Last Wednesday, we were lucky enough to visit Pier 15 on the Embarcadero to see something special: the docking of the celebrated ARM Cuauhtémoc training vessel and flagship of the Mexican Navy. The ship docked at Piers 15-17 after sailing under the Golden Gate Bridge. After docking at the Embarcadero on September 23, it remained through Saturday, September 26, offering a public viewing schedule before its “Farewell at the Dock” ceremony on Sunday, September 27.

The three-masted, 270-foot-long ship, named after the last Aztec emperor and signifying “descending eagle” in Nahuatl, docked in the Bay after a training voyage of 92 days. It arrived in San Francisco after sailing from Victoria, British Columbia.

The ship was built in Bilbao, Spain, in 1982 and has been in use by the Mexican Navy as a training ship and international goodwill vessel for decades. While built to the modern standards of the ‘80s, the ship was designed to look like the romantic, centuries-old vessels from films and storybooks. I couldn’t help but think of Peter Pan and Captain Hook while on board.

A crowd had gathered at the Pier 15 gate just ahead of the scheduled start time. We were quickly welcomed aboard with “¡Bienvenidos!” and encouraged to explore the decks. The crew was gracious and happy to share details about their recent voyage aboard the ship that sailed over 400,000 nautical miles in its service.

We had a great time exploring the decks, looking up at the grand sails above, admiring the intricate rigging, and peering into the galley.

If you didn’t get a chance to visit the ARM Cuauhtémoc in San Francisco, you can catch it on its next port of call at the Maritime Museum of San Diego. The arrival ceremony will take place Thursday, October 1, 2026, at approximately 9:45 a.m. The crew will arrive standing aloft on the rigging and singing as the ship enters San Diego Bay. Free public tours will run from Friday, October 2, through Sunday, October 4.