The Chilean Navy has arrived!

B. E. ESMERALDA

A few days ago we noticed a beautiful 4 masted sailing ship anchored off the downtown pier. It was absolutely stunning. Bright white and flying the state of Texas flag. Ummmm. Well, we found out it was not the Texas flag, but the flag of Chile. Lynn, who always knows the latest, told us it was a Chilean naval training ship on a 7 month mission. She also found out that we could tour the ship! So, with our friend Gwen, we sauntered downtown. Only left behind one small thing.  As is normal for us here, we didn't have our wallets.  We needed to have an ID to sign in and be allowed on the magnificent vessel. We were lucky enough to see a friend there who was carrying one and it got us in as his "family".  Thanks Dad!
Wow. What a ship. 113m long. 13m beam. 21  sails. A compliment of 321- 21 officers, 97 midshipman, 132 seaman and 69 others in training. Men and women. The training cruise will take 259 days and 30415 nautical miles. It sailed from Chile north, through the Panama Canal, to MX and from here to  Miami, Puerto Rico, Curacao, Brazil, around the Cape and back to Chile.
We had several young guides show us around and tell us about the ship. All dressed in beautiful white crisp uniforms. Both Peggy and Gwen thought the officers in training were very informative and, oh yeah, really incrediby cute (Richard Gere has nothing on them). Ed was only interested in the ship. 
How could we have done this without one important thing, other than an ID?  A camera to show off the officers, and oh yeah, the ship, too!  We weren't able to get on the ship again but Ed was able to rouse Peggy from a pretty wonderful nap (as is obvious from the pic) to go down to the pier and get a picture of one of the "older" officers.
Here's a link for better pics:  https://www.google.com/search?q=B.E.Esmeralda+chile&rlz=1C1VASA_enMX510MX510&espv=210&es_sm=93&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=MfmQUrP9JIny2QWY-4DoBA&ved=0CDEQsAQ&biw=1318&bih=601

                              Sailors have to climb to the yardarm to take down the flags at 5PM.

                       All flags down but one.  Then the men start down the rope ladders.  At the beginning of their                                               descent they actually are hanging up side down.

                                                  Peggy in her nap uniform with a mid-shipman.

                                                        Sunset in the background.  

Biggest Mexican flag ever! Just off the main ferry pier.