John Howland

The voyage of the Mayflower to the New World was long, cold and wet.  The first half went reasonably well with seasickness being the main complaint among the passengers. The second half was much different.  The weather in the North Atlantic proved to be an extreme challenge.  What follows is an account written by William Bradford, who later became the Governor of the colony, in his journal.
"In many of these storms the winds were so fierce, and the seas so high, as they could not bear a knot of sail, but were forced to heave to (face into the wind to stop the ship), for many days together. And in one of them, as they thus lay hove to, in a mighty storm, a strapping young man (called John Howland) was, with a lurch of the ship thrown into the sea; but it pleased God that he caught hold of the ropes which hung overboard.  He held his hold (though he was many feet under water) till he was hauled up by the same rope to the brim of the water, and then with a boathook and other means got into the ship again, and his life saved."

"Howland Overboard," a painting by maritime artist Mike Haywood.

Bradford continued, "after long beating at sea they fell with that land which is called Cape Cod; They were not a little joyful! After some deliberation amongst themselves and with the master of the ship, they resolved to sail southward to find someplace about the Hudson's river for their habitation.  But after they had sailed that course about half a day, they fell amongst dangerous shoals and roaring breakers, and resolved to bear up again for the Cape, and thought themselves happy to get out of those dangers before night overtook them.
Being thus arrived in a good harbor and brought safe to land, they fell upon their knees and blessed the God of heaven, who had brought them from all the perils and miseries thereof."

"Aboard the Mayflower, 1620," Eyewitness to History, www.eyewitnesstohistory.som (2004).

When the mayflower finally dropped anchor, young John Howland was among the men who made up the initial exploration party

For more information on John Howland's adventure on the Mayflower read The Boy Who Fell Off the Mayflower or John Howland's Good Fortune by P.J. Lynch

Next up...John Howland and his life story