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CAPE FEAR MEMORIAL BRIDGE CLOSURE: UPDATES, RESOURCES, AND CONTEXT

Columbus Sailed The Ocean Blue - Now You Can See His Quarters, Too

There’s a new ship docked at the Port City Marina in Wilmington this week. It’s a replica of the 15th century Santa Maria.  And it’s here to commemorate her original journey 527 years ago, when Christopher Columbus captained her in search of the New World. 

The ship was built by the Nao Victoria Foundation in Spain. That’s an institution that promotes historical and cultural events through historical ships.

She crossed the Atlantic Ocean from Spain to Puerto Rico using the trade winds and now is visiting Wilmington in her only port of call in North Carolina.

She’s 93 feet long, with three masts and five sails. Built out of African hardwood and pinewood, plus some 21st century fiberglass inside the hull.

Ángel Rosa is the project manager for Santa Maria. He says the journey has been amazing.

“Since then leaving in Spain, France, the Mediterranean Sea, then we came straight to America. It was my best challenge ever for me personally, it was an amazing experience. Now it's hard to describe, but I have a lot of pictures in my, in my mind for the rest of my life. Definitely.”

This weekend the ship will go north up the coast and sail the St. Lawrence Seaway through Canada to spend the summer on the Great Lakes.  For WHQR News, I’m Vince Winkel.  

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE SHIP HERE