David Bianculli

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.

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.

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.

And then there are the winds which can accelerate to as much as 200 miles per hour. Herman Melville, who later made the trek around the horn, compared it to a descent into hell in Dante's Inferno.

And then there are the winds which can accelerate to as much as 200 miles per hour. Herman Melville, who later made the trek around the horn, compared it to a descent into hell in Dante's Inferno.

And then there are the winds which can accelerate to as much as 200 miles per hour. Herman Melville, who later made the trek around the horn, compared it to a descent into hell in Dante's Inferno.

One of the things I found fascinating was that this is before the Panama Canal, obviously, but the Spanish would prefer to just cross Panama rather than sail around the Cape.

One of the things I found fascinating was that this is before the Panama Canal, obviously, but the Spanish would prefer to just cross Panama rather than sail around the Cape.

One of the things I found fascinating was that this is before the Panama Canal, obviously, but the Spanish would prefer to just cross Panama rather than sail around the Cape.