Transatlantic Voyages:
- Direct Route (Southern Passage): Approximately 6-8 weeks
The direct route involved sailing across the Atlantic Ocean from West Africa to the Caribbean or to North America. It was the most direct but often encountered unfavorable weather conditions such as headwinds and storms.
- Triangular Route (Northern Passage): Approximately 5-6 months
The Triangular Route included multiple legs and stops. Ships left Europe for West Africa to trade or purchase enslaved people. Then, they crossed the Atlantic to the Caribbean or South America to sell the enslaved as part of the transatlantic slave trade. In the third leg, ships returned to Europe carrying goods such as sugar, tobacco, cotton, and coffee cultivated through plantation labor (largely by enslaved individuals) obtained in the colonies.
East African Voyages:
- East Africa to the Arabian Peninsula and South Asia: Around 1-3 months
Crossings from East Africa across the Red Sea or Indian Ocean to reach destinations like Arabia, India, or Southeast Asia varied in time frames based on distance.
Slave ships were often overcrowded, lacked sanitary conditions, and experienced high mortality rates. Diseases, malnutrition, abuse, and poor ventilation contributed to many fatalities during the voyage, making the Middle Passage a treacherous and horrific experience for the human cargo during transoceanic crossings.