[manatee]

Found after 500 years, the wreck of Christopher Columbus's flagship the Santa Maria

 

[FlaTider]

Wow! I hope that's truly Columbus' ship; how exciting!

 

[CharlzO]

Very cool indeed!

 

[Bene505]

Good article. I thought it would be a lot shorter. Glad they into some of the details a bit.

Regards,
Brad

 

[Barquito]

A leading American maritime archaeologist, Professor Charles Beeker of Indiana University, who accompanied Mr Clifford's recent reconnaissance expedition to Haiti and who also carried out an underwater visual assessment of the site, says that it "warrants a detailed scientific investigation to obtain diagnostic artefacts".

"There is some very compelling evidence from the 2003 photographs of the site and from the recent reconnaissance dives that this wreck may well be the Santa Maria,"

"But an excavation will be necessary in order to find more evidence and confirm that," said Professor Beeker who is Director of the University of Indiana's Office of Underwater Science

Hope this turns out to be the real thing. But, looks like it hasn't been verified.

 

[killarney_sailor]

yes, the article says that the evidence 'strongly suggests' that it is the Santa Maria. Interesting that a higher level of certainty than that is not enough for some people about climate change. There is an interesting dynamic in the US (not so much elsewhere) about the role of scientists and whether they can be trusted.

Back to the wreck. I imagine that some metal objects would have survived that would have been consistent with Spain at that time. Hard to believe that any wood is there.

 

[MedSailor]

So what safety gear do you think CC should have had aboard his ship in order to avoid this disaster? Was he and his crew experienced or was this the first time they had crossed the Atlantic?

I want to learn from the loss of his vessel in the most judgmental way possible.

MedSailor

 

[bigdogandy]

Obviously this wasn't a real bluewater boat.

 

[killarney_sailor]

Near as I can tell, did not have a reliable engine and its traditional underbody could not claw off a lee shore.

 

[tdw]

Bilge pumps or no bilge pumps friends and family could be reading this thread. Please. Lets be a tad sensitive. Personally I blame the captain of the Nina for failing to take them under tow.

 

[scratchee]

From the looks of that painting, I'm not even sure they should have left that ship at all. Whatever happened to stepping UP into the lifeboat?

 

[boatpoker]

Obviously driven on to the rocks by the wake of a large Sea Ray.

 

[hellosailor]

"So what safety gear do you think CC should have had aboard his ship in order to avoid this disaster?"

Let's see...sailing for the Spanish Crown during the Spanish Inquisition? Obviously, he had the blessings of the Church and Crown, what more would he need? To even suggest that he would need more than that, would be heresy!

Of course, if all three had sunk mid-ocean in a storm, it might have bought some more time for all the indigenous peoples in the West.

 

[Minnesail]

Of course, if all three had sunk mid-ocean in a storm, it might have bought some more time for all the indigenous peoples in the West.

Oh whatever. Smallpox builds character.

 

[joethecobbler]

No,no,no you've all got it wrong.
This vessel should never been allowed to anchor in the environmentally sensitive area,they obviously scoffed the MSD discharge consideration, were uninsured and a vessel at risk.
these moral shortcomings have blatantly resulted in another derelict vessel sinking and abandoned for someone else to clean up.
And the crew building a fort ashore only proves they were not real sailors and only wanted to squat on public beaches to avoid taxation just like all those that followed.
A mooring field, anchoring restrictions and insurance requirements would have avoided all this.

 

[Rhapsody-NS27]

I saw articles about this find earlier today. Whether it is the ship or not, I feel they should leave it where it is. By now, it's likely that anything left is a habitat for fish and coral and should be left alone. Perhaps made into a protected nature reserve.

 

[joethecobbler]

na', tear it up.
let's see what's down there and find out what exactly it is.the fish will be fine,or possibly lunch.

 

[Barquito]

There is an interesting dynamic in the US (not so much elsewhere) about the role of scientists and whether they can be trusted.

I trust the scientists. I don't trust the media outlets trying to describe science.

 

[kwaltersmi]

I guess I shouldn't be surprised that someone has already stolen the canon from the wreck, but what a shame.

 

[Classic30]

On the radio this morning as I was coming into work, they were saying that it wasn't just cannon that was looted, but pretty-much everything on top of the ballast pile..