Oh buoy, you wouldn’t want to miss this!
Nope, this is not some luxury cruise. Nor is it the set of Pirates of the Caribbean.
This is a Mexican sailing vessel docked right outside Vivocity in the Singapore waters, and it is none other than the Mexican Navy’s Cuauhtémoc which was welcomed with much fanfare and enthusiasm.
On Wednesday (19 Jul), nearly 100 of its navy cadets stood on the ship’s three masts and put on spectacular displays for its fans who came down to show their love and support.
The Armanda Republic Mexicana (ARM) Cuauhtémoc – which is already in its fifth month of voyage since setting off from its homeport at Acapulco Guerrero on February 6 is commanded by Captain Rafael Antonio Lagunes Arteaga.
The vessel is on a nine-month long goodwill voyage to a total of 12 different countries.
Here are some interesting things you should know about the vessel:
-
34 generations of cadets have been forged by the ship for Mexico’s Heroic Navy Military School since she was commissioned 35 years ago.
-
The cadets from the Heroic Naval Military School are instructed in the art of sailing, during the sailing trip, where they master practical exercises such as climbing up the yards and masts of the ship.
-
The boatswain’s whistle – an old-fashioned instrument used for giving orders to the crew and honouring senior officers and distinguished visitors – will be learnt by the cadets as well.
4. Ever wondered what the 234 of them eat on board? Apparently, the crew loves their Mexican food and the chefs on board whip up 500kg of food daily – mostly consisting of mashed black beans, cream of corn as well as chicharon which is fried pork skin. Yum.
5. The crew on board are relatively young, with an average age of 24 years-old. In order to strengthen ties and foster friendship between the navies, the crew will also be playing host to cadets and crew members from our very own Singapore Navy over meals and cocktails. The Mexican Navy is also scheduled to visit a naval base and navy vessel here.
Best of all, the ARM Cuauhtémoc will be open to the public from July 20 to 23, between 10 am and 6pm at the Vivocity Promenade, before leaving for Manila on July 24. So remember to head down to give them your support!
