Memorial Day is the traditional start of Summer in the U.S., and people like to do something special, like go to the beach or have a family reunion. John and I chose a rather unique event to mark the holiday.
Replicas of Columbus' ships the "Nina" and "Pinta" docked in Richmond on Thursday The ships are docked at Rocketts Landing on the James River, and will be in Richmond until June 4th.
According to reports, the replica of the Nina is the most historically accurate Columbus ship built to date; it was constructed by hand, without the use of power tools. The Pinta was constructed in Brazil, and the replica is a slightly larger version of the original ship.
John and I went to Rocketts Landing this morning before it got too hot. We went on board and stood on the sloping deck of the Niña, "as true a replica as will probably ever be built. It was Columbus' favorite ship, the one he very nearly died on in 1493, upon which he ultimately logged more than 25,000 miles."
These two ships now serve as a floating museum, traveling together to ports all over the Western hemisphere. The crew is comprised of volunteers who live on board (although with the modern luxury of air conditioning) and are available to describe what life was like in Columbus's day on these small vessels.
What a great opportunity to see these replicas. I am in awe of the fearlessness of these long-ago sailors.
I like this shot and the information. To think they built those without power tools is amazing. Are these the ships that the crew stays in character during the visit. I visited the Mayflower and it was so cool that the crew stayed in character our whole visit . Thanks for sharing this
They look so small to have come all the way across the ocean. What a wonderful thing for you both to have gotten to do. Thank you for allowing me to see them.
We had gone to Mystic Sea Port in Conn. many years ago and there was a ship docked there called the Charles W. Morgan. I think it was larger than the Columbus trio, but it was still small compared to boats of today. It really drives home just how adventurous many of these explorers and their crews were. They totally relied on the wind to get them across the ocean. No motors or GPS! Amazing. Sounds like you had a great start to the holiday weekend. Nice shot.
What an amazing photo and story! One doesn't realize the hardships that they sailed under ... fabulous work here. My husband will love seeing this ... he just loves ships!
@allie912 Thanks for sharing, great shot. I love pictures of old boats.