Was not sure if this should be item 14 or a separate feature post. Anyway, here’s an intro:

Hmmmmm … if I might add a little here:

a. The cold weather was only a consideration in Newfoundland and similar … they were quite used to it in Denmark, hardly a consideration further south. The hostile, strong natives were certainly a factor, in numbers.

b. As sailors know but possibly not landlubbers … there are trade winds in the Atlantic … one lot go south past Europe from England, then to get to the Caribbean, turn right just past Tenerife … that’s long been known to sailors. To get back to Europe, go north beside the U.S., then turn right where it wll take you through the Azores.

You can go further north before turning right but the seas start getting nasty … even if the winds are with you, so are huge following seas, ice etc. As for going east to west … forget it unless you’re a masochist … you’d not risk your family that way.