How many ships comprised Columbus's first voyage?

Columbus’s first voyage comprised three ships: the Santa María, the Pinta, and the Niña.

The Santa María was the largest vessel, a ship known as a carrack or nao. Columbus used it as his flagship, although it was owned and captained by Juan de la Cosa. The Pinta and the Niña were smaller caravels commanded by the brothers Martín Alonso Pinzón and Vicente Yáñez Pinzón.

The expedition departed from Palos de la Frontera on 3 August 1492. After crossing the Atlantic, the ships reached the Caribbean in October. The Santa María later ran aground off Hispaniola on Christmas Day, 25 December 1492, and could not be salvaged. Its timbers were used to build the settlement of La Navidad.

The Pinta and Niña continued the return journey, but became separated during a storm near the Azores. The Niña ultimately carried Columbus back to Spain and arrived at Palos in March 1493. Although modern illustrations often depict the vessels as large sailing ships, all three were relatively small by later ocean-going standards.