Columbus’s first voyage (1492)

Hello there. My name is Christopher Columbus, and ever since I was a young boy, I have loved the sea. I loved watching the big ships with their tall sails dance upon the waves, and I dreamed of adventures in faraway places. Most sailors in my time believed the only way to get to the exciting lands of India and China, full of spices and treasures, was to sail east, all the way around Africa. But I had a different idea, a big idea. I looked at my maps and thought, 'The world is round, like a ball. What if I could get to the East by sailing west?'. Everyone thought the Atlantic Ocean was a giant, mysterious sea monster of a sea, but I wasn't afraid. I knew that beyond the horizon, a great adventure was waiting for me, and I was excited to find it.

My big idea needed a big helper. I traveled to Spain to speak with the wonderful Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand. I told them about my dream to find a new way to the East. 'Think of the amazing things we could find.' I said. They listened carefully, and they decided to help me. They were so kind. They gave me not one, but three strong ships. There was the speedy Pinta, the little Niña, and my very own ship, the Santa María, which was the biggest of them all. My crew and I worked hard to get everything ready. We packed barrels of fresh water, biscuits, and salted fish. Finally, on August 3rd, 1492, we were ready. The sun was shining as we raised our anchors and opened our sails. People gathered on the shore, cheering and waving goodbye. 'Good luck.' they shouted. With a brave crew and a hopeful heart, we sailed out into the great blue ocean, ready for whatever came next.

For many days and many weeks, all we saw was water. The ocean was like a giant blue blanket that stretched on forever. During the day, the sun was our warm friend, and at night, I used the twinkling stars to guide our ships, just like a map in the sky. We saw amazing things, like flying fish that leaped out of the water and dolphins that swam alongside our ships as if they were playing a game with us. But after a long time with no land in sight, my sailors started to get worried. 'Are we lost?' they would whisper. 'Will we ever see our homes again?'. I had to be brave for them. 'Have faith.' I told them. 'We are on a great adventure. We must keep going.'. I encouraged them to believe in our mission, and together, we pushed onward.

Then, one morning, everything changed. On October 12th, 1492, a sailor high up on the mast of the Pinta shouted the most wonderful words I had ever heard: 'Land, ho.'. Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked. There it was. A beautiful green island in the distance. We all cheered and hugged each other. We had done it. We had crossed the ocean. When we rowed our small boats to the shore, we were greeted by friendly people with kind faces. They were the Taino people, and they had lived on this island for a very long time. They were just as curious about us as we were about them. Everything was new and exciting—the colorful birds in the trees, the sweet-smelling flowers, and the warm, sandy beaches. It was a whole new world.

Returning to Spain was a proud moment. I shared stories of the beautiful lands and the kind people we met. My journey showed everyone that being brave and exploring the unknown can lead to amazing discoveries. My voyage across the sea connected two parts of our world that had never met before, opening up a new chapter for everyone on Earth.