The spectacular three-masted Mexican Navy ship Cuauhtémoc has docked in Port Melbourne’s Station Pier and is open to the public until the end of school holidays.
Named after the last Aztec emperor, the 90-metre barque arrived on Thursday from Fremantle, adorned with multiple giant flags.
The Mexican Navy ship Cuauhtémoc is in Melbourne and will be open to the public until Monday.Credit: Chris Hopkins
As the ship sailed into the port, hundreds of crew members climbed up the masts, and some were almost 50 metres in the air.
Photographer Daniel Tan saw the ship dock, describing its arrival as “beautiful and majestic”.
“It was impressive with it dressed for arrival with all the flags and the crew standing on the mast, which is tradition when they arrive at a foreign port,” Tan said.
The Cuauhtémoc will be open to the public for free inspections at Station Pier between 10am and 8pm until Monday, with visitors treated to traditional Mexican music while onboard. It will leave Melbourne on Tuesday.
The barque is the Mexican Navy’s instructional tall ship for fourth-year cadets at the Heroic Naval Military School. This year’s cohort has the largest number of female personnel in the school’s history, with 53 women among 261 crew members.
The Cuauhtémoc is an instructional tall ship for fourth-year cadets in the Mexican Navy.Credit: Chris Hopkins
Sub-Lieutenant Henry Mancilla, of the Australian Navy, joined the crew in Fremantle and will disembark in Sydney.
Launched in 1982, the Cuauhtémoc has participated in international maritime events and won numerous awards including the 2012 Tall Ship Races and was runner-up for the Colón 92 Regatta.
Over more than 36 years of sailing, the Cuauhtémoc has visited 212 ports in 64 countries, accounting for a total of 5862 days at sea with 756,085 nautical miles sailed. That’s the equivalent of 35 trips around the world.
The Cuauhtémoc will visit Sydney between October 14 to 19 and then sail to Auckland.
The Cuauhtémoc is named after the last Aztec emperor and warrior. Credit: Chris Hopkins
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