FULTON, Miss. (WTVA) - The replica ships the Nina and the Pinta are run by the Columbus Foundation, which is an organization out of the Virgin Islands.
School groups and the general public can go on board and learn about the ships like these that carried Christopher Columbus when he discovered America more than 500 years ago.
Captain of the Nina, Stephen Sanger, said, "We travel the United States practically year round educating people on the type of ship Columbus used during the age of discovery. The Nina we have is an exact replica. She was constructed only using hand tools. It's the exact method dating back over 500 years to build the original."
A group of students' teacher says it's an exciting way to bring history lessons to life.
Pat Dill from Itawamba Attendance Center said, "We've been studying European explorers in Mississippi History. I brought the kids to see the Nina and the Pinta replicas. They can get firsthand experience and living history."
There are two ships here on display. You may ask where's the third ship.
Missing is another ship used by Columbus, the Santa Maria.
Sanger said, "The Nina and Pinta are Portuguese caravels. The Santa Maria was a larger, different kind of ship. She's required 14 feet if you built a true replica. These ships require seven feet. A lot of places you want to travel in the U.S. you won't find 14 feet of water coming up to a dock."
A crew of six to eight can fit on each of the boats as they travel waterways around the country.
For them, it's a unique way to share the story of the man and crew who discovered our home today.
Sanger said, "They were going out into the unknown. They were not knowing where they were going and a lot of them thinking they were going to fall off the edge of the Earth.
But to go out and do it in little ships like this is pretty extraordinary."
There is a small admission to go on a tour of the ships. They're at Midway Marina in Fulton until Thursday. The display is open from 9:00 a-m until 5:00 p-m.
