SHIP NOTES, SEAPORT & MUSEUM NEWS on-line Age of Exploration curriculum guide addressing discovery and exploration from ancient times through Capt. Cook, available at www.mariner.org, to help teachers meet new social studies standards. Recent grants from the Virginia General Assembly have enabled the museum to begin building a database of its library and photo archive holdings. (TMM, 100 Museum Drive, Newport News VA 23606; 757 596-2222) ... Last summer the Door County Maritime Museum celebrated the grand opening of its new $2.8-million, 20,000sq uare-foot facility on the waterfront. (DCMM, PO Box 246, Sturgeon Bay WI54235;414 743-5958) . .. TheMaine Maritime Museum has announced 1998 as its "Year of the Tugboat." Events will include an exhibit, visiting vessels, a towing symposi um, a rendezvous of historic and modem tugs, and special adult and children's programming. (MMM, 243 Washington Street, Bath ME 04530; 207 443-1316) ... The Nautical Research Guild is surveying maritime museums to provide researchers with improved access to archival resources. The info1mation gathered so far can be accessed at the Guild 's homepage athttp://www.N aut-Res-Gui ld.org. (Justin F. Camarata, 19 Hadley Court, Noank CT 06349; 860 536-3087 ; email: j ustincamarata@sprintmail.com) ... The Columbia River Maritime Museum has recently acquired three vessels of unique significance to the region' s maritime history: the Darle, a wooden-hulled fishing troller built in Astoria in 1945; the CROD #1 , a 1934 Columbia River One-Design sailboat; and the US Coast Guard motor lifeboat #44300. (CRMM, 1792 Marine Drive, Astoria OR 97103; 503 325-2323) ... The Mariners' Museum is calling for entries for its 2000 Scale Ship Model Competition and Exhibition. The deadline for entries is 29 May 2000. For more information or an entry form contact Patty Andresen at 757 591-7751 or visit the muse um ' s web site at www. mariner.org .... The cruiser USS Olympia of 1892, in Philadelphia, will undergo restoration in time to commemorate her role as Admiral Dewey's flagship during the Spanish-American War (Crui ser Olympia Association, Penn 's Landing, PO Box 829, Philadelphia PA 19105; 215 922-1898) ... An emergency fund drive has been launched to pay for $75,000 worth of unexpected (Continued on page 57) 54
Spanish Shipwrights to Repair Damaged Columbus Fleet The 1992 replicas of three of history 's most famous vessels have been docked in Corpus Christi, Texas, since 1993. The Ships of Christopher Columbus Association entered into a unique contract with Spain to operate and manage the Spanish recreations of the Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria as a result of a winning proposal to use the ships as an educational and cultural resource. The dreams held by the Association were cut short in April 1994 when, while the ships were moored at temporary berths in the Port of Corpus Christi, a commercial barge under tow broke its tow cable and Th e Columbus Fleet at sea in 1992. veered into the Pinta , smashing her port bow and causing damage to the Santa Maria. Since then, only the Nina has sailed regularly on Corpus Christi Bay. She operates from the more secure Corpus Christi Marina while the two damaged vessels were moved into a shipyard setting under a cooperative agreement with the Museum of Science and History. Locating skilled workmen to make repairs proved a major obstacle, but recently, a solution has appeared on the horizon. Francisco Monsalvete, consultant and owner of the shipyard that built Santa Maria and supervised construction of the Pinta , has agreed to repair the ships within the small budget available, according to Ricki Whittle, ~-jlLi;jl pres ident of the Ships of Christopher Columbus Association. A contract has been signed with Construcciones Navale de Isla Cristina S. L., the shipyard in southern Spain, to perform the necessary work to make the ships seaworthy once again. Jose Zamudio Diaz, master shipwright of the company, and five of the organization 's shipwrights are expected in Corpus Christi to begin the project. Monsalvete expects the Pinta to be ready for launching by August. Association officials hope that by the end of the year the three ships will sail together once again. Plans include the construction of protected docks for the ships in an area off the ship channel alongside the Museum of Science and History and, further down the line, creation of an historical pier, reminiscent of Spain in the 1400s, Whittle said. -t
Expo '98: The Oceans, A Heritage for the Future Sea History readers will wantto attend the last World 's Fairofthe century. Opening in Lisbon, Portugal, on 22 May and running to 20 September, the theme of "Expo '98" is "The Oceans, A Heritage for the Future." Five major pavilions are cuITently under construction al the site in eastern Lisbon and will house exhibits addressing ecological and damage-limiting measures for the world's oceans, reconstructions of the eco-systems of the North Atlantic, Pacific, Antarctic and Indian oceans and , quite naturally fo r the Portuguese, who pioneered in European exploration and navigation, an enormou s di splay on how man discovered , learned to sail and eventuall y recognized the need to protect the oceans. The International Areas will represent over 100 countries as well as international companies with maritime and inter-modal interests. In conjunction with Expo '98, the Portuguese National Commission for the Commemoration of the Discoveries (CNCDP) has planned cultural events such as conferences, publications (including an interactive CD ROM on Portuguese historical navigation), and the reconstruction of a caravela of the 1400s (the vessel of early exploration). Further events include an international regatta scheduled for the summer and a tall ships parade. Information on Expo '98 may be obtained directly from Portugal (phone: 35 1 1 831 98 98; FAX: 351 1 837 31 33) or via the internet at http://www.expo98. pt oremail: info@expo98.pt. For information on cultural events, you can contact Dr. Roberta Delson, Humanities Dept., US Merchant Marine Academy, Kings Point NY 11024-1699. ROBERTA DELSON
SEA HISTORY 84, SPRING 1998