Captian of the Nina Looking for a few Good Sailors! - For Real!

[Magister]

Saw this article online.. If some of you have ever dreamed of serving on the, "the most historically correct Columbus replica ever built" here is your chance.  You'll have to travel to Seattle, and apply.. but you could could be sailing the seas.

Here's a link to the article: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/367134_nina16.html

Here's the text of the article:

Niña restores history on the seas
'Correct' replica of Columbus' boat visiting Northwest

By CLAIRE TRAGESER
P-I REPORTER

A replica of the Niña, one of Christopher Columbus' three ships that carried him across the ocean blue, will discover Seattle's shores Wednesday.

The ship, along with its captain and crew, will be available to the public from Thursday through June 23.

Seattle is one of 400 ports the Niña has visited in its 16 years at sea. Built completely by hand using historic documents as blueprints, the ship was named "the most historically correct Columbus replica ever built" by Archaeology magazine.

Its construction wrapped up in 1992 to honor the 600year anniversary of Columbus' voyage. After appearing in the film "1492," directed by Ridley Scott and starring Gerard Depardieu, the Niña set sail and has been traveling ever since.

"We travel night and day, stand a proper watch, take care of the ship's maintenance while we're sailing, and are always dealing with the weather," said Kyle Friauf, 48, the ship's captain for more than three years. "We've had bona fide gale-force winds sailing up Baja peninsula. That was uncomfortable."

Friauf said he picks up volunteer crew members at almost every port, and will be looking for new sailors in Seattle. Earning a spot on the 27-member crew requires an application, a 30-day commitment and a willingness to sleep on metal cots and cook on a propane stove.

Friauf, who ditched his land legs in Florida and worked on the crew before becoming captain, said most members stay on board for six months.

The Columbus Foundation, an organization founded specifically for this shipbuilding venture, originally planned to reconstruct all three of Columbus' ships. Because of a lack of time and money, the foundation settled on one ship, the Niña, which it said was Columbus' favorite.

Although the ship was built to honor the historic 1492 voyage, Friauf said he isn't interested in Columbus or the controversy that often surrounds him.

"The guy's been dead for 500 years, so what's there to protest?" he said. "This just happened to be the ship he was on, but for me it's much more about the history of wooden ships. The Niña has that name recognition, and is something people identify with, but it doesn't matter much to me."

Friauf said his "floating museum" has been well received on the West Coast by everyone except the weather.

"We got some blows off the coast of Washington that came up out of nowhere, but we weren't afraid," he said. "She's a very seaworthy little ship, so she'll take care of us."

The Niña set sail from Richmond, B.C., on Sunday. After its stay in Seattle, it will voyage to Vancouver, then down the coast for the American Sail Training Association's Tall Ships events.

Like true mariners, Friauf said he and his crew are most excited to visit Pike Place Market's fish stalls. However, his interests also include some of the city's more modern sites.

"I haven't been up the Space Needle since I was about 12 years old," he said.

IF YOU GO

The Niña will be docked at the Center for Wooden Boats at 1010 Valley St. and will be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday through June 23.

Tickets are $5 for adults, $4 for senior citizens and $3 for students. Children 4 and under get in for free.

Groups of 15 or more can schedule a guided tour with a crew member by calling 787-421-0402. Visit theNina.com for more information.