o'clock Rodrigo de Triana caught the first glimpse of the 

 white banks and beaches of Guanahani glowing in the 

 moonlight. 



While we sat on the aft deck of Sea Diver that after- 

 noon, sweltering in the extreme heat of the tropical sum- 

 mer, Pete and Ed described their observations as they 

 had followed this same approach with Sea Diver nearly 

 five hundred years later. 



Seven miles north of the northernmost point of Turks 

 island, they found that they were able to see the top of its 

 high bluflF and the lighthouse surmounting it. Ed said that 

 Columbus, standing on the poop deck of the Santa Maria, 

 could easily have seen the flicker of an Indian camp- 

 fire on this point as it appeared and disappeared behind 

 the rolling seas. 



-22' 



ISLANDS Cocjburn^^ 



Jacksonville 



Comete Point 

 y^ ( I Grassy Creek 



COLUMBUS TRACK 



CAICOS 



LIGHT v.. 



, 



TURKS 

 ISLANDS /' 



.^ 



•''oi e. 



MOUCHOIR 

 BANKS 



Reconstructed track of Columbus toward first landfall accord- 

 ing to Captain Verhoog. The only area along the eastern 

 Bahama islands where it would have been possible to see a 

 light four hours before reaching land. 



On the Track of Columbus 311 



