# Why did the Pilgrims leave in September? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 6, 2015, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-the-pilgrims-leave-in-september/736852 "2015-11-06T23:53:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Gedd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gedd/32/4938_2.png) [@Gedd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gedd)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2015, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-the-pilgrims-leave-in-september/736852/1 "2015-11-06T23:53:00Z")
They had to have had an idea of how long the trip was and what the climate where they were settling was going to be, why not leave in the spring so there was food when they got there? ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2015, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-the-pilgrims-leave-in-september/736852/2 "2015-11-07T00:02:10Z")
(1) The Mayflower initially set sail in mid-July, along with its sister ship the _Speedwell._ However, the Speedwell sprang a leak early the voyage, and after unsuccessful repairs, they were forced to sell that ship and continue on just the Mayflower, by which time it was late September. (2) The Colonists were actually heading for Virginia colony, where the winters are much milder; they were several hundred miles off course when they sighted land (which is now Massachusetts) on November 9th, and by then it was too cold and dangerous to attempt sailing any further. ---
**Author:** ![Gedd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gedd/32/4938_2.png) [@Gedd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gedd)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2015, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-the-pilgrims-leave-in-september/736852/3 "2015-11-07T00:09:28Z")
September in Virginia does seem much more hospitable than Massachusetts in November. Are there any seasonal weather patterns crossing the Atlantic? ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_s\_Son](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19adc/32.png) [@Jim\_s\_Son](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_s_Son)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2015, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-the-pilgrims-leave-in-september/736852/4 "2015-11-07T03:58:54Z")
Isn’t there a diary entry of one of the Pilgrims that they landed in Massachusetts because they were low on supplies, especially beer? Actually in those days beer and other spirits kept better and were safer than other beverages. I don’t think people before Benjamin Franklin knew about the gulf stream and sailing against it. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2015, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-the-pilgrims-leave-in-september/736852/5 "2015-11-07T17:10:07Z")
[QUOTE=buddha\_david] The Colonists were actually heading for Virginia colony, [/quote] The term _Virginia_ then encompassed a much larger area than the current state. Their patent authorized them to settle anywhere from 38 degrees north latitude (the northern part of modern Virginia) to 41 degrees (Long Island and the extreme southern part of Connecticut). > [@Jim\_s\_Son](#): > > Isn’t there a diary entry of one of the Pilgrims that they landed in Massachusetts because they were low on supplies, especially beer? Actually in those days beer and other spirits kept better and were safer than other beverages. Сecil Adams on [Did the Pilgrims land on Plymouth Rock because they ran out of beer?](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2625/did-the-pilgrims-land-on-plymouth-rock-because-they-ran-out-of-beer)