The weed that made sailors sound the sea

Sargassum encounter

Floating greenish-yellow Sargassum met Columbus’s ships. See why the crew worried, tested the water, and kept going. 🌊

Sargassum encounter

The sailors feared the weed might hide shallow water and trap their ships. The danger was a fear, not a finding. ⚓

Sargassum encounter

They tested the depth with soundings, but found no bottom. That did not confirm the feared shallows. 🔎

Sargassum encounter

The ships continued west, taking repeated soundings as they went. The account describes caution alongside onward passage. ⛵

Sargassum encounter

After a few days, they sailed clear of the weed into open ocean again. The feared trap had not stopped their passage. 🌊

Explore related topics