On August 10. 1628 Captain Sofring

On August 10. 1628 Captain Sofring Hansson ordered the Vasa to set sail on its maiden voyage. The wind was relatively calm with only a light breeze from the southwest. The gun ports were open so that a salute could be fired as the ship left her shipyard in Stockholm. Suddently. a gust of wind filled her sails and the ship heeled to port. The ship slowly righted herself, but another gust pushed the ship again to her post side where water began to flow through her open gun ports. The Vasa heeled even further. Until she sank in about 100 feet of water not far from shore. The ship sank in from of hundreds or even thousands of people who had come to see the ship sail on her first voyage, Survivors clung to debris while many boats rushed to their aid. Despite heroics and the short distance to shore. records indicate that as many as 50 people perished with the ship.