Cumberland Island, GA

GEORGIA-FLORIDA LINE

We crossed the FL-GA border this morning. An imaginary line of language separates Georgia from Florida. North of the border are English names like Kings Bay, Dungeness, Stafford and Cumberland. South of this border the Spanish names begin: Fernandina, Vilano, Ponte Vedra, and Matanzas.

THE HORSE LATITUDES

It’s hard to imagine making a trans-Atlantic crossing on a heavy wooden sailing ship with enough provisions for crew and farm animals. At best, the ships traveled at four to eight knots. But when they hit the mid-latitudes, between 30 to 35 degrees north and 30 to 35 degrees south, headway was even slower.

The mid-latitudes were notorious for their weak winds. It could take weeks for a sailing ship to pass through these areas, hence named “horse latitudes” because the horses were often the first casualties. Although historical accounts differ, the both speed up the conserve precious food, the horses were either thrown overboard or eaten.

And now you know the “rest of the story”!