In Malindi, the local sultan gave da Gama a pilot, who left with them on April 24 as they set out to cross the Indian Ocean.ĭa Gama was successful in crossing the Indian Ocean and anchored off the city of Calicut, India, on May 20. From there they continued up the coast putting into Malindi on April 13, 1498. Making their way up the eastern coast of Africa the expedition anchored in the Kilimane River estuary, where they spent 32 days repairing their ships and nursing members of the crew who had come down with scurvy.
Putting into Mossel Bay, da Gama’s crews broke up their supply ship and distributed the supplies to the other ships. Helena Bay before continuing on to the Cape of Good Hope, which they sailed around on November 22. The fleet spent the next eight days at St. When da Gama’s ships finally made landfall on November 7, they had been on the open sea for 96 days and had sailed 4,500 miles. To do this da Gama sailed his ships out into the Atlantic Ocean, eventually coming within 600 miles of South America. Image source: /thumbnails/a07eaea305f14fe867d401bd92c29d8f8e1c46e47dd35954a4f258e85481af84/vasco-da-gama-source.jpgĭa Gama wanted to avoid the Gulf of Guinea, where Dias had had problems with the weather and currents.
