Pinta replica cruises through Watts Bar Dam

SPRING CITY, Tenn. (WDEF) – That’s not an optical illusion!

That is an ancient sailing ship moving up and down the Tennessee River these days.

A replica of the Pinta, which was one of the ship’s Columbus took to America, is on tour in our area.

Hundreds of people watched the Pinta Columbus Replica Ship as it locked through at the Watts Bar Dam on Wednesday.

The Caravel styled ship is a floating museum that shows how small these ships were.

The Pinta is stopping in Lenoir City on Friday, and Knoxville on next weekend.

It will arrive in Chattanooga for a two week stay November 3-19.