The Niña

The Tall Ships have left Victoria but before they leave this site I want to share with you this photo of the Niña, a replica of one of the ships that sailed with Christopher Columbus on his 1492 voyage and later became his flagship and favorite. What amazes me most about this ship is how small it is. You can see by the figures of crewmen in the above photo just how tiny this ship is. There was no accommodation, not even for the captain. Everybody just slept on the deck. It took them just over two months to reach the Caribbean, a very long two months I suspect, since they had no way of knowing they would ever sight land again. You can find out more about the Niña by clicking here.

Columbus' voyage led eventually to the founding of the United States of America, which country celebrates today the anniversary of their Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, and I take this opportunity to wish all my American friends joy and happiness on this day.