St. Augustine: Historic ships will stop here

Two Spanish replica ships, the 16th century replica of the Nao Victoria and the 17th century replica of El Galeon, plan visits to the City Marina at the same time during the winter season.

Dana Ste. Claire, director of the St. Augustine 450th Commemoration, told the City Commission that both ships are making separate trips here, but their stays will overlap a week, so they'll both be at the marina from Jan. 4 through Jan. 10.

"The city will have this majestic 16th century maritime scene out in the bay over the holidays," Ste. Claire said.

"Both of them reflect the 16th and 17th century history of St. Augustine."

Nao Victoria, at 85 tons and with a crew of 42, was a Spanish carrack and the first ship to successfully circumnavigate the world.

It was part of a Spanish expedition commanded by the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan, and after he died during the voyage, the exhibition was commanded by Juan Sebastián Elcano. They began with five ships but the Victoria was the only ship to complete the voyage.

The ship was named after the church of Santa Maria de la Victoria de Triana.

The replica was built in 1992.

It will arrive Dec. 23 or Dec. 24, depending on weather conditions and stay until Jan. 10.

El Galeon, a 171-foot-long replica Spanish galleon, visited the city in May.

It will arrive Jan. 4 and stay through July 10.

At its last port in Puerto Rico, "a great deal" of interpretive signs were removed from the ship to make a film.

Ste. Claire said, "We've asked them to reinstall that."

He added that under a contract with its owners, the Nao Victoria Foundation, its home port is now St. Augustine.

As The St. Augustine Record reported in August, Victoria Foundation spokesman Eduardo Almagro Blanco said in a phone interview that an agreement proposed by the city became effective Oct. 1 and will continue through St. Augustine's 450th anniversary in 2015.

"The foundation's goal has been to promote Spain's maritime history and our role in the age of exploration," Almagro said. "When we first came to St. Augustine, we saw the fort, and the importance that was placed on the city's early Spanish history. We saw that our goals were similar, and we realized then: Your history is also our history. It's the story we both want to tell."