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Cape Town Welcomes Chilean Tall Ship, the Esmeralda (VIDEO)
One of the world's most beautiful historic sailing ships, the Esmeralda, visits Cape Town for five days
The Esmeralda arrived in Cape Town on Monday 6 October 2008 for a five-day goodwill visit. This magnificent four-mast training ship of the Chilean Navy, also known as the White Lady, last visited Cape Town more than ten years ago.
Cape Town’s Executive Deputy Mayor, Grant Haskin, officially welcomed this tall ship, which is berthed at Quay 6 at the V&A Waterfront until she sets sail for Buenos Aires on October 10.
"I am honoured to receive the Esmeralda, one of the world’s most impressive sailing ships. This is the third tall sailing ship to visit Cape Town shores this year," says Deputy Mayor Haskin.
"I would encourage all Capetonians to visit the Esmeralda while she is docked in Cape Town. She is truly a fine example of historical naval tradition," he says.
Capetonians have the opportunity to board this interesting ship from 14h00 to 18h00 on 7, 8 and 9 October. Entry is free.
"During the past 46 years, she has travelled over a million nautical miles and visited over 300 ports in 57 countries. This is her 53rd training voyage and her second visit to Cape Town," says Colonel Gustavo Truan Laffont, defence attaché of the Embassy of Chile.
The Esmeralda is a brigantine of four masts with square sails. The masts are 48,5 meters high and the 29 sails span an area of 2 870 m2.
Her maximum displacement is 3 673 tons and she measures 113 meters in length and 13 meters across the beam. She has a maximum draught of 7 meters, a stanchion of 8,7 meters, and a gunwale height of 5,3 meters. Her maximum engine speed is 13 knots and her maximum sail speed is 17,5 knots.
Cape Town is the 11th stop on the vessel’s seven month trip around the world. In May, she set sail from Ecuador, travelling to Trinidad, Tobago, Casablanca, Cadiz, Croatia, Athens, Istanbul, Haifa, Alexandria and India. From Cape Town she will sail to Buenos Aires, and then Punta Arenas, Chile, in November.
During the Esmeralda’s Cape Town sojourn, Commander Zanelli is hosting receptions on board the vessel for Cape Town’s community leaders, and will also lay wreaths at the cenotaph in Adderley Street.
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