October 14th 1492

The canary islands were beautiful, the food, the people, and most especially the rum! On the day of our departure the indigenous people filled our hulls with food, water and ten great casks of rum. I must admit to developing a taste for the spicy alcohol. What started out as a foolhardy ploy to escape my debts in Spain and commit myself to the sea has become so much more! The men I've recruited for this grand adventure are not the most salty of sailors, but what they lack in experience they make up in enthusiasm! So, much to my chagrin when the rum affected my sense of direction I directed the boats south instead of the north as previously planned. By the time I had sobered enough to realize my blunder... it was too late. We had already sailed three weeks in the wrong direction and the force of the current would have added weeks, nay months of continued rowing to combat. In the spirit of adventure I have chosen to keep this from the crew for fear of mutiny. We have skirted the horn of Africa once more and continued eastward. Eastward instead of west, but allowing the run to flow freely I have been able to hide this simple fact. Who knows what we may discover by happenstance?

As always you are my faithful confidante.

C.Columbus