<P> In 1492 Christopher Columbus sailed from Spain on his first voyage with three ships , the Niña , the Pinta , and the flagship , Santa Maria , seeking a direct route to Asia . On 12 October 1492 Columbus reached an island in the Bahamas and claimed it for Spain , an event long regarded by Europeans as the ' discovery ' of America . This island was called Guanahani by the Lucayan , and San Salvador by the Spanish . The identity of the first American landfall by Columbus remains controversial , but many authors accept Samuel E. Morison 's identification of Columbus ' San Salvador as what was later called Watling ( or Watling 's ) Island . Its name has been officially changed to San Salvador . Columbus visited several other islands in the Bahamas before sailing to present - day Cuba and afterwards to Hispaniola . </P>
who explored waters of cuba the bahamas and hispaniola
Christopher Columbus