Columbus Day

October 18: Chattanooga

Hello everyone,

We have arrived in Chattanooga and have had some time to begin exploring. Of course, it is after the public heads home and we have eaten. We are presently at Ross's landing and in front of a little park. It might be hard to see from the view above, but for some reason the most popular thing to do on this hill is for people to slide down it on pieces of cardboard!  They do it all day, every day. 

There are other boats here that give rides up and down the Tennessee. The Delta Queen is docked across the river and is a hotel now.


There are also a couple of boats that are on our docks that are connected to the Tennessee Aquarium.  These are incredible cruisers that are piloted by remote control joy-sticks from anywhere in the boat.  They can also turn on a dime, which is amazing to see.  One of the fun things about being on these ships is that they are almost always docked by ultra modern boats. Very cool to show the contrast of several hundred years of shipbuilding history! 

Last evening a few of us explored the waterfront area and found the Bluff View art district. It is a mix of Garden District homes that curve around a bluff and a sculpture garden.

There is the Hunter Museum of American Art there which we will go to on Thursday evening. It was designed by a protege of Frank Gerhy - it hints of the Weisman Gallery on the banks of the Mississippi River in Minneapolis.  We also found a bocce ball court which is right on the edge of the bluff.  No tossing the little ball anywhere you want to! This is a more precise game played on clay courts.  

We also discovered the most fabulous patisserie that looked like it came right out of Paris. it is called Renaissance commons. The group enjoyed truffles and chocolate cherries.

Being that this is an unusually long port of call (until Nov 2) we get more than our usual amount of days off. But still there is so much to see here that I would probably want to return.
This is a very active community that hikes, kayaks, and rock climbs at the river nearby.  Today was my day off so i am taking care of personal business by computer at the Chattanooga Library which is about 10 blocks from the docks. Next I plan on going to the aquarium, then out to dinner at a nearby microbrewery called Big River. While i enjoy my crewmates and living on the ships, it is a relaxing treat to get away and get some alone time.

That is all for now as I have only 10 minutes left on the computer.

Take care everyone!
Kathy

October 15: Chattanooga

Hi All,

We left Guntersville on Wednesday at 1 pm to travel the Tennessee river to Chattanooga. It was a beautiful float through some awesome mountainous country ripe with Civil War history. The leaves are beginning to turn and it is so colorful.  I saw the Suck Creek and Lookout Mountain, both important geographical aspects to the Civil War. My Southern shipmates find it funny that I am so interested. As I cook below-deck there is a shipmate that yells down to me when we get to a cool part of the river. Very kind.

We arrived at Chattanooga with paddlewheel boats and cruisers welcoming us here. We shoot off our cannons and then dock. Then we prepare our museums and ramps for guests.

Today we began the tours and since the senior deck hand that runs our gift shop is gone for a few days I am in charge of the inventory. Lots of counting postcards and folding t-shirts. Glamourous, I know. Once done, I prepare dinner:  turkey tenderloin, mashed potatoes and gravy and green beans and a garden salad. Once dinner's done a crew hand washes the dishes. That's the best part!

Tonight a few of us went to see the Chatanooga Symphony. Seems one of our crew members is a violin maker and was in withdrawals of live Symphony music. It was amazing music. They played a Schumann piece.  Then their guest artist Midori came on and played an incredible Tchaikovsky violin concerto. Beautiful! Another moment where I find myself in truly another world.

That is it for now. Tomorrow we have a full day of guests and an opportunity to shower at the YMCA.

Love to all!

Kathy

Columbus Ships Nina And Pinta Sail Into Chattanooga Thursday

Columbus Ships Nina And Pinta Sail Into Chattanooga Thursdayposted October 11, 2010, The Chattanoogan.com

The Columbus ships Nina and Pinta will sail into Chattanooga on Thursday and will be docked on the downtown riverfront until Nov. 3. While in port, the ships will be open to the public for self-guided tours Oct. 15-Nov. 2.

The Nina was built completely by hand and without the use of power tools. Archaeology magazine called the ship “the most historically correct Columbus replica ever built.” The craftsmanship of construction and the details in the rigging make it a truly fascinating visit back to the Age of Discovery, officials said.

The Nina was used in the production of the film “1492” starring Gerard Depardieu and directed by Ridley Scott.  The Pinta was recently built in Brazil to accompany the Nina on all of her travels. She is a larger version of the archetypal caravel and offers larger deck space for walk-aboard tours. People can view a slide show of the ship’s construction on the 900 square foot main salon, downstairs. The Pinta is available for private parties while in port.

Both ships tour together as a new and enhanced “sailing museum” for the purpose of educating the public and school children on the “caravel,” a Portuguese ship used by Columbus and many early explorers to discover the world.

Tours are open to the public. Admission is $7 for adults, $6 for seniors, and $5 for students. Children four and under are free. The ships are open daily from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. No reservations are necessary.

The ship will be available for 30 minute guided tours for school groups with a crew member on Friday, Oct. 15; Monday, Oct 18-Friday, Oct. 22; Monday, Oct. 25 – Friday, Oct. 29; Monday, Nov. 1; Tuesday, Nov. 2. The ships are open daily from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. The charge for school groups is $4 per person, with a minimum of 15. There is no maximum number of students that can be booked, however, book as soon as possible as space is limited. Teachers and organizers wishing to make a reservation can email columfnd@surfbvi.com or call 787.672-2152. Visit http://www.thenina.com/ for more information. Educational materials, photographs and other ship-related souvenirs are available on the ship.

Christopher Columbus and the Ships on WAFF 48 News

October 11: Columbus Day in Guntersville, AL

Christopher Columbus sails into Guntersville for Columbus Day

Posted: Oct 11, 2010 3:45 PM CDT Updated: Oct 11, 2010 5:18 PM CDT

 

By Stephen McLamb- bio | email

GUNTERSVILLE, AL (WAFF) - On Columbus Day, two of his ships and Columbus himself were in Guntersville giving tours of the Nina and the Pinta.

"Well, it's Columbus Day and we're visiting family so we decided it might be a cool thing to come see," said Liz Soto.

On this holiday, Soto and her family took time out to see the Nina and the Pinta, replicas of two of the three ships used by Christopher Columbus to discover the Americas.

The ships make their way across North America for one reason.

"We do it to educate so everybody can get at least an opportunity to see what it was like in Columbus' time," said the actor portraying Christopher Columbus.

The actor said most of Columbus' crew were young men ages 14 to 19 and he carried eight months of food and supplies to make his month long trip.

"The foods he ate was hard tack, dried foods, and pickled food," said the man acting as Columbus.

"I think it would exciting and scary at the same time," said Soto.

But for Soto and those who came to see, there was always something new they learned.

"Well, that they used the same tools that Columbus used to build the ships," said Soto.

Actor Columbus informed everyone the Santa Maria was the other ship. It was not reproduced, but it sank near the Dominican Republic and Haiti.

"Built a stockade and left the crew of the ship there some with supplies and some of the animals. Said I'll return in a year and when he did return there was nobody there," said Columbus the actor.

If you would like to see the ships, they will be at Guntersville Harbor until early Wednesday afternoon.

©2010 WAFF. All rights reserved.

October 2nd: Guntersville, Alabama

Hello everyone,

Just a quick update. Things are going very well on the ships. They are basically a combination tourguide/ teaching/ training/ sailing experience. My days are very full and very rewarding.

Today we are in Guntersville Alabama. It is in the foothills of the Appalachian mountains and it is gorgeous. The leaves are just beginning to change. However,communicating is difficult because we are living on 15th century ships in a 21st century world. I had an ipad but that got wet (living on a ship) so it's not available until I get it replaced when we get to Chattanooga next week. So I got an iphone which has been great.

However, while traveling down the Tennessee river from Huntsville to Guntersville, I pulled my (regular) cell phone out to check the time and it slipped out of my fingers, hit the toe of my shoe and then slid across the deck and out one of the scubbers (the holes on the deck that lets out the water that splashes in) and into the Tennessee river.   ...Most unfortunate because it had all my contact numbers!

I hope all of you are well.   Hugs and kisses to all the kiddos.

Love you,
Kathy

Replicas of Columbus’ Nina and Pinta Sailing the Mighty Mississippi

Replicas of Columbus’ Nina and Pinta Sailing the Mighty Mississippi

Aug 16, 2010 10:21 - By: Linda K

Nina and Pinta in Hudson, Wisconsin

It may not be the ocean blue, but the Mississippi River and other United States inland waterways are playing host to replicas of Christopher Columbus’ ships The Nina and The Pinta this year.
Having now left the docks in Hudson, Wisconsin, the ships will head back downriver and then wind their way to Iowa, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Alabama before the year ends.  At each stop, the ships dock for several days so that the public can come aboard to explore these sailing museums.  Volunteer crew members are aboard to answer questions as you examine the ships, which the builders attempted to construct as true replicas.
Our family visited the ships in Hudson, and our biggest surprise was how small the ships are.  To imagine setting off for lands unknown across mighty oceans in vessels of this size is nearly impossible for me.  While we didn’t spend a lot of time aboard the ships, we did get to see their construction and layout, and to appreciate the danger that sailors undertook on the high seas.
The Nina and The Pinta will be docked at their next port of Davenport, Iowa, from August 20-29.  Other stops are outlined on the ships’ schedule.  While the ships can be viewed from land or docks in many locations at no charge, the cost to climb aboard these boats is $8 for adults and $5 for ages 5-12.  Please note that only cash is accepted.
Photo credit:  minnemom on flickr

Linda (minnemom) writes about family travel at Travels with Children. 
Her family has also learned of sea voyages at the Heritage Hjemkomst Center in Moorhead, Minnesota.

Read more: http://attractions.uptake.com/blog/replicas-columbus-nina-pinta-11732.html#ixzz11vXSuoZu

September 12: Alabama

Hello everyone,

I am in Alabama! I found a job as a crew member/ cook on the replica ships Nina and Pinta. They are square-sail tall ships that are traveling museums on the river ways of North America. I am in charge of school tours and cooking for a crew of 7. It has been an incredible experience so far.

I boarded in Davenport Iowa August 28 and have been traveling the Mississippi, Ohio and now the Tennessee River. We go to small town harbors and open the ships for tours. Presently I am hoping to be on the ships until Thanksgiving. This has been a blast, a major learning experience!

Today we are in Florence Alabama for the next 7 days, then we travel to Huntsville, Guntersville, Chattanoga then Knoxville. The riverways are so beautiful and pristine and the people fascinating both on the ships and in the towns. The days are a wonderful mix of tour-guiding, teaching and sailing. And the ships are listed as training ships so I am also able to work towards an ordinary/able seaman's license at the same time. Who knows where that will lead!

I miss all of you and hope you are all well and that the school year began smoothly.   Take care and enjoy the brisk fall air... it is still sweltering down here!

Kathy

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