Argonauts Argonauts The Argonauts (; Ancient Greek: Ἀργοναῦται "Argonautai") were a band of heroes in Greek mythology, who in the years before the Trojan War, around 1300 BC, accompanied Jason to Colchis in his quest to find the Golden Fleece. Their name comes from their ship, "Argo", named after its builder, Argus. "Argonauts" literally means ""Argo" sailors". They were sometimes called Minyans, after a prehistoric tribe in the area. After the death of King Cretheus, the Aeolian Pelias usurped the Iolcan throne from his half-brother Aeson and became king of Iolcus in Thessaly (near the modern city of Volos). Because of
Golden Fleece (clipper) of their voyages, the two ships arrived in San Francisco a few hours apart, on Oct. 29th, after passages of 128 days. "Golden Fleece" sustained relatively little damage for a ship with so many voyages around Cape Horn. Nevertheless, she had several mishaps. In 1857, on her second voyage, as "Golden Fleece" was entering the Golden Gate, she struck Four Fathom Bar off Point Bonita, better known as the "Potato Patch". "Golden Fleece" was run up on the mud flats, and made it to the wharf with 12-14 of water in the hold. In 1873, "Golden Fleece" lost all her