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The Deadliest Atlantic Hurricane In History
Part of the deadliest season on record
In mid-October 1780, a boat encountered a roaring hurricane in the eastern Caribbean Sea. Every sailor knows a hurricane when they see one. The winds howl, the seas become violent, and everyone prays that the Almighty God will allow them to survive the ordeal. In this case, the unknown boat rapidly turned around and tried to use the wind to make it to the nearest island, where they would spread the news of the storm's imminent arrival. The message was simple and clear — a hurricane was coming.
Whether pirate or merchant, privateer or man o’ war, every sailor felt an innate duty to report these storms as they appeared in order to give everyone the best chance to prepare and to survive.
Before the invention of modern technologies like radar, satellites, and advanced aircraft, hurricanes were often spotted by nearby ships, and messages were relayed to nearby ports about the impending cyclone. Instead of getting days of advance notice like people today, those in 1780 were only given mere hours of warning. Despite not knowing exactly what a hurricane looked like from space, everyone in the Age of Sail knew precisely what a hurricane was and what they entailed.
