September 16th: The Mayflower set sail

The Mayflower set sail for the New World on this date in 1620. 10 things about the Mayflower:

1. Nobody knows for sure where the famous ship was built, but it was thought to be Harwich in Essex, because the ship was designated as being "of Harwich" in port records.
2. A designation was needed because Mayflower was actually a very common name for ships in those times. Nobody knows quite why the name was so popular before the pilgrims' voyage, but there were 26 other ships in England with the same name at the time.
3. The Mayflower was built and worked as a cargo ship for many years before her most famous voyage and had carried goods such as wool, wine, hats, hemp, Spanish salt, hops and vinegar. The ship had possibly even been whaling in Greenland.
4. The voyage was supposed to start much earlier than it did. It could be said to have started in July 1620 from Rotherhithe in London, where 65 passengers boarded. From there it sailed to Southampton to start the voyage proper from there in early August, but a second ship, the Speedwell, sprang a leak so they had to turn back to Dartmouth so that the Speedwell could be repaired, and finally set sail after a final stop in Plymouth to stock up with fresh water. It's said that it did make another stop before leaving Britain completely, in Newlyn, Cornwall, because the water from Plymouth was contaminated; the plaque in Newlyn doesn't mention the exact date, and most historical accounts fail to mention it at all.
5. The voyage to America took 66 days, a long time even for those days, because they were mostly sailing against the prevailing wind, which was actually more difficult on the Mayflower because of a 30 foot high "castle" on her stern. The ship's journey back the following spring took less than half the time with the same winds behind her.
6. The original plan was not to go to Massachusetts at all, but to Virginia. Nor were these pilgrims the first colony in the New World. There was already a colony in Virginia, which is why they wanted to go there. However, the ship went seriously off course. This may have been unfavourable winds, or an inept navigator, or a bit of both. It being November by now, the decision was made to land and set up a base to spend the winter.
7. There were 102 passengers and about 30 crew. Two people died on the voyage, but two babies were born (Oceanus Hopkins and Peregrine White).
8. The passengers had to suffer living in the cramped conditions not only for the voyage itself, but during all the delays for repairs etc - up to four months in all. There were no toilets on board (they had to use a bucket) and no way of washing their clothes. The only food they had to eat was salted meat and fish, dry ship’s biscuits, dried Peas and beans, dried fruits, and Cheese, and Beer, the only drink.
9. There were no actual passenger cabins, either - they all had to camp out on the gun deck, which was a mere fifty feet by twenty-five feet with a five foot ceiling. The ship was armed with cannons and ammunition in case of pirates, so it was not the safest place to be.
10. Massachusetts later adopted the mayflower as its state flower.