<P> The passage was a miserable one, with huge waves constantly crashing against the ship's topside deck until a key structural support timber fractured . The passengers had already suffered agonizing delays, shortages of food, and other shortages, and they were now called upon to provide assistance to the ship's carpenter in repairing the fractured main support beam . This was repaired with the use of a metal mechanical device called a jackscrew, which had been loaded on board to help in the construction of settler homes . It was now used to secure the beam to keep it from cracking further, making the ship seaworthy enough . </P> <P> The crew of the Mayflower had some devices to assist them en route, such as a compass for navigation, as well as a log and line system to measure speed in nautical miles per hour (knots). Time was measured with the ancient method of an hourglass . </P> <P> On November 9, 1620, they sighted present - day Cape Cod . They spent several days trying to sail south to their planned destination of the Colony of Virginia, where they had obtained permission to settle from the Company of Merchant Adventurers . However, strong winter seas forced them to return to the harbor at Cape Cod hook, well north of the intended area, where they anchored on November 11 . The settlers wrote and signed the Mayflower Compact after the ship dropped anchor at Cape Cod, in what is now Provincetown Harbor, in order to establish legal order and to quell increasing strife within the ranks . </P> <P> On Monday, November 27, an exploring expedition was launched under the direction of Capt . Christopher Jones to search for a suitable settlement site . As master of the Mayflower, Jones was not required to assist in the search, but he apparently thought it in his best interest to assist the search expedition . There were 34 persons in the open shallop: 24 passengers and 10 sailors . They were obviously not prepared for the bitter winter weather which they encountered on their reconnoiter, the Mayflower passengers not being accustomed to winter weather much colder than back home . They were forced to spend the night ashore due to the bad weather which they encountered, ill - clad in below - freezing temperatures with wet shoes and stockings that became frozen . Bradford wrote, "Some of our people that are dead took the original of their death here" on that expedition . </P>

Where did the mayflower first land in north america