Christopher Columbus trained as a navigator in Portugal, where he developed
a passion for mapmaking.
Upon discovering Ptolemy's geography Columbus was convinced that the Indies
could be reached by sailing West.
La Santa Maria was the principle ship, held 80 crew and housed a private
chartroom for Columbus' navigation.
La Nina (The Little Girl) was the smallest vessel, and held 5O crew.
La Nina 
Las Carabelas replicas moored near Palos de la frontera, at Huelva
Christopher Columbus reviews his coordinates in his private quarters aboard the
Santa Maria
Fishing boats still depart from the rivers Rio Tinto and Odiel heading for North American
waters. |
EXCERPT FROM SARA’S JOURNAL March 24, 1999
Calle Conde de Barajas, Seville
Las Carabelas
In 1491, a dejected Genoese explorer found refuge in the Franciscan
friary at Rabida, across the Odiel estuary from Huelva. Queen Isabel and King Fernando had
refused to support his plan to sail west to the East Indies. The Prior, Juan Perez, who as
the confessor of the Queen had great influence, eventually convinced the Royal Family to
reverse the rejecting decision.
Cristobal Colon—Christopher Columbus—was born in Genoa,
Italy, trained as a navigator in Portugal and conceived the idea of reaching the Indies by
sailing westward. In 1492 he left from Palos de la Frontera, at Huelva, near the
southwestern corner of Spain, and later that same year landed on Watling Island in the
Bahamas, believing that he had fulfilled his ambition. He had, in fact, become the first
European to reach the Americas since the Vikings.
Columbus made three further voyages from bases in Andalusia, reaching
mainland South America and other islands in what are still termed the West Indies in
deference to his mistake. He died in Valladolid, Spain, in 1506, and is buried in
Seville’s Cathedral.
Near the Monasterio de la Rabida, where Columbus sought refuge
and is now a shrine to his exploits, there is a large purpose-built lake. Here float the
replicas of Las Carabelas—La Pinta, La Niña and La Santa Maria—the
three ships used by Columbus and his crew for his first voyage westward. Each ship is
differently designed, borrowed by Columbus from local sailors and tradesmen. La Santa
Maria is the largest, housing a private chartroom and lower storage compartments for
dried fish, jamon, barrels of water and dried fruit, and wood. La Niña and La
Pinta are smaller, more round-bellied ships, maybe 100 feet long, with closer quarters
for fifty to eighty crew. There are no wheelhouses, only an edge at the cramped lower
level, ducking room only, with a large rudder handle. No chain locker either, just a
primitive pulley system, or a crank, with which to pull up the anchor by hand.
|
An etching of Palos de la Frontera at Huelva, where Columbus set sail on August 3rd, 1492.
After a year of submissions to Portugal, France and England, Columbus managed to
gain the support of the King and Queen of Spain, and set out to equip his Carabelas
for the trans-Atlantic journey.
The smaller Pinta (The Pint) was captained by one of the Pinzon brothers and held 65 crew.
A full-scale replica of the Pinta 
Storerooms for dried fish, cured ham, wine, wood and spices made up the lower deck of each
vessel.
Stephanie on board the Nina
Around the lake, enclosing Las Carabelas, is a mock village of grass huts and
supply stalls—a re-creation of what the sailors built when they landed at Watling
Island. 
An original commemorative coin minted in Columbus' honour upon his triumphant return to
Spain |
