The Santa Maria

2018 Replica of the Santa Maria
Baltimore Inner Harbor
November 2, 2019

It was sitting the Baltimore Harbor last night and I recognized her as soon as I saw her tied to the pier. 

2018 Replica of the Santa Maria
Baltimore Inner Harbor
November 2, 2019

It was the full scale 2018 replica of the Santa Maria, Columbus's flagship of the squadron that with the Nina, Pinta are famous for carrying the discoverer to the "New World."

Discovering history through the replicas is a fantastic thing. The Santa Maria is only about 161 feet in length. That is roughly one tenth the length of Oasis of the Seas at 1186 feet. Oasis is a ship that Chris and I have had the pleasure of sailing upon a couple of years ago. The crew of the Santa Maria was estimated to be between 35-45 men. Who sailed across the Atlantic Ocean in a small wooden ship. 

Looking Down on the Main Deck
2018 Replica of the Santa Maria
Baltimore Inner Harbor
November 2, 2019

She is beautiful, however, The woodwork is amazing and the ship appears sturdy. It, of course, is a floating museum. It is important to understand the conditions that the crew faced on a daily basis. It was not a lot of fun to be a seaman during the late 1400's. Life was tough and perils were found everywhere.

Yet, the small ships and crews found their way around the world. 

I enjoyed coming aboard and exploring the portions of the ship that were open to the public. I was amused that the ship was sporting extensive Halloween decorations, some of which are evident in the images that took. 

It was an enjoyable time delving into history. And after visiting the ship, Chris and I proceeded to enjoy the festivities adorning the Baltimore Inner Harbor for the remainder of the evening.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD