At 2 A.M. on the morning of October 12 the Niña, Pinta, and Santa María finally reached land. Rodrigo de Triana, a lookout on the Pinta, saw something that looked like white sand cliffs in the distance. In the gleaming moonlight he was able to make out the cliffs and a dark line of land running alongside them. He began shouting "Land, land!" and soon the whole crew had gathered to look at what de Triana had seen. Martín Alonso Pinzón, captain of the Pinta, verified that it was indeed land and proceeded to signal the other two ships. A short while later word spread that land had been seen. This time there was no false claim.

Columbus was notified of the sighting of the land and congratulated Pinzón and de Triana on their find. He did not, however, offer them any reward. Instead, he refused to share any of the glory of the trip with others, and he took the yearly award for himself, claiming that he had seen the same cliffs earlier that night but had mentioned it to only a few people. After the land was clearly visible and the ships had drifted closer, Columbus ordered the anchors dropped, and he began to make preparations for his first trip onto the land.

Thursday, 11 October 1492
I sailed to the WSW and we took more water aboard than at any other time on the voyage. I saw several things that were indications of land. At one time a large flock of sea birds flew overhead, and a green reed was found floating near the ship. The crew of the Pinta spotted some of the same reeds and some other plants; they also saw what looked like a small board or plank. A stick was recovered that looks manmade, perhaps carved with an iron tool. . . .

After sunset I ordered the pilot to return to my original westerly course, and I urged the crew to be ever-vigilant. I took the added precaution of doubling the number of lookouts, and I reminded the men that the first to sight land would be given a silk doublet as a personal token from me. Further, he would be given an annuity of 10,000 maravedíes from the Sovereigns.

About 10 o'clock at night, while standing on the sterncastle, I thought I saw a light to the west. It looked like a little wax candle bobbing up and down. It had the same appearance as a light or torch belonging to fishermen or travelers who alternately raised and lowered it, or perhaps were going from house to house. I am the first to admit that I was so eager to find land that I did not trust my own senses, so I called for Pedro Gutiérrez, the representative of the King's household, and asked him to watch for the light. After a few moments, he too saw it. I then summoned Rodrigo Sánchez of Segovia, the comptroller of the fleet, and asked him to watch for the light. He saw nothing, nor did any other members of the crew. It was such an uncertain thing that I did not feel it was adequate proof of land.

The moon, in its third quarter, rose in the east shortly before midnight. I estimate that we were making about 9 knots and had gone some 67½ miles between the beginning of night and 2 o'clock in the morning. Then, at two hours after midnight, the Pinta fired a cannon, my prearranged signal for the sighting of land.

I now believe that the light I saw earlier was a sign from God and that it was truly the first positive indication of land. When we caught up with the Pinta, which was always running ahead because she was a swift sailer, I learned that the first man to sight land was Rodrigo de Triana, a seaman from Lepe.

I hauled in all sails but the mainsail and lay-to till daylight. The land is about 6 miles to the west.