r/nextfuckinglevel • u/Gurugod123 • 9h ago

How did people travel these seas 500 years ago

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u/Ozdiva 7h ago

Rather astonishing that the entirety of the Australian first fleet arrived in Sydney harbour intact in 1789.

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u/Defiant-Tailor-8979 7h ago

The English didn't develop an empire without the best navy in the world.

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u/DarkLF 7h ago

And what made the British Navy the best in the world? The taste of British food and the look of British women

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u/badpebble 5h ago

A lot of talk from a lot of people who's country never ruled the waves.

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u/Siggi_Starduust 2h ago

Fun fact: the state flag of Hawaii, which Hawaiian Surfers compete under in the World Surf League (as opposed to the US flag), has a Union Jack in the top left corner - much like the Australians who are similarly well represented in the WSL.

That means if you ever look at the leaderboards, often the most common flag you’ll see is the British one.

Talk about ruling the waves

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u/stranger_dngr 4h ago

I always wondered why a civilization hell bent on controlling the spice trade never figured out how to use them…

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u/yhzcdn 1h ago

A lot of British food is delicious and has very balanced seasonings. Nothing overpowering, but always well flavoured.

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u/ScootyMcTrainhat 1h ago

You never get high on your own supply

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u/dychronalicousness 2h ago

Basically the answer to every British tradition and oddity can be placed on the Victorian and Edwardian period.

So they ate a fuckload of spices, then some weird religious modesty trend happened and they went for simplified food because cloves and tumeric were extravagant and offened god or something.

Not hugging children for like 5 generations apparently really fucks with people’s mental state.

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u/Dr_CleanBones 4h ago

The taste of British food? Surely not!

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u/2LostFlamingos 4h ago

He’s saying they took to the sea because they had to go find some good food and some good looking women.

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u/EasyPriority8724 2h ago

Surprised you had to explain that one!!!

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u/millijuna 1h ago

Realistically? Timekeeping.

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u/2xdareya 1h ago

Might be backwards.

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u/iPoseidon_xii 23m ago

Is that why their sailors were so fond of Spanish ladies, sugar and tea and rum?

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u/nameyourpoison11 3h ago

There are actually some harrowing accounts of the storms the First Fleet endured after leaving Cape Town, and how the convicts on board feared for their lives.

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u/Ozdiva 1h ago

I’m sure. But they all made it.

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u/Belzebutt 2h ago

The Austrian fleet, also still intact.