After
Columbus reached the New World on October 12, 1492, he explored four
islands in the Bahamas--San Salvador, Santa Maria de la Concepcion,
Fernandina, and Isabela--before sailing on to Cuba. Although the
identity of these four islands has long been in dispute, the Bahamian
government now accepts Samuel Elliot Morison's theory that Watling
Island was the first landfall. They have officially renamed that island
San Salvador, although that honor had always belonged to Eleuthera prior
to 1800. In 1986 the National Geographic Society (NGS) reopened the
controversy by espousing a landfall at Samana Cay. Advocates of the
Northern Route—based on the premise that Columbus used latitude
sailing to maintain a due west Atlantic crossing—have long been held
that Columbus left his first footprints on the beaches of Egg Island at
the northwest corner of Eleuthera.
You
can easily trace the northern route through the Bahamas and decide for
yourself if the Columbus descriptions of courses and islands ring true.
To fully relive the
excitement of that momentous night of discovery, you should sail
east-northeast from Harbour Island about six nights after a full moon.
When you reach a location six miles east of Man Island at 2 a.m., the
moon should be high enough to reflect off Eleuthera's surf, just as it
did for Columbus' lookout 500 years off.
After
shouting "tierra!" to mark your landfall, coast cautiously
along northern Eleuthera's reef into the Northeast Providence Channel.
On your way you'll note three important landfall features unique to
Eleuthera are Harbour Island's entrance, the shallows behind it, and
the equally spaced triple cusps on the north coast of Royal Island.
At first light you
should keep an eye out for the same benthic (bottom-growing) seaweed
Columbus “found in
the gulf when he arrived at his discovery". There is no
gulf at either Watlings or Samana Cay. When you reach the end of
Eleuthera's reef shortly after dawn you will see Columbus's first lee
anchorage opportunity southwest of Egg Island.
Now
you can begin following 30 features uniquely matching descriptions
Columbus himself recorded in his Journal of Discovery.
The Landfall at San
Salvador
1.
Anchor near the south end of Egg, "... an islet of the
Bahamas." Egg's 250 acres puts it comfortably within Columbus'
definition of islet as opposed to a full-sized island, such as Watlings,
which sprawls over more than 40,000 acres.
2.
Columbus wrote, "in the island's center there is a very large
lagoon." From Columbus' Egg Island anchorage you too can look
eastward across the 20,000-acre roadstead centered between you and the
main island of Eleuthera.
3.
Columbus "rowed along the island in a north-northeast
direction to see the other part, that other part which it has to
the east." Eleuthera's roadstead is now accurately charted, so a
small yacht can safely follow the Admiral's rowboats north-northeast the
full length of Egg's coastline to Royal Island, the "other part ...
to the east."
4.
Some Royal Island natives hailed his boat but Columbus wrote: "I
was afraid (to come ashore) seeing the great ledge of rocks that
encircled the whole of that island." You won't meet any Indians
beckoning you ashore, but Royal Island's south coast is still lined with
the jagged aeolian limestone ledge that kept Columbus away.
5.
According to his log, the Admiral saw "a harbor large enough for
all the ships in Christendom ..." Eleuthera's lagoon (roadstead) is
big enough--much larger than the Cuban
lagoon Columbus later described as a harbor "large enough for all
the ships in Spain."
6.
"... and halfway there was a narrow entrance . . . the sea no more
disturbed than the water in a well." Precisely centered on Royal's
south coast is a narrow opening from the roadstead into one of the
Bahamas' best-protected harbors. You'll find its surface like a mirror
under almost all wind conditions, so unlike the exposed
"harbors" at Watlings and Samana.
7.
In returning to your Egg anchorage, Rat Cay at Royal's / West End will
also seem at first glance the ideal location he sought for a fort. To
him it was "formed like an island although it is not one, on which
there are six houses; it could be converted into an island in two
days." Your closer inspection will also show that it's bridged to
Royal by marl-covered shallows not deep enough to keep Indians at bay.
Columbus quickly realized that this marl could easily be scooped out
deep enough to make it into a useful island. By contrast, thousands of
tons of limestone would need to be dynamited to convert the Watlings
peninsula into an island. (Resist the temptation to search for brass
hawks bells and other trading truck Columbus might have left at these
six houses. It is against the law to conduct unauthorized archeology.)
8.
"Near the said islet, moreover, there are the loveliest group of
trees." Although that nearby grove of coconut palms wasn't there in
1492, its wind-sheltered and well-watered location remains one of the
most favored arboreal sites in the eastern Bahamas. At corresponding
Watlings and Samana locations you'll search in vain for
"lovely" trees.
9.
Columbus says "I stood off that night." If you trust your
engine and the trade winds, there's no need for you to stand off
from Egg island's morning tide that Columbus observed flowing against
him nine days after the full moon.
Southwest
to the Second Island, Santa Maria de la Concepcion
10.
On the advice of Indian guides, "I resolved to go to the southwest
... about 21 miles ... to the (second island)." From your Egg
anchorage take a 235-degree course about 22 miles to the l 00-fathom
line off the end of Rose Island.
11.
Columbus noted that "the tide was against me, so it was midday when
I arrived at the island." Time your Rose Island arrival for noon--a
few hours before high tide--to observe the same battle he saw there between the tides
and the secular ocean current. There's no tidal current along any other
proposed route to the second island.
12.
From there, "I saw another and larger one to the west. I set sail
to go all day until night since otherwise I would not have been able to
reach the western cape." As you sail westward toward New
Providence's protected West Bay, you'll see the same Blue Hills behind
Nassau revealing this as a larger island. Note the north coast's lack of
anchorage and consider the impracticality of an anchorage in the swiftly
flowing tides at Nassau. Compare Morison's proposed route along the
south coast of Rum Cay and ask why Columbus would have passed up a
relatively comfortable mid-afternoon anchorage at Port Nelson to barely
reach an exposed one at dusk.
13.
Of the island he saw to the southwest, Columbus wrote "the side
which lies toward the islet of San Salvador runs north/south for a
distance of 15 miles, and the other side, which I followed, runs
east/west for more than 30 miles." As you sail 30 miles past the
string of islets to New Providence's West Bay, consider how early
Spanish maps often grouped all islets with the shoal's main island.
14.
The next morning "a small canoe came from the other cape."
From your secure anchorage near Lyford Cay you can easily imagine that
Indian canoe being launched from Clifton Point, the "other
cape" only a mile away. No other second-island candidate has the
requisite double cape.
Across
the Tongue of the Ocean to Fernandina, the Third Island
15.
“This (third) island is distant about 24 miles, almost from east to
west,” Set your course almost due west 23 miles across the Tongue of
the Ocean toward Andros Island.
16.
Columbus estimated that “the coast may extend for some 84 miles or
more.” Verify on your
charts that Andros island is rougly 90 miles in length, compared with
only 60 for Long Island, advocated as the third island by both Morison
and the NGS.
17.
“This cape where I came, and all this coast runs north-northwest and
south-sourtheast.” If conditions are quiet, anchor along the reef in
front of Mastic Point and verify Columbus’ description of this truly
unique geographic configuration.
18.
Columbus marveled that “3,000 yards from land, the water off all these
islands is so deep it cannot be sounded.” From your anchorage,
identify the continuous reef defined by the breakers parallel to Andros’
coastline at 3,000 yards.
19.
Columbus noted “fish of the finest colors in the world.”
As you row over to Mastic Point, note the myriad of brilliant reef
fish clearly visible from the boat. How could Columbus have possibly
seen such fish in the pounding surf at Long Island?
20.
“The coast is all beach…and the island flat and fertile.” Enjoy
the verdant scenery of low-lying Andros Island. The comparable location
at Long Island is dominated by “dramatic” high cliffs.
21.
Columbus marveled at “mastic trees with many branches of different
kinds.” The mastic trees which gave Mastic Point its name are still
garlanded by epiphytic plants and laced with tall grasses.
22.
The admiral surmised that “the island could be rounded more quickly to
the north-northwest.” Check your charts for the shallows south of the
Tongue of the Ocean that frightened Columbus’ Indian guides out of a
direct route to Cuba. Apply these instructions to Long Island’s East
Coast and realize how silly they would have been.
23.
Sailing northwest “six miles from the head of the island I found a
wonderful harbor for 100 ships…but it proved shallow.
I though it was the mouth of a river.” If you sail northwest
along the reef to within six miles of Morgan’s Bluff, you’ll see
that the entrance to Conch Sound is large, shallow, and actually looks
like the mouth of a river. None
of Long Island’s east Coast harbors meet any of these criteria.
24.
“The (north) coast runs east and west.”
Continue past Morgan’s Bluff to where the north coast of Andros
truly runs east and west, a feature lacking at Long Island’s narrow
North Cape.
Reversing
Course to Isabela, the Fourth Island
25.
With uncharacteristic brevity Columbus wrote that he “…sailed all
that night.” A strong Norther arrived that afternoon and drove him at
eight knots the length of the Tongue of the Ocean soon after sunrise.
His arrival shortly after dawn positioned him for a daylight run across
the shallows, so you may need a head start from north Andros.
26.
In his briefest entry he wrote that he “anchored when it was not well
to navigate, but I did not land.” After a difficult crossing of the
bank through Thunder Channel, neither will you have the time or
inclination to explore barren No Bush Cay.
27.
to the east he “saw an island… and another between it and the main
island.” Sailing ESE from No Bush Cay the next morning, you should
spot Dollars and Conch Cays off the northwest corner of Long Island
within a few hours. No such dual islets exists at Morison’s Crooked-Acklins
candidate.
28.
Coasting offshore he notes “in the middle of the island a large cove
curves to the northeast.” Squarely in the middle of Long Island
you’ll see a large cove curving to the northeast.
29.
Columbus spotted “one elevation… which serves to beautify the rest
of the island.” Behind the large cove you may enjoy the beauty of a
gracefully sloping miniature version of Mount Fuji.
30.
Continuing to the southeast he sailed “36 miles to a beautiful
cape.” Time your 36-mile sail along Long Island’s west coast to
arrive at its southern cape by late afternoon. You’ll see for yourself
why Columbus gave its glistening limestone cliffs the name Cabo Hermosos
as they reflected the bright sunlight.
You’ve
done it! Using the words of Christopher Columbus as your only guide,
you’ve now retraced the very first exploration of the New World.
Arne Molander is a
retired engineer who has spent the past 30 years researching the voyages
of Christopher Columbus. He has cruised the Bahamas in search of those
island features that best match the detailed descriptions recorded by
Columbus 500 years ago. This article, one of dozens published by him, presents his
conclusion that there’s strong evidence that the Columbus landfall was
off Northern Eleuthera, and that the Columbus tracks accepted in the
past are incorrect.
