![]() ![]() “I figured I would backpack around the world or get a van and make a bed in the back.”īefore embarking on his travels, Graham went to see his grandmother in Muskegon and she and his aunt took him to see the ships that were docked there. “I didn’t know how I was going to do it,” he said. Ten months ago, now Pinta crew member Cody Graham quit his factory job in Grand Rapids because he wanted to travel. “Then they walk on the ships and are “awestruck.” “We have them all the time,” Johnson said. He also enjoys what the crew call “walk-a-buys,” those who see the ships from a distance and then come and buy a ticket. This is what I signed on for, the excitement and adventure.” “It bobbles like a cork in a bathtub, it is a very tossy ride,” Johnson said. Crew members slept on deck during the original voyage.ĭespite being built without the use of power tools, the Nina and Pinta replicas fare well in turbulent waters, including in the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. The space in the replicas is for sleeping quarters, a kitchen and storage. In the original the underbelly was used to store cargo and livestock. One of the differences from the original ships and the replicas is the usage of the underbelly. In addition, Johnson has also caught a 30-pound tuna during his travels. “I spent my 21st birthday in Niagara Falls,” Johnson said. The Tallahassee, Fla., native said the job has not disappointed. “I joined for the adventure and excitement and to teach people about history,” he said. Johnson has been on board the Pinta for nearly five months. The Santa Maria never made it back to Europe from its voyage with Columbus and he reportedly deemed the ship “slow and clumsy.” The Nina and Pinta are caravels, while the Santa Maria, which is not slated to be replicated by The Columbus Foundation, was a nao and couldn’t navigate more shallow waters. The smaller vessels fared better than their larger counterparts, such as Columbus’ flagship the Santa Maria. Some visitors find it even harder to believe that the original Pinta was manned by 26 crew members and the Nina by 24 compared to their respective eight and six now. Pinta crew member Justin Johnson said the size is usually the first thing most people notice. “I can’t believe how small this is,” said Steve Hale, of Bay City, boarding the Pinta. didn’t seem concerned with the size of the vessels, for adults it seemed the first thing they noticed. ![]() “He has already decided when he turns 18, he wants to join the crew.” “He has been going back and forth from ship to ship since 11 a.m.,” Jennifer Mailley said. His mother said he just wanted to see the ships. Mailley wasn’t swayed by the neighboring carnival. Mailley, 9, of Caro, begged his mother, Jennifer, to bring him to see the ships. She had never visited the ships before, but was glad she came and deemed the ships “amazing.” Larson also brought her daughter-in-law, Tressa Larson, who is a professor at the University of Iowa. The exhibit is part of British Virgin Islands-based The Columbus Foundation’s “sailing museum.” The 65-foot Nina and 85-foot Pinta replicas docked Wednesday and are accepting visitors through Sunday, before departing early on Monday, heading north to Escanaba. ![]()
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