Secrets of Christopher Columbus

**Secrets of Christopher Columbus** is the 9th episode of Season 2 of Expedition Unknown.

## Plot Synopsis

Gates retraces Christopher Columbus' voyages, visits his hometown on the island of Madeira, where he worked as a chart maker, and discovers the fate of his missing flagship, the Santa Maria, which hasn't been seen since she ran aground off the coast of Haiti in 1492.

## Historical Context

"... when it comes to explorers, none are more famous and yet less understood. Some people are taught that he discovered America. Yet he never set foot here. His nationality is in dispute. His early years are a total mystery. Even his own journals are filled with misdirection. To some, he is an epic hero, to others, a bloodthirsty conqueror. But who was he really? There are two huge mysteries surrounding Columbus that may shed light on true nature of his character ... the first involves the fate of his flagship, the Santa Maria ... and would you believe we can't even agree on where Columbus is buried?"

- Josh Gates

## Summary

Josh goes to Funchal, Madeira and sees the window of Columbus' house, which is all that remains of it. He takes a carreiros de monte sled down the Funchal hills to the port. There he meets historian, Ricardo Jardim and they climb aboard a replica of Columbus' ship the Santa Maria. He goes up in the crows' nest to untie the sail and they sail around the harbour to get a sense of what it may have been like for Columbus.

Josh heads to Port-au-Prince, Haiti and goes to the Mupanah Museum where he meets the director of conservation, Camille Louis. He is shown the anchor of the Santa Maria at the museum. Before the ship sank Columbus had all deck timbers taken off the ship to build Fort La Navidad which yet to be found. Josh drives north to meet Jean-Claude Dicquemare, a diver but stops along the way for a double dutch game.

When Jean-Claude and Josh dive they find a gigantic shipwreck along with jagged metal on the ocean floor. It is too large and modern to be the Santa Maria but they find older debris mixed in with the wreck. Some of it includes amphoras and a cannon from the 1500s. However, it doesn't match the ones on Columbus' ship.

Josh goes to Cap-Haitien and he finds out there he is going to be a father from a phone call. Afterwards, Josh meets with Manuel Rosa, a historian who believes Columbus purposely wrecked the Santa Maria so he would have a reason to return to the New World since he left 39 men behind. They go to shore and search for remnants of the ship that may have been pulled ashore to build La Navidad. They meet a local farmer who shows them a cannon nearby. They believe it's from a Spanish fort built after Columbus' second voyage.

Josh goes to meet Alain Norestin, an archaeologist, and they take a tap-tap bus to En Bas Saline where Alain believes the remains of La Navidad may be. They begin excavating and start to find many objects. Their discovery is revealed in the following episode

## Notes & Trivia

* Josh finds out he is going to be a father in this episode

## Quotes

* "That is the joyous sound of not falling into the ocean."
* "They once carried bottles of Madeira's famous wine. But today they carry less precious cargo - television personalities."
* "I can literally feel and hear the wicker breaking under me as I sit."
* "Imagine flying 30 miles an hour downhill in a bread basket from Pottery Barn with no brakes and you'll get a sense of how safe this is."
* "Yeah, you're about to have some Portuguese blood on the deck of your ship in a minute."
* "While I'm hanging on for dear life the Portuguese Hugh Jackman here just keeps smiling and another deckhand flies up like Mowgli from the Jungle Book."
* "It is Puke-y McGillicuddy up here."
* "Today in a modern jetliner we make the trip in about 10 hours. And you get to watch old, "Two and a Half Men" episodes. So maybe it was better on Columbus' ship."
* "For me, this was the dive of a lifetime. For Jean-Claude it's Tuesday."
* "Everybody's got a white house here. I mean do you have to go with that?"
* "Madeira - pretty beautiful. Beautiful coastline, dolphins, me vomiting."

## References

1. ↑ https://artworks.thetvdb.com/banners/episodes/280316/5388221.jpg