David Bianculli

Yeah, so they were given a secret mission to try to intercept and capture a Spanish galleon filled with so much treasure, it was known as the prize of all the oceans. And so they were going to sail across the Atlantic, around the violent seas of Cape Horn, into the Pacific, and then try to intercept the ship somewhere off the coast of the Philippines.

Believe it or not, that was part of the mission and there was a real whiff of piracy to it all.

Believe it or not, that was part of the mission and there was a real whiff of piracy to it all.

Believe it or not, that was part of the mission and there was a real whiff of piracy to it all.

Yeah. I mean, it sounds like a heist movie, but isn't this piracy? Isn't this almost illegal during that time?

Yeah. I mean, it sounds like a heist movie, but isn't this piracy? Isn't this almost illegal during that time?

Yeah. I mean, it sounds like a heist movie, but isn't this piracy? Isn't this almost illegal during that time?

It wasn't illegal. It was actually part – it was the end of a certain era of buccaneering. But in that period, seamen were offered a tantalizing prospect, which was a share of the prize money. So, yes, it – There really was a piratical element to this secret mission.

It wasn't illegal. It was actually part – it was the end of a certain era of buccaneering. But in that period, seamen were offered a tantalizing prospect, which was a share of the prize money. So, yes, it – There really was a piratical element to this secret mission.

It wasn't illegal. It was actually part – it was the end of a certain era of buccaneering. But in that period, seamen were offered a tantalizing prospect, which was a share of the prize money. So, yes, it – There really was a piratical element to this secret mission.

And can you set this conflict in the larger context? Like what were Britain and Spain fighting about?

And can you set this conflict in the larger context? Like what were Britain and Spain fighting about?

And can you set this conflict in the larger context? Like what were Britain and Spain fighting about?

Yeah, so Great Britain was seeking, this was the kind of terrible age of empires, and Great Britain was seeking to expand its empire into Latin America and break its rival Spain's hold over that region. And so this war was sparked by imperialists who were hoping to break that Spanish hold over this region.

Yeah, so Great Britain was seeking, this was the kind of terrible age of empires, and Great Britain was seeking to expand its empire into Latin America and break its rival Spain's hold over that region. And so this war was sparked by imperialists who were hoping to break that Spanish hold over this region.

Yeah, so Great Britain was seeking, this was the kind of terrible age of empires, and Great Britain was seeking to expand its empire into Latin America and break its rival Spain's hold over that region. And so this war was sparked by imperialists who were hoping to break that Spanish hold over this region.

And as I said in the introduction, even today, rounding Cape Horn is considered very dangerous. What makes it so tricky?

And as I said in the introduction, even today, rounding Cape Horn is considered very dangerous. What makes it so tricky?

And as I said in the introduction, even today, rounding Cape Horn is considered very dangerous. What makes it so tricky?

Oh, it is among the worst, if not the worst, seas in the world. And the reason is that the seas travel automatically. uninterrupted, unblocked by any land around the globe. And so they travel about 13,000 miles without having anything to slow them down. And then they funnel around Cape Horn. A 90-foot wave can dwarf a ship's mast. The currents are the strongest on Earth.