“The beauty of a great idea lies in the art of using it.”
— Thomas Edison

Every child (at least in my days) learned to recite: “In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue.” Now we can now add a new verse: “In 2010, Columbus’ ships did it again; not on the ocean blue, you see, but on the Gulf of Mexico for you and me.”

When Horace Greeley, editor of the New York Tribune, wrote, “Go West, young man,” the masses complied and took with them on their journey the concept (brought originally from England) of county jails and the office of sheriff.

At press time this week, Naples Backyard History and everyone along the waterfront at Tin City was anticipating the arrival of the Pinta and the Niña, replicas of the three-masted, highly maneuverable Portuguese caravel ships Columbus sailed across the ocean blue. The two seaworthy museums were bound for the dock at Cruise Naples on Wednesday afternoon, where they will remain until early Tuesday morning, April 6.