Christopher Columbus on his 3rd Voyage landed on the south of the island, July 31st 1498, Legend has it he called the Island Trinite because of the 3 mountain peaks he sighted on the southern range.

Columbus first landed on the south coast near Point Erin to collect water. Later, after rounding Icacos Pt. he sailed into the Gulf of Paria and went on to explore the coast of Venezuela (which he thought was an island). He later returned to Trinidad and anchored in a bay of island of Chacachcare (one of the small islands off the coast of Trinidad). After claiming the island for Spain he sailed through the Grand Boca, it was at this point that he sighted Tobago in the distance and named it Bellaforma.