The Niña as it sits partially sunk in the Corpus Christi Marina after Hurricane Harvey. The ship is a replica of one used by Christopher Columbus to “sail the ocean blue in 1492.” It is the only one left of three built to commemorate the 500-year anniversary of Columbus’s storied journey. Photo by Jane Kathleen Gregorio
The last of the Columbus ship replicas bequeathed to Corpus Christi by Spain in 1993 has been endangered by Hurricane Harvey. The Niña has partially sunk into the bay at its home dock in the city’s marina, where the Columbus Sailing Association has spent years restoring it with parts from its sister ships. The Pinta and the Santa Maria now rest in a local landfill after removal from the Corpus Christi Museum of Science and History in 2014.
“The Niña is made from trees growing in the Iberian Peninsula — the same type of wood used to build Columbus’s fleet more than 500 year ago,” said Kim Mrazek, president of the Columbus Sailing Association. “Along with the nails and bolts, the same craftsmanship went into building these ships as the original ones. This is the last of its kind existing in North America.”
The ships were built by Spain for $6.5 million to commemorate the 500th anniversary of when Columbus landed in the western world. They toured European ports and 18 U.S. cities in the early 1990s. Ten different cities reportedly competed to become permanent homes for the ships.
A month-long stay in Corpus Christi drew more than 100,000 visitors, who stood in line for hours to tour the ships. That and the interest of young people put Corpus Christ over the top.
“Because 50,000 schoolchildren sent letters begging for these ships to be docked in their town, Corpus Christi won the bid,” Mrazek said.
In 1993, the ships came to city, where they were dry docked to protect them from a hurricane. Back in the water in 1994, a barge in the bay crashed into them, resulting in extensive damage. Estimates for repairing all three exceeded the cost of rebuilding them from scratch. The Pinta and the Santa Maria were dry docked at the museum, while the Niña was docked at the Lawrence Street T-Head in the marina.
The museum pair deteriorated over the years and were torn down and hauled off in 2014. Parts from both were used in restoring the Niña. The ballast was sold for $8,800 to Port Corpus Christi.
“For the last 25 years, our organization has lovingly cared for this fleet of ships and the Niña is still salvageable,” Mrazek said. “If many people would contribute even just a little, we could be closer to our goal.”
Donations may be made online at gofundme.com/last-caravel-replica-nina, or mail checks and money orders to Columbus Sailing Association, P.O. Box 60175, Corpus Christi, TX 78466.
“The Niña is made from trees growing in the Iberian Peninsula — the same type of wood used to build Columbus’s fleet more than 500 year ago,” said Kim Mrazek, president of the Columbus Sailing Association. “Along with the nails and bolts, the same craftsmanship went into building these ships as the original ones. This is the last of its kind existing in North America.”
The ships were built by Spain for $6.5 million to commemorate the 500th anniversary of when Columbus landed in the western world. They toured European ports and 18 U.S. cities in the early 1990s. Ten different cities reportedly competed to become permanent homes for the ships.
A month-long stay in Corpus Christi drew more than 100,000 visitors, who stood in line for hours to tour the ships. That and the interest of young people put Corpus Christ over the top.
“Because 50,000 schoolchildren sent letters begging for these ships to be docked in their town, Corpus Christi won the bid,” Mrazek said.
In 1993, the ships came to city, where they were dry docked to protect them from a hurricane. Back in the water in 1994, a barge in the bay crashed into them, resulting in extensive damage. Estimates for repairing all three exceeded the cost of rebuilding them from scratch. The Pinta and the Santa Maria were dry docked at the museum, while the Niña was docked at the Lawrence Street T-Head in the marina.
The museum pair deteriorated over the years and were torn down and hauled off in 2014. Parts from both were used in restoring the Niña. The ballast was sold for $8,800 to Port Corpus Christi.
“For the last 25 years, our organization has lovingly cared for this fleet of ships and the Niña is still salvageable,” Mrazek said. “If many people would contribute even just a little, we could be closer to our goal.”
Donations may be made online at gofundme.com/last-caravel-replica-nina, or mail checks and money orders to Columbus Sailing Association, P.O. Box 60175, Corpus Christi, TX 78466.
