Travel by sail in the 18th century is an uncertain thing indeed. Pirates, storms, reefs, all can add to or drastically shorten the trip. These events aside, a bigger impact comes from prevailing, adverse, contrary or absent winds and the effect of currents.
Travel between two points in one direction can be drastically different when going in the other. Winds in the Caribbean are predominantly from the South east, making trips against that wind a time consuming business.
|
Destination |
|||||||||||
| Barbados | Cartagena | Havanna | Nassau | Old Providence | Port Royal | Portobello | San Juan | Tortuga | Vera Cruz | ||
|
Depart |
Barbados |
— |
|||||||||
| Cartagena |
1,100 |
— |
|||||||||
| Havanna |
2,000 |
1,170 |
— |
||||||||
| Nassau |
1,400 |
1,120 |
380 |
— |
|||||||
| Old Providence |
1,420 |
420 |
800 |
1,250 |
— |
||||||
| Port Royal |
1,200 |
540 |
800 |
680 |
450 |
— |
|||||
| Portobello |
1,440 |
320 |
1,100 |
1,250 |
290 |
620 |
— |
||||
| San Juan |
600 |
880 |
1,150 |
850 |
1,150 |
700 |
1,200 |
— |
|||
| Tortuga |
1,000 |
780 |
650 |
460 |
790 |
350 |
870 |
470 |
— |
||
| Vera Cruz |
2,500 |
1,770 |
1,000 |
1,300 |
1,350 |
1,350 |
1,620 |
2,070 |
1,600 |
— |
|
.
Caribbean travel in days
|
Destination |
|||||||||||
| Barbados | Cartagena | Havanna | Nassau | Old Providence | Port Royal | Portobello | San Juan | Tortuga | Vera Cruz | ||
|
Depart |
Barbados |
— |
7 |
12 |
8 |
9 |
7 |
9 |
4 |
6 |
15 |
| Cartagena |
7 |
— |
7 |
7 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
5 |
5 |
11 |
|
| Havanna |
36 |
21 |
— |
2 |
13 |
15 |
20 |
20 |
12 |
6 |
|
| Nassau |
20 |
21 |
2 |
— |
10 |
6 |
14 |
15 |
9 |
8 |
|
| Old Providence |
9 |
9 |
5 |
7 |
— |
3 |
5 |
14 |
10 |
8 |
|
| Port Royal |
10 |
8 |
5 |
4 |
3 |
— |
10 |
6 |
3 |
8 |
|
| Portobello |
9 |
2 |
7 |
7 |
2 |
4 |
— |
7 |
5 |
10 |
|
| San Juan |
12 |
5 |
7 |
5 |
7 |
4 |
7 |
— |
3 |
12 |
|
| Tortuga |
18 |
7 |
4 |
3 |
5 |
2 |
7 |
9 |
— |
10 |
|
| Vera Cruz |
45 |
33 |
8 |
18 |
24 |
17 |
30 |
26 |
22 |
— |
|
Atlantic crossings can be every bit as uncertain. Sailing west is faster, due to winds and currents, then sailing east.
Atlantic travel in days
|
Arrival |
|||||||||
| Barbados | Dahomey | Boston | Cadiz | Capetown | Nassau | New York | Southampton | ||
|
Depart |
Barbados |
— |
28 |
14 |
28 |
55 |
8 |
12 |
36 |
| Dahomey |
35 |
— |
49 |
27 |
27 |
43 |
47 |
53 |
|
| Boston |
34 |
65 |
— |
36 |
92 |
14 |
4 |
36 |
|
| Cadiz |
36 |
12 |
52 |
— |
39 |
44 |
50 |
26 |
|
| Capetown |
45 |
10 |
59 |
37 |
— |
80 |
84 |
63 |
|
| Nassau |
20 |
48 |
6 |
39 |
75 |
— |
4 |
42 |
|
| New York |
30 |
63 |
3 |
35 |
85 |
10 |
— |
30 |
|
| Southampton |
50 |
35 |
40 |
12 |
51 |
58 |
42 |
— |
|
