This ship and I have a personal history.
Don’t imagine too much.
My first visit to the ARM Cuauhtémoc was one of my earliest posts on Hive (the third, if I remember correctly)
I intended to publish about classic cars from my country and ended up writing about ships without planning it.
So much history, how could I not? ;)
Two years later, I visit it again.
If you want to read about the ship and other curiosities, check the beginning of my blog; you’ll find it there.
This time, the visit was different.
Just experiencing it; I already know its history and what life is like on the ship.
The ARM Cuauhtémoc arrived at the port of Havana on April 28th; from that day, it was open for visits.
Since I wasn’t following the news, I didn’t know it was arriving.
I live (relatively) close to the bay, and the sound of the artillery batteries from El Morro can be heard as if they were in my backyard.
Immediately, I looked to see if it was a new ship.
To my surprise, it was an old acquaintance: the Training Ship Cuauhtémoc of the Mexican Navy.
I took advantage of that same day and went to see it.
The best decision I could make!
Since it was a workday, the line was quite short. Inside the ship, there weren’t many people.
Something that made me very uncomfortable during my last visit to the Russian ships (which caused so much controversy) was that there are always many people during those visits.
But it’s appreciated a lot.
After passing the usual checks (which weren’t as strict as before, thanks customs)
I was back on deck.
Two years later, it seemed as if time hadn’t passed.
The ship is preserved in its maximum splendor.
Every detail is taken care of so that visitors can feel the majesty of the Mexican Navy.
This time, since there were few visitors, they assigned me a cadet.
A young lady who, apparently, knew a lot about her country's naval history; I was surprised by all the details she provided.
One of my questions, quite innocent by the way, was ... how they were able to maintain the ship if it was at sea all year round?
The cadet explained us that this was even more difficult than sailing.
Every day, there is a rotation of sailors responsible for cleaning and taking care of the deck.
They rotate weekly to paint, polish, or fix the details that are identified.
When they approach port, these tasks intensify so that the ship always looks pristine, allowing the sailors time to rest and get to know a bit of the city they visit.
And no, they are not at sea all year round.
For three months, the ship undergoes repairs for a new graduation. During these months, work is done rapidly to meet the deadlines.
A delay in these repairs can greatly affect the plans of the Mexican Navy, so everything is ensured to be fulfilled
(according to the cadet)
The tour continued, and everything felt very familiar, just as we remembered. We focused on enjoying the views and the sea breeze.
Although we arrived at the ship with some clouds in the sky, that changed quickly, and the Caribbean sun was beating down on us, but we couldn’t stop admiring the views from the ship.
The Sierra Maestra terminal is a building that isn’t open to visitors, so seeing Havana from this point is an opportunity that shouldn’t be missed.
And if it’s aboard such a special ship, it’s twice as good, right?
After an hour, we decided to say goodbye to the ship for the second time.
They assured me that the ship would maintain its usual route to Havana. If it returns soon, it will be back on Hive ;)
A privilege that should be taken advantage of.
Now it’s your turn... Have you seen a ship like this up close? Cruises don’t count ;)
Let me know in the comments; it will be a pleasure to read you.
Check out the beginning of the blog if you want to learn more about the history of this incredible ship.
Read you soon!
[dahpilot]
All images in the post are mine
