the Christopher Columbus ships Pinta and Santa Maria .

The carvel-rigged ships along with Columbus' other ship, Nina , which is on its way to the United States, have spent the last few months in Costa Rica as part of the set of a Paramount movie about Columbus.

Entitled "1492'', the film stars Gerrard Depardeau as Columbus and Sigourney Weaver as Queen Isabella.

The movie, a dramatised account of Columbus' discovery of the West Indies, is set to be released in October in time for Columbus Day celebrations, first mate Mr. Adrian Allery said yesterday.

The ships, among several sets of Columbus ship replicas currently afloat, were specially adapted to look like Santa Maria and Pinta . They are owned by the Bristol-based company Square Sail, which charters ships for conventions and movie contracts.

The Spanish Government last year commissioned the building of the replicas -- recently featured in National Geographic -- to take part in Columbus Day celebrations in Spain.

Before the refits Santa Maria (Phoenix) and Pinta (Carrie) , built in the 1929 and 1948 respectively, were Baltic traders and served as sail training ships, Mr. Allery said.

He and a crew of 18 sailed the ships down to Costa Rica and after helping pile cages of chickens and rabbits, sacks and barrels onto the deck, had to dress in period costume for the filming of "1492.'' Mr. Allery said Costa Rica was chosen as the site because it still has many unspoiled areas and does not have a heavy tourist industry.

The two ships, here for refuelling, will leave today.

SHIPS AHOY -- Replicas of Christopher Columbus' ships Pinta and Santa Maria (front) sailed into St. George's harbour on Tuesday afternoon and leave today.

They are on their way home to Bristol, England via the Azores after being used in a movie about Columbus which was filmed in Costa Rica.