Captain Pablo Lubascleo (left) of the Chilean training ship Esmeralda converses with Chilean Ambassador Alfredo Garcia and wife Luz Garcia.

While most of us as children dreamt of adventures on the high seas, in reality we were pretty much content to enjoy life on land.  However, as adults, an invitation to spend the evening aboard a huge military vessel that has travelled the high seas was just too good to pass up — hence the huge crowd that turned out on July 4, at the Kingston Wharves pier.

The Chilean training ship ‘Esmeralda’ was docked for three days and captain and crew embraced the opportunity to sample some of Jamaica’s hospitality at the various places they visited.

On Saturday, they reciprocated some of that hospitality with a welcome reception on the upper deck.

Members of the diplomatic corps, business community and dozens of eager high school Spanish students filed on board to enjoy a starry night out on the waterfront.

Everyone was all dolled up with several women choosing to wear heels even though they knew they would be climbing ladders and walking gangplanks.

The sailors on board however, were more than willing to help a few damsels in distress.

At the entrance, Captain Pablo Lubascheer Correa, greeted his guests, who then proceeded up the stairs where they met Chilean Ambassador Alfredo Garcia and his wife Luz, who were excited that his countrymen were paying them a visit in such fine style.

“This is our floating embassy.  This is a trip of goodwill to mark our great relationship with Jamaica,” the ambassador explained.

Soon Ambassador Garcia was swept away in a tide of well-wishers but mid shipman Pablo Macchiavello was more than happy to supply Pure Class with some information.

Excellent  ambassadors

Macchiavello explained that the Esmeralda is an 113-metre ship with 334 personnel on board none of whom are female (this will change in 2011).  The vessel first set sail in 1954 and before docking in Kingston, was touring the coast of Mexico.  Colombia would be their next port of call.

Macchiavello said since the ship’s arrival, the crew has visited the Bob Marley Museum, Devon House and even got to spend some time at Dunn’s River Falls — the highlight of his trip.

“I love Jamaica.  We all love it a lot.  The people are nice and polite and Jamaica is very famous in Chile especially because of the Rasta movement so I’m glad we got a chance to see it for ourselves.”

Esmeralda

In his official welcome, Captain Lubascheer Correa said it was an honour to have so many people onboard.  He described the Esmeralda as one of the most important training vessels in Chile’s fleet where men are made into good sailors.

All the crew members, he added, were excellent ambassadors for their country and guests only had to engage them in conversations to learn more about Chile’s history, its beauty and its resources.

Later, the resident ship band offered up some ‘cumbia’ music, which is popular in Chile.  Guests were invited to dance and many sought to learn the different moves, as they immersed themselves in everything Chilean from the music to the wine.

N Cunningham-Williams

by Sunday Herald