Correction, Watling Island of the Bahamas he was there. A gamble yes it was and Queen Isabella didn't want to invest in a 'High risk Low Return' venture too much so she granted him the cheap-undersized-and-not-really-suited-for-exploring-fixer-upper Santa Maria, the Nina, and the (Don't bump it from behind) Pinto from the Spanish used ship lot.

I have also use a water spray bottle to simulate the 'Spray of the Surf!'