".... On her third voyage in 1872 the Cutty Sark got the long awaited chance to race the Thermopylae home in the same weather and under the same conditions. Both left the mouth of the Shanghai river on June 18th. Both were held up by fog. When the weather cleared they sped down the China Sea and exchanged the lead several times over the next four weeks. Eventually the Cutty Sark gained a 400 mile lead ...." (from the Cutty Sark archives).
The painting shows the Cutty Sark had already set her studding sails when the fog cleared and a wind blew up whereas Thermopylae is less ready, having her mainsails still backed in a hove-to position. The artist worked in co-operation with the Captain of the Cutty Sark and a print of the work is on sale on board in aid of the vessel's maintenance.