McNear: When Frolic sank off Point Cabrillo, the fate of the redwoods was sealed

The start of Mendocino’s lumber history is closely tied to the wreck of Frolic, a 97-foot-long two-mast ship built in Baltimore in 1844. The August Heard Company of Boston owned the ship and used it to compete in the opium trade. Under the command of Captain Edward Faucon, the Frolic travelled to Bombay, India, where opium was loaded into the ship’s cargo hold and delivered to the Gulf of Canton in south China. Less than a decade later, however, steam-powered ships had overtaken Frolic, and the ship’s owners looked to put it to a new job.

The discovery of gold in the California hills drove many west for new opportunities. California’s growing population created a significant demand for goods, and a fortune greater than gold could be made in this trade. In June 1850, the Frolic, loaded with porcelain, hardware, silk, and 6,009 bottles of beer, left China and headed to San Francisco.