It was remarkable how the ships so often kept pace with one another over a distance of some 15,700 miles. Leaving China together they might not see one another for ninety days or so until, nearing the English Channel in the first light of dawn, they would perhaps find themselves again in company.
The approach to the entrance to the Channel was another hazard which many ships failed to overcome. From the Bay of Biscay the tea clippers' route was either northwards to Liverpool or eastwards for London. To quote from a Channel pilot's guidebook of the 1830s The New Seaman's Guide and Coaster's Companion,

Ships coming into the Channel ought always if possible to make the land about the Lizard: for should they afterwards have thick weather, they will know how to steer and how advance up the Channel-when coming from the southward into the Channel in thick weather and light winds, they frequently get much to the northward of account, and fall into the Bristol Channel. In running up the course from the Lizard to the Start go not into less water than 40 fathoms, for 35 fathoms are in the stream of the Eddystone and you will by keeping without that depth go quite clear of that danger. By being too far to the southward and mistaking the Casket Lights at first sight for those ofPortland, has often proved fatal and occasioned the loss of many ships upon the dangers adjacent.

However if the wind was favourable and the weather clear, the last leg up the Channel was often an exciting finale calling for the utmost endeavour and seamanship. Tugboats would be ignored as long as possible, and maybe a clipper could pass the Goodwins, round the headland at Margate and be well past the ancient Reculvers marks up the Thames estuary before taking a tow. Towards either destination, as soon as a ship was sighted at a semaphore signal station a message would be relayed from hilltop to hilltop in a matter of a few seconds to the owners in either London or Liverpool. Heading for Liverpool the first sighting would be made at Holyhead and by means of a semaphore telegraph consisting of six movable arms on a pole, which could transmit a number code, a message could be sent to Liverpool 72 miles away in about 15 seconds, the record being 9 seconds. This was by way of nine intermediate stations, the last one being on a hill overlooking the town, where a series of flagpoles would each fly an owner's flag as soon as their vessel entered the river.