When we read about someone going to the New World, we often hear a phrase like, “and they traveled across the ocean to the New World.” But this journey is usually only treated as a mere comma in their lives. It is insightful to take a minute and realize that it took great courage for them to accomplish that seemingly simple part of their lives.

This week marks 398 years since Catalyntje Trico and her husband, of four days, Joris Jansen Rapelje, boarded a ship and “traveled across the ocean to the New World.” Once these newlyweds along with the other passengers, boarded the ship, water barrels had to be filled before beginning their actual journey. Catalyntje and Joris’ ship left Amsterdam and headed north through the Ij waterway to accomplish this. Then, it stopped at the island of Texel to fill the ship’s barrels with water. After they were filled, the captain waited for good weather, and at the first chance, the ship set sail out into the North Sea. 

Their next challenge awaited them as they passed through the waters between England and France. When Catalyntje and Joris sailed there, attacks by french pirates were a great danger. If these pirates ambushed a ship, it could end the journey even before the ship made it to the ocean.

Once they safely reached the Atlantic Ocean, the voyage encountered numerous hazards. Great storms brought waves crashing over the ship’s sides, carrying supplies and sometimes passengers overboard. Being buried in the waves soaked everything on the boat, and once the storm had passed, there was no place to dry anything out. They also might be driven back a few days when they met with sizable storms, leading to the rationing of supplies.

Additionally, travelers were kept in close quarters below the deck and didn’t have any privacy. The deck wasn’t sealed, so the constant dripping of water from overhead slowly soaked the passengers’ beds, bodies, and belongings on stormy days. The smell trapped beneath the deck was a combination of waste, sickness, and sweat held together with high humidity. The voyagers ate the same foods day, after day, after day; ship biscuits, beef soaked in saltwater, dried peas, and beer were standard fare. Passengers also hoped they got along well with the others on the ship since these were the only people you would see for about four months. Sometimes the journey was lengthened when sickness ran rampant on the ship. So even though they’d reached their destination, the travelers had to quarantine for a few weeks and weren’t allowed to disembark until those that were sick, got better or died. 

I am haunted by the idea of sailing on the ocean at night once the glow of the sun had left the sky. The only lights on these large vessels were lanterns and to experience such intense darkness isn’t something many of us in the modern world have ever encountered. To be in complete darkness, feeling the power of the rolling waves and the water splashing on the sides of the ship could be fearsome. Sometimes, because they couldn’t see anything in front of them, ships crashed into islands or coastlines on these inky nights, sinking their ships, cargo, and passengers beneath the waves. But, on the other hand, there could be an incredible side to being on the ship’s deck in utter darkness. From that vantage point, with absolutely no light around you, the sight of the night sky would be compelling. 

Passengers would certainly miss earthy things when they “traveled across the ocean.” For example, the ability to stand on stable ground, the smell of the earth and dirt and trees. And it would be a long time before they saw mountains or flowers.

So, when you see simple phrases, from long ago,  like “traveling across the ocean” realize that considerable bravery and patience were packed into that occurrence. To appreciate life in the past, remember that simple phrases weren’t accomplished by simple actions. Instead, they were created from layers and layers of incidents that shaped the choices, adventures, and daily lives of those who lived through them.