The Nina

This was a replica of one of the ships Columbus used on his voyages. We learned many interesting things from the crewmembers that lived on this boat and travel from port to port.

They first gave us a tour of the ship's front called the bow. They showed us the mast and sails used for guiding the ship on their trips. We also learned about the anchor. This huge anchor was pulled up using a gear system, which took three strong men to crank up and down when they docked and undocked. There was also a hold in this part of the boat. It was used for storing goods that Columbus and his crew would need as they made their journeys. One crewmember also explained how they would load and unload horses that were held in the hold. They used a pulley system attached to the mast to lower the horses into the water. He explained they did this so the horses could exercise their muscles on the long overseas trips.

Next, we were taken on a tour of the rear of the ship called the stern. The crew explained how this now housed the motor that the modern day crew needed for traveling, but it also had the compass and paddle used for guiding the boat in Columbus' time. In the rear of the ship the captain's quarters was also located. It was a small room below the deck. It had a very low ceiling and no windows for light to enter. It seemed like a very tight dark place for the captain.

Finally, we were allowed to climb a wooden ladder onto the poop deck. This is where Columbus would have steered the boat and navigated his route for his explorations. It was really neat to climb up and look out over the boat. Over all, it seemed like a much smaller boat than we had imagined Columbus sailing on.

Since we were studying explorers in Social Studies, it was really interesting to learn so many things about Columbus' boat, the Nina. Now we have a much better understanding of the hardships the explorers must have experienced as they explored new worlds.