Christopher Columbus made four round-trip voyages between Spain and the Americas between 1492 and 1503.
His first voyage, which began in August 1492 and ended in March 1493, is the most famous and is often mistakenly referred to as the discovery of America even though there was already people there.
Columbus initially sailed with three small ships that faced terrible storms and difficult sailing conditions. They sailed in a south-westerly direction from Spain (Palos de la Frontera, Huelva), across the Atlantic Ocean, reaching what is now the Caribbean Sea.
Here is the general direction of his voyages:
1. First Voyage (1492-1493):
- Departed from Palos de la Frontera, Spain.
- Sailed in a south-westerly direction across the Atlantic Ocean.
- Reached the Caribbean Sea and made landfall in what is now The Bahamas (San Salvador Island) on October 12, 1492.
- Continued exploring the Caribbean region, visiting Cuba and Hispaniola (present-day Haiti and Dominican Republic).
2. Second Voyage (1493-1496):
- Departed from Cádiz, Spain.
- Sailed in a south-westerly direction, following a more southerly course than the first voyage.
- Reached the Caribbean Sea again and explored further, visiting several islands including Dominica, Guadeloupe, and Jamaica.
3. Third Voyage (1498-1500):
- Departed from Sanlúcar de Barrameda, Spain.
- Sailed in a south-westerly direction, similar to the second voyage, but went further south.
- Reached the coast of South America, specifically near the Orinoco River delta in present-day Venezuela.
- Explored the coastline of South America and the Caribbean Sea.
4. Fourth Voyage (1502-1504):
- Departed from Cádiz, Spain.
- Sailed in a westerly direction, intending to reach Asia by a more direct route.
- Reached the coast of Central America, specifically present-day Honduras.
- Explored the coast of Central America and the Caribbean Sea.