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From the 15th century onwards, European powers searched endlessly, and futilely, for the fabled Northwest Passage, which would shave almost 6000 miles off their route to reach Cathay and all of the riches of the Far East. And also avoid conflict with the established Spanish and Portuguese maritime powers that controlled the Cape of Good Hope and the Straits of Magellan.
In 1524 the French sent Verrazano to the east coast of North America. There he claimed to "discover" the Pacific ocean across a narrow isthmus of land, claiming that the North American continent was pinched in at this point, allowing him to see the Pacific Ocean.
Where was he? And what did he really see?
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