Quotes About Navigation

mass, only Magellan's cousin, Álvaro de Mesquita, the recently appointed captain of San Antonio, came aboard Trinidad

Magellan capitalized on a piece of luck. The longboat belonging to Concepción's captain, Gaspar de Quesada

under the command of the two Portuguese commanders.

In pursuit of his goal, he attracted navigators, shipwrights, astronomers, pilots, cosmographers, and cartographers

Sailing into these shallow, sediment-rich waters, Magellan thought he might have been entering the waterway leading

They designed a new type of ship, the small, maneuverable caravel

and it was probably a robust sudestada that caused Magellan to turn back and seek shelter.

masts, and rigging, practically every exposed surface of the ship except for the sails.

He chose to proceed north with extreme caution; he made sure to sound the waters

With their shallow draught and movable sails, Henry's caravels could set a course close to the wind

learned to his relief that they were deep enough for his ships to pass unharmed.

and they could tack, that is, shift their course to take advantage of the wind

The privileged pages maintained the sixteen Venetian sand clocks—or ampolletas—carried by Magellan's ships.

The ships were among the most complicated machines of their day

Prince Henry sent no less than fourteen expeditions to Cape Bojador within twelve years

it was essential for both timekeeping and for navigation.

Years before Magellan arrived at the Río de la Plata, both Spanish and Portuguese ships had searched for the strait at this very point.

ships had to be sufficiently small and light to negotiate the narrow waterway to the Atlantic.

in 1434, Eannes finally accomplished what so many had said was impossible

Thus Magellan's flagship, Trinidad, weighed 100 tons; San Antonio, which carried many of the provisions, weighed 120 tons;

the captain depended on them for dead reckoning and changing the watches. A ship without a functioning ampolleta was effectively disabled.

Concepción 90 tons, Victoria 85 tons;

the captain depended on them for dead reckoning and changing the watches. A ship without a functioning ampolleta was effectively disabled. Operating the ampolletas aboard the armada had religious

together with Alfonso Gonçalves Baldaya, returned to Cape Bojador;