Juan Sebastián de Elcano Sails on Her 96th Training Cruise

Commissioned in 1927, the Spanish Navy’s 371-foot steel-hulled training barquentine Juan Sebastián de Elcano left Cadiz last month for a regular seven-month cadet cruise, her 96th.

The ship is under the command of Captain Luis Carreras-Presas do Campo and the crew of the four-mast brig-schooner is made up of 21 officers, 21 NCOs, 135 seamen/third-year cadets, and 2 civilians.

Elcano via Ministerio de Defensa España

She is expected to call at 10 overseas ports sailing across the North Atlantic and Eastern Pacific: Las Palmas (Canary Islands), Fortaleza (Brazil), Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic), Manzanillo (Mexico), San Diego, Balboa, New Orleans, Boston, London, and Marin (NW Spain), returning to her home base on 21 July.

With a history that includes covering over 2 million miles under sail and ten full circumnavigations of the globe, if you have a chance to visit her you will not be let down.

I had a chance to visit Elcano last June when she called at Pensacola’s Commendencia Street Slip, her 9th visit there since 1959. Of interest, I noted she carried a pair of well-greased 37mm DP 6-pounders for use as saluting guns, and a rack of HK G36s and sabers on the quarterdeck protected by a Cabo armed with a Star Model 30M sidearm.

Gotta love those HK36s

A closer look at the stand. Note the officer sabers and, while there are no loaded mags in place, you can bet there is an ammo box somewhere close if needed.

The wheels and breech are well lubricated and these pieces no doubt get a lot of TLC after firing salutes. Can you imagine having to clean off powder and carbon from this bad boy? Well, I guess that’s what midshipmen are for. 

The Star Model 30M, with gold embossed grip panels, is a standard sidearm of the Spanish Navy, despite Star going belly up years ago. Also, note the Bianchi UM84 holster in parade white 

El Cano is beautiful, and if you get a chance to visit her this year– or any year– please do

 

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