Mr. Columbus' boat? Here?

Nina on the Mississippi docking in Alton

By JILL MOON, of the ALTON (IL) TELEGRAPH

September 28, 2007 - 11:58AM

ALTON - Imagine sailing the ocean blue like Christopher Columbus did in 1492.

Alton Regional Convention and Visitors Bureau makes it a little easier to imagine this scenario by hosting a replica of Columbus’ favorite ship, the Nina, on the muddy Mississippi River. The ship will dock at the Alton Marina Wednesday, Oct. 17, through Sunday, Oct. 28.

“It’s a great place to showcase the ship at the Alton Marina with the Clark Bridge in the background on one of the biggest rivers in the world,” said CVB president and CEO Brett Stawar.

It’s the second foray into Alton’s murky waters for the Brazilian-built Nina that was here in 2004. Built completely by hand in Bahia, without the use of power tools, Archaeology magazine called the ship “the most historically correct Columbus replica ever built.”

“Everything is historically accurate and how it would have looked when they came over the Atlantic Ocean 500 years ago,” Stawar said. “It shows where they would sleep, pack their bags and have everything ready to live on that ship.”

The original Nina, along with the Pinta and the Santa Maria, were used by Columbus on his first voyage across the Atlantic and were common trading vessels. The Santa Maria, a cargo vessel, ran aground and sank on Christmas Eve 1492 in Hispaniola, which is now Cap Haitien.

The Nina and Pinta were caravels, which were used by explorers in the Age of Discovery. The Nina was actually named Santa Clara after the patron saint of Moguer in the Spanish tradition of giving ships a religious moniker. But most ships had nicknames and the Santa Clara’s was Nina and it stuck.

The Nina’s first captain, Vincente Yanez, later discovered the Amazon on an independent voyage. Nina made the entire first voyage bringing Columbus safely home and was selected out of 17 ships for his flagship on an exploratory voyage to Cuba. He later purchased a half share in her.

Her last known trading voyage was 1501 according to historians. The Nina logged at least 25,000 miles under Columbus’ command.

In 1988, maritime historian and American engineer John Patrick Sarsfield discovered a group of master shipbuilders in Bahia who were still using 15th-century design and construction techniques. The shipbuilders constructed Sarsfield’s Nina using only adzes, axes, handsaws and chisels, in addition to naturally shaped timbers from the local forest.

A British maritime historian, Jonathan Nance produced a sail plan for the ship. The ship with the sail represents the Nina as she would have appeared during the eight busy years of her life following her departure from the Canary Islands in 1492.

In December 1992, the Nina took part in the filming of “1492.” She has visited more than 300 U.S. ports and sails to each one of them. Upon departing the Alton Marina, she will sail south eventually ending her tour in Baton Rouge, La., in December.

“We’re excited about it at the CVB. It brings a lot of day trips in from the St. Louis market,” Stawar said. “It’s another destination after visitors are done looking at the leaves and picking pumpkins.”

The Nina arrives on the heels of the World War II ship, the LST-325, which recorded more than 8,500 visitors in two days earlier this month.

“It was a great turnout and boost for all of our downtown restaurants and businesses,” he said. “Then they went down the road to other towns to Grafton and Elsah in particular.”

The Nina is coming to the Alton Marina from Peoria on the Illinois River before hitting the Mississippi River at Grafton.

Admission to the sailing museum is $5 for adults, $4 for seniors and $3 for students age 5 through 18. Children aged 4 and under are free. The ship will open everyday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Groups should make reservations by calling (787) 421-0402 or by e-mailing columfnd@surfbvi.com. Otherwise, no reservations are needed.

Also in port soon will be the fall color cruises sponsored by the Alton Regional Convention and Visitors Bureau.

The Spirit of LaSalle, formerly called the Grampa Woo, will be at the Alton Marina with cruises offered from 9 to 11 a.m. and 1 to 3 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 6, and from 1 to 3 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 7, plus from 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 21, and from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 27. The cost is $29 per person. Advanced reservations are required. To make reservations call (618) 465-6676.