Virginia (pinnace) - Voyages of The Virginia

Voyages of The Virginia

By the spring of 1608, gold had not been found at the Popham Colony and relations with the local Abenaki were poor, although the colonists did manage to obtain some furs and sarsaparilla. On October 17, 1608, the Popham Colony was abandoned. News of his elder brother's death prompted Raleigh Gilbert to return to England aboard the "Mary and John" to claim his inheritance. Captain James Davis and 45 colonists who had found the food situation and climate unbearable packed into the "Virginia" and also returned to England.

Structurally sound, the Virginia had more work to do. The background to these next expeditions was the new Charter of the Virginia Company, drafted by Roger Bacon and signed by King James I of England on May 23, 1609. This Charter granted a vast extension of territory and expanded powers to the Virginia Company. Virginia was one of two pinnaces and nine ships in the fleet known as the Third Supply. With 5-600 people, the Third Supply left Falmouth, Cornwall, England on June 8, 1609, for the colony in Virginia by way of the Azores and Bermuda. The Virginia and one other pinnace were towed by the 300 ton flagship, Sea Venture which was the first single timbered, merchantman built in England, and also the first dedicated emigration ship.

After passing the Canary Islands, the fleet encountered a powerful 3-day hurricane which did serious damage to two ships. The "Catch" went down with all aboard lost, and the Sea Venture was heavily damaged. Sir George Somers and the Sea Venture had 'discovered' an uninhabited archipelago that would later be named the Somers Isles then Bermuda. Meanwhile, Captain James Davis (mariner) guided the Virginia safely to Jamestown, arriving on October 3, 1609. This arrival was six weeks later than the other ships of the Third Supply that had not been 'captured' by the Bermuda hurricane of late July, 1609. The long travel time suggests that the Virginia may once again have been in tow behind a larger ship.

Afterward, the Virginia with Captain Davis returned safely to England. The last known voyage of the Virginia was in 1610 when she once again delivered settlers and supplies to the Jamestown Colony. There is no mention of the Virginia afterward in known historical records.