Sea Venture TimeLine

A list of key dates and events in the Sea Venture timeline - the wrecked ship that settled Bermuda and helped save Jamestown.

Discovery of Bermuda

1503 - Juan de Bermudez described the Bermuda Islands which were known as "Devil Islands" due to dangerous rocky coast and constant shrieks. (It turned out the shrieks were from birds.)

Jamestown Original Settlers

1606 - 1607

December 1606 - Original fleet left England:

• Susan Constant (Christopher Newport captain and admiral)
• Discovery - (Bartholomew Gosmold)
• Godspeed - (John Ratcliffe)
• See Stevens: Packrat Pilgrim Ships (info below) for ships captains (in parenthesis above.)

April 1607 - They arrived in Jamestown

Early Supply Ships

First Supply of Jamestown

Oct 18, 1607 - Left England

• John & Francis - (Christopher Newport)
• Phoneix - (Francis Nelson)

Jan 12, 1608 - Arrived in Jamestown

Second Supply of Jamestown

Aug 1608 - Left England

• Mary Margaret (Christopher Newport)

Oct 1, 1608 - Arrived in Jamestown

See below for more detailed graphic.

Dates of the Sea Venture & Third Supply

Fleet of Nine Ships

Nine ships set out with 500 - 600 passengers plus crew and provisions for one year (EncVirginia)
7 ships under sail - 2 smaller pinnaces towed (They were slower and towed to keep from getting separated.)

• June 2, 1609 - 3rd Supply left Plymouth, England (anchored for several days due to storm)
  • June 8, 1609 - Sailed into the open Atlantic
• June 15 (approximately) - The pinnace Virginia leaves the fleet and returns to England for repair. (Woodward, pg 28)
• July 24, 1609 - Storm started (Sea Venture and Catch untied during storm to prevent crashing into each other.)
• July 28, 1609 - Sea Venture wrecked on coral reef, 153 passengers transported by long board to Gates Bay, a beach about 1/2 a mile away. It would take about 4 round trips to get all ashore.


• August 1609 - Other ships arrive in Virginia.
  • Blessing, Falcon, Lion and Unity pass Cape Henry on August 10
  • Arrive in Jamestown August 11
  • Ships are battered with some loss of life.
  • Others arrived a few days later.
• October 3, 1609 - The pinnace Virginia arrives in Jamestown, having crossed after returning to England. (Smith per Woodward, pg 105, 224)
• October 4, 1609 - five of the six ships in the 3rd supply make return trip to England with the wounded Captain John Smith on board. (Doherty, pg 72)
• approximately Jan 1611 - The Swallow leaves Jamestown to find food, deserts and returns to England arriving about March 1611. Reports the Starving Time to England. (Woodward pg 124 and 226 referencing Alexander Brown Geneis of the United States 1:393)
• March 1611 - England learns about the Starving Time, which the Virginia Company tried to hide and downplay.

Fate of the Ships of the 3rd Supply

The total passengers of all nine ships was approximately 500 passengers and 160 mariners (Woodward pg 12). Since the Sea Venture's 153 people included 118 passengers and 35 mariners (Woodward, pg 23) that would leave the other 8 ships carrying approximately 382 passengers and 135 mariners. The two smallest ships did not make it to Jamestown so that would reduce the number of passengers that arrived in August 1609 to a little over 300. Since the Sea Venture was the flag ship, it carried a high percentage of the supplies being shipped, as well as the a larger percentage of the upper class leaders.

• Sea Venture (Christopher Newport) - shipwrecked on Bermuda for ten months. The survivors made it to Jamestown May 1610



• Virginia of the North Colony (Captain Davis) - smaller pinnace towed by one of the other ships - Turned back to England one week after the journey began. Then arrived Jamestown in October 1609.



• Lion (Captain Webb) - arrived August 11 "relatively unscathed" (Doherty pg 66) Voyage back to England began October 1609.



• Blessing (Cpt Gabriel Archer) arrived August 11 ship, passengers, and cargo of horses were ok. Voyage back to England began October 1609.



• Unity (Captain Wood) arrived Aug 11 - "badly damaged and severely undermanned with all but ten of the seventy settlers on board sick or injured. Of her crew, only the ship's master his cabin boy, and one sailor were healthy enough to perform their duties." Doherty, page 66. Voyage back to England began October 1609.



• Falcon (John Martin) - arrived Aug 11 Voyage back to England began October 1609.



• Swallow (Captain Moone) - arrived about Aug 13 - lost their mainmast - over ten percent death toll of passengers, including two babies born at sea (Doherty, page 66) Stayed in Jamestown when other ships left in October. In January 1610 it left on a regional voyage to find food for Jamestown. Instead it deserted, headed back to England, arriving there about March 1610 and reported the Starving Time to England and the Virginia Company. (Woodward pg 124 and 226 referencing Alexander Brown Genesis of the United States 1:393)



• Diamond (John Ratcliffe) - arrived about Aug 13 - lost mainmast - plague inside the ship with high death toll.( Doherty, page 66) Voyage back to England began October 1609.



• Catch (or Ketch) (Captain Matthew Finch) - towed by Sea Venture and cut loose during the storm to prevent crash. All on board were lost in the storm. Its remains were never found.

See Stevens: Packrat (Info below) on captains of the ships.

Life on Bermuda for the Sea Venture Survirors

1609 - 1610

• July 28, 1609 - Wrecked on Bermuda



• August - Sailor Robert Waters killed Sailor Edward Samuel in a fight. Governor Gates condemned Waters to death, but Admiral Somers argued for clemency. The incident pitted sailors against landsmen.



• August - Namontak and Machumps, two Virginia native Americans returning to Virginia from England onboard the Sea Venture, built two canoes. (Woodward)



• Mid August - began building upper deck onto the longboat to make it ocean-ready



• August 28, 1609 MasterMate Ravens, Thomas Whittingham (settler) and six sailors start off in the longboat for Virginia. Had to return as they had difficulty navigating rocky shoreline.



• August 28, 1609 Carpenter Frobisher built the keel of Deliverance at Gates Bay (eastern edge of island) from the planks of Sea Venture (Woodward, and Doherty)



• Sept 1, 1609 - Small boat from the Sea Venture left Bermuda for Jamestown. (Lost. Rumored to have been ambushed by Powhatans.)



• Sept 1, 1609 - Mutiny uncovered - Sailors Christopher Carter, John Want, Francis Pearepoint, William Brian, William Martin, and Edward Knowles - were tried by Governor Gate for plan to desert and remain on the island. They were banished to an island in the Bermudas. Later that month they pled to come back to the group and were allowed. (Woodward)



• September - Namontack disappeared while hunting with Machumps. The English suspected the other native was murderd by Machumps, but it was never proven. Remained unresolved.



• Nov 26, 1609 - Wedding: Thomas Powell (Admiral Somer's cook) married Elizabeth Pearsons (maid of Mistress Horton). (Woodward)



• Nov 27, 1609 - With increasing tensions between landsmen and mariners, Admiral Somers takes two carpenters from the settlers and twenty other men (mostly sailors) to another island to begin building a second ship Patience. (Woodward, pg 78)



• Jan 24, 1610 - Steven Hopkins tried and condemned to death for trying to convince others to break contract with the Virginia Company, not participate in the building of ships, and to remain on the island. Gates dropped plans for excecution after he begged for leniency. (Woodward pg 80)



• Feb 11, 160 - Bermuda Rolfe, newborn daughter of John Rolfe and wife was christened. Captain Newport and William Strachey were named godparents. She died a few weeks later.



• March 13, 1610 - Trial for mariner mutineers who led armed attack against Gate's camp and stole supplies. Henry Paine found guilty and executed. (Woodward, page 85)



• March 18, 1610 - All conspirators and all mariners fled into the wood, fearing arrest. Admiral Somers was the only one left in his camp.



• March 25, 1610 - Bermuda Easton was born, son of Edward Easton and his wife, was born. Also had Newport and Strachey named as godparents. He made it to Jamestown, though died there in infancy.



• May 10, 1610 - They leave Bermuda
  • Deliverance (Admiral Somers)
  • Patience (Captain Newport)
  • 137 passengers and crew - Comprised of 153 original + 2 babies - 8 left on long board in August 1609 - 2 left in Bermuda - 7 deaths on the islands:
    • Sailor Edward Samuel - murdered
    • Henry Paine - executed March 13
    • Namotack - disappeared, possibly murdered?
    • Bermuda Rolfe, infant born and died in Bermuda
    • Jeffrey Briars, cause of death unknown
    • Richard Lewish, cause of death unknown
    • William Hitchman, cause of death unknown

4th Supply and Sea Venture At Jamestown

1610

• April 1, 1610 - 4th Supply left England ¹
• De La Warr
• Blessings of Plymouth (part of the 3rd supply - returning again)
• Hercules
• May 10, 1610 - Patience and Deliverance leave Bermuda ³
• Reach Fort Algernon, Old Point Comfort on Chesapeake Bay
• 35 miles from Jamestown
• 30 men at the fort
• May 23, 1610 - Patience and Deliverance reach Jamestown
• only 60 starving settlers left
• all animals killed and eaten
• only enough food in the fort for a few more days
• June 7, 1610 - De La Warr arrives the same day that Patience, Deliverance, and two other small pinnaces attempt to leave
• June 12, 1610 - De La Warr elected Council of Jamestown (Strachey, pg 85)
  • Sir Thomas Gates, Lieutenant Governor
  • Sir George Somers, Admiral
  • Captain Percy, Captain of Fort of 50
  • Sir Ferdinando Wainman, Master of Ordnance
  • Captain Christopher Newport, Vice-Admiral of Virginia
  • William Strachey, Secretary and Recorder
• June 23, 1610 - Two ships leave Jamestown to obtain a six-month supply of food from Bermuda for the settlement (Strachey, pg 87))
  • Patience (Admiral Somers)
  • Discovery (Captain Argall)
  • See section below on the outcome of this voyage.
• July 6, 1610 - settler Humphrey Blunt was dragged into the woods and killed by natives as he attempted to catch a longboat that had been blown away
• July 9, 1610 - Lt. Governor Thomas Gates captures village of Kecoughton in revenge; William Strachey was present. (Strachey 89)
• July 20, 1610 - Leaving Jamestown to return to England (Doherty, pg 142)
  • Blessing (3rd and 4th Supply)
  • Hercules (Captain Robert Adams) - both ships are from the 4th supply that arrived 6/7/23
  • Captain Newport returned (possibly as captain of the Blessing?)
  • Thomas Gates (no longer govenor, having given charge to De La Warr) returned to give formal report to Virginia Company - (No doubt a very interesting meeting.)
  • Brings copy of William Strachey's "True Report" of the Sea Venture wreck
  • Bring a cargo of "cedar, clapboard, black walnut, and iron ore" (Strachey, 94)
  • Also took 3 native prisoners: "chief King of Warrascoyack, called Sasenticum, with his son Kainta, and one of his chief men." (Strachey, 94)
  • The two ships arrive in England September 1610.
  • The survival of the Sea Venture passengers and their prominent leaders will be good news. But ore and lumber are pretty poor pickings after the original investment plus four supply missions.
  • Effect on family of Sea Venture survivors. They had heard of the loss of the Sea Venture in Jan 1610; now they hear of the survivors.

Somers and Argall's Quest to Obtain Food From Bermuda

Summer 1610 to Spring 1611

• June 13, 1610 - the day after being appointed to the council as admiral, Somers proposes trip to get six-month supply of food from Bermuda. De La Warr agrees to the plan.
  • Patience (Admiral Somers)
  • Discovery (Captain Argall)
• The two ships are separated in a storm.
• August 31, 1610 - Discovery (Captain Argall) returned to Jamestown; the fate of Patience and Somer's crew was unknown to Jamestown for a long time.
• Aug/Sept 1610 - Patience (Admiral Somers) reached Bermuda - They hunt, gather, and fish for six weeks (Woodward, 186)
• Nov. 9, 1610 - Admiral George Somer's dies in Bermuda. Heart is buried there; body placed in casket on the ship.
• Winter 1610 - Crew of Patience never reach agreement to return to Jamestown or abandon the impoverished colony and sail for England in the Bermuda-built ship.
• Spring 1611 - Patience now commanded by Matthew Somers (George Somer's nephew and heir who also arrived in the 3rd Supply); departs Bermuda for England. The ship and crew never took food to Jamestown.
• Edward Chard stays behind on Bermuda, joining Waters and Carter as the only 3 residents.
• Patience arrives in England about the time Gates and the 5th Supply leave.
• June 4, 1611 - Admiral George Somers burial in England.
• Matthew Somers and crew never face charges for mutiny for taking the ship and abandoming their mission.

Jamestown Colony in 1611

• March 17, 1611 - "5th Supply" leaves England
  • "5th Supply"
  • Starr (Christopher Newport)
  • Prosperous
  • Elizabeth
  • 240 men, 60 women, 100 head of cattle
• March 28, 1611 - Lord De La Warr leaves Jamestown to sail to West Indies for his health. Leaves George Percy in command. (Gates had left July 1610.)
  • De La Warr reported he left 200 people in Jamestown with food for ten months
  • Compare to a colonist claim of three month supply. (Woodward, 129)
• March 29, 1611 - Blockhouse Raid which killed 20 Jamestown soldiers and undermined Percy's leadership (https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=66908)
• about April 5, 1611 - Hercules (Captain Robert Adams) arrives in Jamestown (Woodward, 130)
  • Announce that the arrival of Captain Christopher Newport and Lt. Governor Thomas Gates in England September 1610 with the news of survival of Sea Venture bolstered support from the Virginia Company and the population of London
  • Passenger Robert Evelyn informs Secretary Wm Strachey that the Virginia Company desired more of his writing.
  • Annoucement: Another supply is coming soon!
• May 19, 1611 - 5th Supply Fleet arrives in Jamestown (May 12, 1611 they reached Fort Comfort)
  • End of faminine and want in Jamestown (Nichols, 131)
  • Thomas Dale, Marshall of Jamestown assumed control of Jamestown. (He acted as govenor since De La War left in March; Percy was not a good leader. Stepped down when Thomas Gates arrived August 1611.)
  • For Sea Venture survivors, the first letters are received from relatives at home who know they are alive. (They left England June 2, 1609.) =
• Summer of 1611 - Jamestown under the leadership of Marshal Thomas Dale, a very stern and harsh leader, with De La Warr gone.
  • He was said to have "pulled Captain Newport by the beard and threaten to hang him" for not disclosing the severity of the fort's lack of food. (Woodward, 135)
• August 30, 1611 - Largest supply since 3rd Supply with the Sea Venture arrives in Jamestown. (Arrive Fort Comfort Aug 30)
  • 9 vessels left England May 1611
  • Trial, Sarah, Swan and six others
  • 280 men, 20 women, livestock and supplies
  • "Choicest persons" were recruited for this supply. (Compared to taking anyone they could get in previous supplies, including indigent or those escaping debtors prison)
  • Thomas Gates on-board, Sea Venture governor who left Jamestown July 1610
    • Gates wife and three daughters on-board. Not with him on 3rd supply
    • Gates wife died on-board.
    • He sent his three daughters back to England on next available ship.
    • Gates takes over as acting-governor in De La Warr's absence and Dale gives up governorship but remains military marshal of Jamestown
• August/September 1611 - Prospero of 5th Supply leaves Jamestown for England
  • William Strachey on-board with his journals and laws of Jamestown to be published in book form and returned.
  • Strachey never returned to Jamestown.
  • Reached England October 1611
• August 20, 1611 - Newport departs Jamestown, commanding the Starr - leaves Virginia for lat time (Nichols, 131)
  • October 1611 - ships of 5th supply arrive in England
• Nov 1, 1611 - opening night of Shakespeare's The Tempest performed at Whitehall Palace (Woodward, 147)
  • King James and Queen Anna attended
  • Name of protagonist was "Prospero," the same name as the ship that returned Strachey and his journals.

Settlement of Bermuda

• May 1610 - Robert Waters and Christopher Carter were left on the island.
• Fall 1610 to Spring 1611 - Patience returns to look for food. Somers dies on the island. In the spring the ship sails for England, after leaving Edward Chard as well.
• July 11, 1612 - Bermuda’s first governor Richard Moore arrived with 60 permanent settlers on Bermuda (BerNews 2013)
• 1612 - 1615 - 600 colonists living in the settlement²
• 1625 9 forts and 2,500 residents (Bermuda ended up being more profitable than Virginia for the Virginia Company) ²

Massachussetts

• By 1620 over 55 ships had sailed from England to Virginia (Stevens, Packrat)
• Sept 6, 1620 Mayflower left Plymouth, England - Headed to Virginia, it sailed off course.
• Nov 11, 1620 Mayflower arrived in Plymouth
• Nov 21, 1620 Mayflower Compact signed

References

We are not using live-links at this time as changing and outdated URL's can alter web results.

Archaeological Team Returns To Smith’s Island (2013, March 23) BerNews: https://bernews.com/2013/05/archaeological-team-returns-to-smiths-island/ (online news article)

Doherty, Kieran. (2007) Sea Venture - Shipwreck, Survival, and the Salvation of the First English Colony in the New World. St. Martin's Press. 2007 (book)

Encyclopedia Virginia https://encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/sea-venture (online article)

Glover, Lorri and Smith, Daniel Blake. (2008) The Shipwreck that Saved Jamestown: The Sea Venture Castaways and the Fate of America. Henry Holt and Company (book)

Karwoski, Gail Langer. (2004) Miracle: The True Story of the Wreck of the Sea Venture. Darby Creek Publishers. (children's book)

Mack, Jonathan. (2020). A Stranger Amng Saints: Stephen Hopkins - the Man Who Survived Jamestown and Saved Plymouth. Chicago Review Press (book) Nicols, A. Bryant Jr. (2007) Captain Christopher Newport: Admiral of Virginia. Sea Venture Publishers (illustrated book)
See https://captainchristophernewport.com/

Stevens, Sherry Anne. Packrat Pilgrim Ships https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm (web page: Valuable research listing the known pilgrim ships. The names of the captains of the ships on this page is from this the Packrat Ship list - though also confirmed in multiple other documents. The name of the captains is included as many had historical importance at Jamestown or elsewhere.)

Strachey, William. (1611) "True Reportory of the Wreck and Redemption of Sir Thomas Gates, Knight." Reprinted by Wright, Louis B. A Voyage to Virginia in 1609 The University Press of Virginia. 1964. (reprint of original book)

Woodward, Hobson. (2009) A Brave Vessel: The True Tale of the Castaways who Rescued Jamestown and Inspired Shakespeare's The Tempest. Viking. (book)

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