Get a sneak peek of the Spanish Tall Ship Juan Sebastián de Elcano sailing into Miami

Howard Cohen
·2 min read
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The Spanish navy school vessel Juan Sebastián de Elcano sailed into PortMiami Wednesday morning, carrying 256 sailors and a load of history.

The four-masted topsail is named for Spanish explorer Juan Sebastián Elcano, who captained Ferdinand Magellan’s last exploratory fleet and the man who completed the first circumnavigation of the world 500 years ago in 1522.

Sailors roll the sails of the Juan Sebastián de Elcano as it docks at Maurice A. Ferré Park in Miami, Florida on Wednesday, May 18, 2022.
Sailors roll the sails of the Juan Sebastián de Elcano as it docks at Maurice A. Ferré Park in Miami, Florida on Wednesday, May 18, 2022.

The steel-hulled ship, built in Cadiz, Spain, in 1927, carries the Elcano coat of arms, which was granted to the family by Emperor Charles I following Elcano’s return in 1522 from Magellan’s global expedition.

The ship’s itinerary traces the countries that contributed seafarers to the original expedition 500 years ago.

Sailors roll the sails of the Juan Sebastián de Elcano as it docks at Maurice A. Ferré Park. This cruise is the last of the three that commemorate the V Centenary of the First Circumnavigation.
Sailors roll the sails of the Juan Sebastián de Elcano as it docks at Maurice A. Ferré Park. This cruise is the last of the three that commemorate the V Centenary of the First Circumnavigation.

So far the Juan Sebastián de Elcano has visited Piraeus in Greece and Civitavecchia in Italy. Also, Saint-Maló in France and Spanish cities Barcelona, La Coruña and Santander.

The voyage finally took in San Juan, Havana and its last stop, Miami, where Capt. Manuel García Ruiz docked the Sebastián at the Bayfront Park pier around 8:15 a.m. Wednesday.

The Navy School Ship “Juan Sebastián de Elcano” called at the port of Miami, Florida, on Wednesday, May 18, 2022.
The Navy School Ship “Juan Sebastián de Elcano” called at the port of Miami, Florida, on Wednesday, May 18, 2022.

What happens next?

An officer unties a knot as sailors dock the The Navy School Ship “Juan Sebastián de Elcano” at Maurice A. Ferré Park.
An officer unties a knot as sailors dock the The Navy School Ship “Juan Sebastián de Elcano” at Maurice A. Ferré Park.

Several ceremonial functions will be held on board. Among them: at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Her Majesty Queen Sofía presides over a solemn flag lowering. The crew hosts a Mass and swearing-in of the flag on board on Thursday. On Friday afternoon, the Secretary of the U.S. Navy, Carlos del Toro, will be received on board for lunch and a guided tour of the ship. On Saturday, the lowering ceremony takes place, after three years, of the Explorer’s Club flag, an act on board that will be presided over by the ambassador of Spain in the USA.

Sailors pack the sails and officers stand in salute as the Spanish consul boards the Juan Sebastian de Elcano.
Sailors pack the sails and officers stand in salute as the Spanish consul boards the Juan Sebastian de Elcano.

What the public can see

Sailors roll the sails and officers share a laugh as Juan Sebastián de Elcano docks at Maurice A. Ferré Park at the port of Miami, Florida, on Wednesday, May 18, 2022.
Sailors roll the sails and officers share a laugh as Juan Sebastián de Elcano docks at Maurice A. Ferré Park at the port of Miami, Florida, on Wednesday, May 18, 2022.

The Juan Sebastián de Elcano is docked at Maurice A. Ferre Park at 1075 Biscayne Blvd., Miami, and will be open to public visitations from 4 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Thursday; 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Saturday.

There will be no charge to visit the ship.

Ship personnel will salute and greet visitors at arrival and instruct them on entry protocol.

After Miami

When the Juan Sebastián de Elcano departs Miami on Sunday, the training ship will sail to Santander, Spain, where it is scheduled to arrive on June 20.

The vessel will then embark on an instructional cruise that will end on July 21 in Cádiz, the city where the commemorative tour began last February.

Honduran national Freddie Medina, 61, casts for fish and crabs as the Juan Sebastián de Elcano is piloted into the channel of Maurice A. Ferré Park in downtown Miami, Florida.
Honduran national Freddie Medina, 61, casts for fish and crabs as the Juan Sebastián de Elcano is piloted into the channel of Maurice A. Ferré Park in downtown Miami, Florida.