Christopher Columbus is credited with having arrived in the Caribbean October 12, 1492 after sailing from Spain for sixty-nine days. According to historians, he was firmly convinced that he had arrived in India by sailing west. Hence the islands were named the West Indies.

It took Columbus eight years to sell his idea about sailing west to reach the east to Queen Isabella of Spain. He sailed with about 90 men on three ships, the Niña, Pinta and Santa Maria. Upon arrival he spent 10 weeks sailing among the Caribbean Islands. The Santa Maria sunk in December of 1492 when it struck a reef off Haiti.

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