Hola & Bienvenida, ARM Cuauhtemoc!

The Mexican Navy tall ship arrived in Fremantle yesterday morning ‘fully dressed’.

Mexican music played as crew lined on the bow waved – what an entrance! The air was full of smoke from nearby prescribed burning – but this only added an atmospheric backdrop to the magnificent ship. The South Mole was packed with people to greet her.

As she sailed past, crew dressed in blue and white stripy tee-shirts began climbing the rigging and by the time she arrived at C berth, most of her 261 crew were ‘dressing the yards’ – that is to say, standing on the yards with arms outstretched)– what a sight!

The origins of dressing a ship date back to the 17th century when ships would fly flags and banners to display their identity and allegiance. Today, dressing ship is an important way that navies worldwide show pride in their ships and celebrate significant events.

When a ship is dressed, it is adorned with flags and pennants from bow to stern, including the mast and rigging. There are very strict rules to how flags can be flown: the national flag is flown from the top of the mast, and at specific locations on the ship, with the largest flag flown at the stern. Dressing ship is a beautiful and meaningful tradition that is steeped in history and naval culture. ARM Cuauhtemoc flew an enormous flag from her stern and pulled out all the stops for her arrival in Freo today. Bravo!

I was then lucky enough to make it on board soon after the ship’s arrival at C Shed. On board everything was ship-shape – the highly polished woodwork gleamed in the sunshine, all sheets (ropes) were neatly coiled and stowed. Crew in uniform and people in traditional costumes welcomed us. Some of the crew polished brasses, while others smiled and chatted to visitors.

I loved the ship’s figurehead – in Aztec, Cuauhtemoc means ‘the one who descends like an eagle’. The figurehead shows the last Aztec emperor in an eagle-like posture with a shield, truncheon and a war bonnet made from feathers of the quetzal, a bird from Columbian mythology. The ship will be open to the public each day she is in port.

If you missed her arrival, don’t miss her departure on Saturday at 2pm.

STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHS by Jean Hudson @jeansodyssey. Jean is our Shipping Correspondent and also a regular feature writer and photographer here on the Shipping News. You may like to follow up her informative Places I Love stories, as well as other feature stories and Freo Today photographs, right here.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

* If you’d like to COMMENT on this or any of our stories, don’t hesitate to email our Editor.

** WHILE YOU’RE HERE –