 The Mayflower departed Plymouth , England , on September 6 , 1620 , with 102 passengers and about 30 crew members in the small , 106 foot @-@ long ship . The seas were not severe during the first month in the Atlantic but , by the second month , the ship was being hit by strong north @-@ Atlantic winter gales , causing it to be badly shaken with water leaks from structural damage . There were many obstacles throughout the trip , including multiple cases of seasickness and the bending and cracking of a main beam of the ship . One death occurred , that of William Button . 
