The age of exploration saw famous explorers set sail for years on the open seas. They often sailed off into the sunset with little knowledge of what they would find or how long it would take.
It was a dangerous life and uncomfortable at that. It was a life of hard work and little reward. Punishment for insubordination included floggings. Mutiny could lead to death. Many of the men were also killed when fights broke out amongst them.
The food was monotonous and often infested with insects. Fresh fruit and vegetables were not on the menu and the men more often than not suffered from scurvy. Bathing was rare and the sailors didn’t bother with a change of clothes.
Shipwrecks were frequent since the seas were treacherous and the weather unknown. Those who were lucky enough to make it to the coast of foreign lands were often greeted by less than friendly inhabitants. Still, some of these seafaring explorers made it into the history books and made a fortune for themselves and their sponsors.
They introduced new products like cocoa and peppers to the world and set in motion the path to the globalized, modern world we know today. Latter-day explorers are finding new horizons beyond our planet. How will their journeys change future generations?