Pensacola welcomes Spanish tall ship the Elcano for week of free public tours
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The Spanish Navy training tall ship Juan Sebastian de Elcano is returning to Pensacola and will be open for a week of public tours.
The ship will dock at the Port of Pensacola at Commendencia Street Slip from May 29 to June 3. This visit will coincide with Fiesta Pensacola festivities and will include free public ship tours.
The world-famous Elcano has been visiting Pensacola since 1959 to celebrate our city’s rich Spanish history.
Commanded by Capt. Manuel García Ruiz, the Elcano is a four-masted top sail schooner and is one of the oldest tall ships sailing today. Built in 1927, theElcano was named after the Spanish explorer who completed Ferdinand Magellan’s first-ever circumnavigation of the earth from 1519 to 1522.
Previous visit: Spanish tall ship Juan Sebastian de Elcano to make Pensacola return in spring
Related: Elcano tall ship sails into Pensacola: What to know before you go
At 370 feet long, Elcano is the third-largest tall ship in the world. The hull is made of iron, and there are four masts called Blanca, Almansa, Asturias and Nautilus — named after other Navy training ships that preceded the Elcano. To date the Elcano has completed nearly 100 training cruises, including 10 full circumnavigations of the globe.
As a training ship, the Elcano’s main mission is to cultivate seamanship among the future officers of the Spanish Navy. Along with providing hands-on education and nautical training, Elcano’s visits to foreign ports contributes to Spain’s foreign policy and develops future officers' leadership qualities both at sea and on land.
The visit was coordinated in cooperation with the Pensacola Navy League, which said the goal of the visit "is for the crew to engage with and learn more about our city, as we learn more about our city’s Spanish influence.”
The entrance for the public tours is located at the southern end of Commendencia Street on the western side of the Port of Pensacola. Visitors must be able to climb stairs, and strollers will not be permitted on the ship. There are no public restrooms aboard the Elcano.
Here is the full schedule for the Elcano's upcoming visit: Monday, May 29
Elcano arrives at the Commendencia Street Slip at Port of Pensacola: 9-10 a.m.
Public tours: 4-7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, May 30
Public tours: 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Wednesday, May 31
Public tours: 4-7:30 p.m.
Thursday, June 1
Public tours: 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., and 4-7:30 p.m.
Friday, June 2
Public Tours: 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., and 4-7:30 p.m.
Saturday, June 3
Ship departure from the Port of Pensacola at noon.
The Schedule of Events below are subject to change pending weather and other conditions. To learn more about theElcano visit and public tours, visit the Upcoming Events Page at pensacolanavyleague.org.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Elcano tall ship at Pensacola port. When and where free tours begin
