Hydration on the route to the Americas.

by PaleAce

How did the travelers like the conquistadors, pilgrims and French hunters stay hydrated while on the way to the Americas? Did they just carry that many jugs of water?

TRB1783

Barrels of water, but yes: Ships carried provisions with them on Atlantic crossings. In addition to water, sailing vessels also had to carry rum (part of the daily ration for the English at least), salted meats, and animals for eggs, milk, and meat. A great many cargo manifests still survive. This essay by historian David Fictum delves into the complex work of provisioning a sailing ship for the crossing.