1. Most of the Spanish captains frantically sought sea room to escape the danger.

2. Sufficient space for a vessel to maneuver; sea room: kept a clear Berth of the reefs

3. Berth (n.) 1620s, "convenient sea room" (Bailey's dictionary), for ships or for sailors, a word of uncertain origin, probably from bear (v.) + abstract noun suffix -th (2) as in strength, health, etc