Elaine Landau - Discovering a New World. Would You Sail with Columbus?

In 1492, three ships set sail. Aheadthe unknown high seas that no one had dared to cross. Where will Christopher Columbus and his men land? Will they discover a New World? Will they return alive to tell the tale? Would you sail with Columbus?

Statues of the great explorer Christopher Columbus stand in many places around the world.

What an exciting time! Explorers and seafarers in Europe longed to travel to new lands. They wanted to see new sights. They dreamed of returning with gold, jewels, and other riches.

The East Indies was on everyones mind. There were many wonderful things to find there. Tea, rare spices, and pepper were just a few. There were also silk, gold, silver, and jewels.

Going to the East Indies by land was difficult and dangerous. It took months. The trip traveled through long stretches of desert. Bandits robbed travelers along the way as well.

A speedy sea route to the East Indies was needed. And an Italian sea captain named Christopher Columbus had one in mind. He hoped to reach the East Indies by traveling west. He and his crew would go across the Atlantic Ocean.

But there was one problem. Two large land masses blocked the way. These were North and South America. But Europeans, including Columbus, didnt know about these lands yet.

The trip Columbus planned would cost a lot of money. He would need the help of a royal to do it. First he asked King John of Portugal for help. But King John turned him down.

Next he went to Spain. But things didnt go well there either. They were at war against the Moors in the southern tip of Spain. They needed money to build up their Navy. There would be little left for exploration. It took a year before the king and queen even agreed to see Columbus.

Columbus meets with the King and Queen of Spain to ask for money for his trip.

Columbus clung to his dream. He did not leave Spain. After six years, Queen Isabella finally gave him the money he needed. She was not alone in her choice. Some Spanish nobles also believed in Columbus.

Columbus was now the admiral of a fleet of three ships. Columbus planned to sail on the Santa Maria. That was the largest and most sturdy vessel. The other two ships were the Nia and the Pinta. Both were smaller and lighter ships. The crew on these boats would be especially cramped. Most of the men would have to sleep on straw mattresses on deck. The men would even have to sleep in shifts.

This cross section of the Santa Maria shows how crowded the ship was.

The captains on the Nia and Pinta were brothers. Vicente Yanez Pinzn would be in charge of the Nia. Martn Alonso Pinzn would be captain of the Pinta. Columbus had met with both men ahead of time. But after spending some time with Martn, Columbus knew that he didnt like him.

Martn was hungry for glory. This worried Columbus. He feared that Martn might try to take credit for the mission.

Yet Columbus needed Martn Alonso Pinzn. Martn was a more experienced and better known seaman than Columbus. He was respected and even had some ships of his own. Martn would be useful in getting crew members to sign up.

Did the Nia, Pinta, and Santa Maria ever set sail?

Columbus decided to set sail. Things were not perfect. But on August 3, 1492, his small fleet left from the Spanish seaport of Palos. Their first stop was the Canary Islands. Theyd restock their supplies there. The 89-man crew would need more meat, cheese, fruit, and water.

But that wasnt all they needed. Soon there was a new problem. On August 6, the Pinta sent a message to the Santa Maria. The smaller ships rudder had loosened from its mounting. On August 9, the Pinta arrived at one of the Canary Islands. By then the ship was disabled and badly leaking.

Wind shifts stopped Columbuss other two ships from reaching that island. A few days later, they arrived at another one of the Canary Islands. Meanwhile the Pinta crew had tried to repair it but failed. The ship needed a new rudder. It couldnt sail on without one.

Columbus planned his first stop to be the Canary Islands. Then they would sail west across the Atlantic Ocean. The planned voyage is shown on a modern map.

A ship cannot sail without a rudder. The rudder steers the ship in the water.

Columbus knew he needed the Pinta. He could not make the trip with just two ships and fewer men. So he had the men build a new rudder for the Pinta. But this delayed the trip for three weeks. They did not leave the Canary Islands until September 9.