On August 5th, 1620, the Mayflower and the Speedwell set sail from Southampton, England, for the Hudson River, in what is now New York.
Not long after they departed, the Speedwell began to leak and the ships were forced to stop in Dartmouth, England, for repairs. On August 21st, they left again, only to have new leaks force them to return to England once more, this time to Plymouth. There it was decided that the Speedwell could not be made seaworthy for such a voyage.
On September 6th, the Mayflower again set sail for the New World, this time alone. There were 102 passengers on board, most of whom were Pilgrims fleeing religious persecution.
For 2 ½ months, the passengers and crew endured cold, sickness, bad food, leaks that threatened to scuttle the ship and storms that blew them far off course, before landing at what is now Provincetown, on Cape Cod, on November 21st. After determining that the area was not suitable for settlement, they landed at what is now Plymouth, Massachusetts, on December 21st.
Despite the hardships, it was a successful crossing for that time in history, as only one person died. Nearly a year later, the Pilgrims celebrated a good harvest with the first Thanksgiving in the New World.
Happy FGT Thanksgiving to the most united and unique American Car club in the country! It is the car that has aligned us up as like minded owners, with the same values and lifestyles that has defined this new unique group of FGT owners! Best for the rest of the season to you all.