Puerto Vallarta is a resort city on Banderas Bay on Mexico’s Pacific Coast. Our family visited there when the boys were little.
One of the longstanding attractions at Puerto Vallarta has been the Marigalante, a replica of the Santa Maria, flagship of Christopher Columbus on the discoverer’s first voyage to the Western Hemisphere in 1492.
On the outside, it looks like the Santa Maria, but inside is an engine. And the vessel has circumnavigated the globe.
When our family visited, we went on the tourist voyage in the bay. The Marigalante sailed through the bay and arrived to a small beach, where we got into a boat and went to a small beach for a spell. As I stepped out of the ship and into the boat, they were both moving, and I was holding my infant son tight so as not to drop him into the water!
On the voyage, we were treated to a pirate show on the ship, my least favorite part. The pirates were in 1700s garb, not 1400s garb, but hey, I guess it’s entertainment, right?
What I really enjoyed was the historical significance of the vessel and the voyage through the bay. I also had a good conversation with the captain.
Now, I’ve learned that, two days before Columbus Day 2025, the Marigalante sank in the bay. Yes, it actually sank!
From the New York Post: “The Marigalante, a replica of Christopher Columbus’ famed galleon, the Santa Maria, took on water as it attempted to return to port for repairs in Puerto Vallarta Friday afternoon [October 10th], according to Pirate Ship Vallarta, the company that operated the iconic tourist attraction.”
“The wooden vessel was traversing through the Pacific waters to return for technical repairs when it became inoperable near the Buenaventura Hotel in the Mexican state of Jalisco.”
“The system failure worsened and the ship began to sink while first responders rushed to evacuate crew members from the doomed vessel.”
“Everyone onboard was evacuated from the ship before it submerged into the waters, the company and area firefighters said.”
“The Marigalante tilted to its starboard side as water washed onto the top deck and the vessel plummeted into the water…Rescue boats and other vessels moved away from the shipwreck as the three towering masts disappeared, while barrels and other debris floated back to the surface.”
Why did it sink?
“The cause of the sinking was blamed on a bilge system issue resulting from a mechanical or electrical failure in the pumps. ‘Due to the strong tide, it was impossible to rescue the boat, which unfortunately ended up sinking,’ the Puerto Vallarta civil protection and firefighters said. ”
“Built in 1987, the ship was launched five years later in 1992 to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the discovery of the Americas, according to the company. The ship was a popular tourist attraction at the resort town, offering sailing tours around the bay with an ‘incredible pirate show,’ fireworks, dinner and an open bar, according to the company.”
Also, “Pirate Ship Vallarta [the company] reaffirmed it would help its staff ‘throughout the process.’ The company reassured customers that they would be refunded for the ship’s future tour dates.
And, “It was also announced that the Marigalante’s sister ship will replace the lost vessel in the coming months.”
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