COLUMBUS QUINCENTENARY
What's Happening in 1992 On the morning of October 13 the replicas Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria were on their way, departing the Port of Palos, Spain, and moving slowly into the Atlantic towards the Canary Islands, retracing the route of Columbus's first voyage. Of the hundreds of commemorative events planned for the quincentennial year, the appearance of these Spanish-built replicas at eighteen different North American ports, from February through December, will be among the most visible, and memorable. And while the cultural impact of Columbus's original voyage is being considered by educators, academics, indigenous peoples and citizens alike, the presence of these three historic replicas-and a host of sailing vessels from around the worldwiU bring special attention to the history of seafaring and sea exploration. Fresh from a highly successful 1990-91 European tour, in which 2.4 million people came to see the replicas, the caravels embarked October 13 on a voyage which includes a tour of the Caribbean before reaching the continental US. They will visit San Salvador, Columbus's probable first landfall, Santo Domingo, and San Juan , Puerto Rico, where the ships will spend Christmas and usher in the New Year. The caravels will also star in Universal Studio's and Alexander Salkind's production of "Christopher Columbus, the Movie." The tour and an accompanying cultural and educational program is being coordinated by Spain '92, the Spanish government's US representative. Holding a large audience also will be the Grand Regatta Columbus '92, which will bring an international fleet of traditional sailing vessels to the US, and the four major Tall Ship Parades in New York, Boston, San Francisco and Los Angeles. Most closely watched by tall ship lovers, especially those who witnessed the Operation Sail events of 1986 and 1976, will be the 1992 OpSail in New York. Can the July 4th tall ship parade exceed in majesty its predecessors, the American Bicentennial or Salute to Liberty parades? In answer to this the Madrid-based Grand Regatta Organizing Committee reports in excess of 120 sailing vessels from all over the world committed to sailing in company on this epic passage, and OpSail expects 25 Class A vessels to reach New York. The fleet leaves Cadiz, Spain, April 29, to arrive in San Juan by June 10. 10
by Kevin Haydon From there it is on to New York by July 4 and Boston by July 12. Many vessels are expected to continue in the Regatta to Liverpool, leaving Boston on August 16, butothers will remain in North American waters longer. According to organizers, the main purpose of the Regatta is to help foster friendship among crews and between them and the inhabitants of the ports where the ships will be calling. But winning is an inevitable aim in any competition, so the ships will be racing-bringing to North American waters a touch of the
planning Tall Ship Rallies to bring American vessels and crews into contact with their international counterparts. "The events of 1992 are very important to us," says AST A co-chair David Brink. "They will, of course, focus the American public's interest on sail training, and we should be prepared for that opportunity." The proposed 1992 rallies include Chesapeake Bay, June 19-28, Boston to Newport, July 11-19; Southern California, September 19-27; and San Francisco Bay, October 10-18. AST A is also collaborating with ST A on a technical seminar designed to share sail training expertise from around the world, and working to help sail trainees get on vessels to participate in Rally and Regatta events. As anybody in the ship preservation world knows, one historic replica begets another, so, meeting the Santa Maria, Nina and Pinta in New "' YorkJuly4will be two of America's i1' most beautiful reconstructions, the z ~ usually dock-bound Susan Constant "' from the Jamestown Settlement and @ Mayflower II from Plimoth Plantation. iE Other maritime heritage organiza~-'----' tions are using the spotli ght also to -------------~ present their collections. In Virginia, Caravel Port Visits in 1992 The Mariners ' Museum opens in March Miami Feb. 14-March 1 an "Age of Exploration Gallery," lookHouston March 13-22 ing at the development in technology , New Orleans March 27-29 shipbuilding, navigation and cartograSt. Augustine April 3-19 phy that lead to the explorations of the Charleston April 23-25 15th, 16th and 17th centuries. In the Norfolk VA May 5-10 Pacific Northwest, quincentenary celBoston May 22-June 7 ebrations coincide with the region's own Newport June 12-14 Bicentennial celebrations. British Columbia, Washington and Oregon are New York June 19-July 12 Philadelpia July 24-Aug. 9 jointly sponsoring maritime events to Wilmington Aug. 14-16 commemorate and re-enact the voyages of Vancouver, Grey, Galiano and de Baltimore Aug. 21-30 San Francisco Oct. 2-25 Fuca. In New York, the Intrepid SeaAir-Space Museum's "Year of ColumSan Luis Obispo Oct. 30-Nov. 1 bus" program, opening May 1992, will Los Angeles Nov. 6-29 San Juan de Capistrano Dec. 4-6 give special attention to the Italian explorers San Diego Dec. 11 -20 Vespucci, Verrazzano and Cabatti (Cabot). How do you stay abreast of the broad Cutty Sark Tall Ship Races of Europe. reach of quincentenary activities? In its Using the expertise of the Sail Train- role as coordinator of and facilitator for ing Association of Great Britain (ST A), quincentenary events, the Christopher each vessel will be assigned a time cor- Columbus Quincentenary Jubilee Comrection factor and the fleet will be di- mission is keeping a "Quincentenary vided into three classes: Class A-ves- Calendar of Programs and Events." A sels over 160-ft in length; Class B- copy of this computerized collection, vessels of between 100- and 160-ft available from the Commission 's length; and Class C-all other ships with Washington office, is a good resource. a minimun waterline length of 30-ft. And of course Sea History, and particuOn this side of the Atlantic the Ameri- larly its monthly companion Sea History can Sail Training Association (ASTA) is Gazette. Stay tuned. D SEA HISTORY 59, AUTUMN 1991