Please excuse me for this - its a little off thread - but Columbus did not sail due west. Thats the popular story they teach in schools, but its far more likely he crossed the atlantic further south than presumed given where he landed up. I don't remember the reasons why he would have done that - sailing isn't exactly my subject and I can't remember the arguement - but doesn't the sargasso sea have something to do with it? In fact, if columbus avoided getting stuck then he either already knew about the hazards of being becalmed or was incredibly lucky in choosing his route.
We now resume normal service...
OK!, due southwest. He was becalmed. Some people feel that Columbus didn't know where he was going nor where he was when he got there. Remember, he was searching for the Indies and he knew that the Earth was round and that sooner or later he would bump into them. Adm. Morrison feels that this was the greatest voyage to date - including that to the Moon.