coast to California, and then around the world. Although she was a clipper shi. . .