[SamAdams76]

Christopher Columbus planned to have a lot of food on his first voyage as he had no ideal how long he would be at sea for. One difficult obstacle was calculating the diameter of the earth, which was unknown at that time (though contrary to popular belief, most educated people already knew that the earth was round).

They packed enough food to last Columbus and the crew a full year and stopped at the Canary Islands to onboard even more food (to replace what they ate up to that point).

Food was always on the minds of the sailors. The following is a list of staple food items that were carried on the ships:

• Sea biscuits (hardtack)
• Salted and barreled sardines, anchovies, cod, beef and pork (bacon!)
• Vinegar
• Casks of wine
• Raisins
• Rice
• Chickpeas, lentils, beans (legumes)
• Garlic
• Almonds
• Flour (for making bread)
• Molasses
• Olive oil
• Cheese (must have cheese)
• Honey

The olive oil and olives were stored in earthenware jugs. The rest of the food was stored in wooden casks which could hold produce like meat preserved in brine, or dry goods. All were stored in the hold, the driest section of which was reserved for casks carrying dry provisions. A cooper (barrel maker) was responsible for keeping the casks tight. Problem was the casks with brine would leak, the casks with dry goods would let water in. It was easy to loose much of your food and water.

The food was mainly boiled and served in a large communal wooden bowl. The sailors had no forks or spoons, but each sailor carried an all purpose knife, that he could use to cut large chunks. The only means of cooking was an open firebox called "Fogon." It had a back to screen it from the wind. Sand was spread on the floor of the box and a wood fire built on it.

Fish was served more often than meat. Meats were usually prepared in a stew with peas other legumes or rice and served with sea biscuits which were soaked in the soup or in water to make them edible. Sea biscuits would last at least a year if they were kept dry.

Both wine and water for drinking were stored in wooden barrels.

[morphing libertarian]

thanx don’t forget the samual adams beer.

[hanamizu]

Food was always on the minds of the sailors.

---

Close, but no. Water was the critical supply. As soon as half of the water butts were empty, the crew would have wanted to go back, since there was no assurance of fresh water ahead of them. Four days without water and you’re very nearly gone.

One reason it took so long for the Portuguese to sail around Africa was the lack of reliable watering places on the North African coast. And they kept the watering places top secret so other nations couldn’t copy their routes.

[farming pharmer]

The circumference of the Earth had been calculated 1500 years earlier by Eratosthenes, to a surprising accuracy given the tools of the day. That Columbus didn’t know that would be surprising.

[Openurmind]

Thank you for this info. But the diameter of the earth was indeed known possibly within 2% of accuracy, and the concept of latitude and longitude of a round earth was also known and shared since before 200 BC by Eratosthenes.

https://brilliant.org/wiki/calculating-the-size-of-the-earth/

[Rebelbase]

Heard about the old time sailor men. The’d eat the same thing again and again. Warm beer and bread they said could raise the dead but it reminds me of menu at a Holiday Inn.