Fun with Maps ISSUE 2025-127

By Steve Kovacs (Introduction by Chuck Gibson)

LOVELAND, OH (August 12, 2025) – In today’s edition of Fun with Maps, we journey on the ocean blue with the Columbus crew – not futbol or soccer!

THE FORTUNATE ISLES

“In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue” and on August 12th made his last stop before heading off to search for the passage to Asia, which famously landed him on American shores two months later.

In August, Columbus’ three ships and their crews made the Canary Islands their last European port of call.  There they checked over the ships, restocked food, and recruited some local sailors.  The Canary Islands became a regular stopover for journeys to the New World.

Eight islands make up the volcanic archipelago where the tropical climate allows for the most sunlight hours in Europe. Tenerife is the largest island, and Fuerteventura is the oldest, having been formed about 20 million years ago.  Canary refers to the Latin word for dog, canaris, which greeted the Spanish sailors, not the yellow bird.

This handsome 1770 map by Bonne shows the Canary Islands in the lower portion and the Madeira Islands to the north, in the map’s upper portion.

Steve Kovacs and his wife Theresa reside in Loveland, Ohio where they raised their two children. He is a passionate collector of antique maps.

Visit his antique map boutique world-on-paper online. Watch for his daily feature Steve Kovacs: Fun with Maps here on Loveland Beacon.