Christopher Columbus and Hurricanes in the Atlantic

On Columbus Day, I like to think about the dangers and excitement of the Age of Exploration, and especially the psychological drama from Christopher Columbus’ first trip westward, sailing for days on end, expecting to hit land at any time, and finding much more open ocean than the experts of his age thought was out there. The pressure on the crew, who also had an idea of how far they were supposed to have left to go, and seeing that distance pass behind them, was immense. Their supplies were dwindling, and Columbus knew that mutiny was on many sailors’ minds.Read More