Why did Christopher Columbus sail to the Canary Islands before crossing the Atlantic?

Christopher Columbus sailed to the Canary Islands before heading west across the Atlantic to take advantage of the northeast trade winds, which facilitated the westward crossing. After departing from Palos, Spain, on August 3, 1492, the fleet spent nearly a month in the islands for repairs and preparations before setting out from San Sebastián de la Gomera on September 6. The islands subsequently served as an indispensable base for all four of his westbound expeditions.12