Look, Link and Learn! The Nina and the Pinta

Columbus Would Be Proud.

My friend, Connie, sent this link to a newspaper article about a visit to Kittery, ME from the Nina and the Pinta.  (Quick! What was the third ship? BINGO! Santa Maria! But, no, it's not coming to port.) It got me thinking about another field trip, of course, but also digging into links is another of my favorite things to do. You never know what cool stuff you'll find to share with the kids.



The Columbus Foundation is committed to building, sailing and showing these floating museums all over the world and they are doing a great job doing it! According to their website, the best reasons for visiting them while in port are:

  To see a near perfect example of a type of sailing ship-the caravel- of such clean, sculptured, honest design that it was produced for upwards of 125 years. with its Scandinavian style bow and midsection and its combination square and lateen rigging it was probably the best open water sailing vessel of its time- that pivotal time referred to as the ' Great Age of Discovery'.

  To, in some small way, enter that age, to perhaps get a feeling for Columbus himself, that enigmatic and flawed human being, who, admire or despise him, is one of perhaps only three individuals in all of our long past who, by themselves, for good or ill, personally altered the course of Western history.

  To stand 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.

WAY cool! I'm ready to check it out in June in Kittery. (and as usual, I'll have to drag 1 of the 3 kids along. He'll have a good time anyway, but he's at that age. You KNOW what I mean!) In the mean time though, even if you're nowhere near New England or the Seacoast area, you can check this great video from the City of Debuque that shows more about the ships and their trip up the Mississippi. I'm betting Columbus would have been amazed had he been able to do that! 
So. Thanks, Connie and keep those neat links coming!


Remember, check it out with your kiddos...and remember, Look and the sites First, then, with the kids, Link & Learn!


(Hope to hear from some others that might get up to Kittery to see the ships!)