Last Friday, the Spanish Navy training ship Juan Sebastian De Elcano arrived in Guam on its journey to retrace the first circumnavigation of the globe 500 years ago. As reported by Stars and Stripes, the four-masted ship — named for the explorer who finished the voyage after the death of Ferdinand Magellan — was greeted at Naval Base Guam on Friday by Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero, Lt. Gov. Joshua Tenorio, and Rear Adm. John Menoni, commander of Joint Region Marianas, Indo-Pacific Command.
The ship, built in 1927, is said to be the third-largest tall ship in the world. It was greeted by a flotilla of canoes from seafaring organizations upon its arrival off Oka Point in Tamuning, on its way toward Apra Harbor, on Friday, the Pacific Daily News reported that day.
Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the sailors were not able to interact with locals during their brief stay. A small delegation from Spain’s King Felipe VI did attend several events, including a historical tour of the island over the weekend. Today, the sail training ship departed for the Philippines.
Magellan, a Portuguese explorer sailing for Spain, was killed in the Philippines in April of 1521. Elcano, a Basque navigator, was the last in a series of men who took charge of the expedition and completed the journey in September 1522 with two of the original five ships. Just 17 of the original 243 crew members survived the trip.
Thanks to Irwin Bryan for contributing to this post.
There was a two-sided monument erected in the Philippines. On one side it celebrates Magellan arriving there. On the other side it honors the native that killed him. Guess that would be bipartisan in America!
Juan Sebastian Delcano is at best loosely described as a four masted-topsl schooner although she carries a running square on her lower yard she is not strictly speaking a four- masted barquentine. However congratulations on the undertaking at these difficult times.