Built by Hjorne & Jakobsen at Frederikshavn, Denmark in 1929 as an Evangelical Mission Schooner, 20 years later she retired from missionary work and carried cargo until her engine room was damaged by fire. She was bought by new owners in 1974 who converted her into a Brigantine before being purchased by Square Sail in 1988. A first aid over-haul enabled her to sail back to the UK where she underwent a complete refit.
During 1991 she was converted to the 15th century Caravel "Santa Maria' for Ridley Scott's film "1492 Conquest of Paradise'. The ship was known as Santa Maria until, in 1996, due to increasing demand for period square-riggers, she was converted into a 2 masted Brig and reverted to her original name "Phoenix of Dell Quay'.