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Time Warp at Fort Monroe

Randy Johnson
Friday, July 27, 2012

From atop the walls of Fort Monroe National Monument (the nation's newest, dedicated last fall), the Spanish Navy training ship Juan Sebastián de Elcano created a time machine experience for visitors during this summer's OpSail 2012 event at the Norfolk, Virginia Harborfest. The ship is a four-masted topsail, steel-hulled schooner that is 113 metres (370 feet) long. She is the third-largest tall ship in the world and one of many that stunned viewers to the event.

She is named after Spanish explorer Juan Sebastián Elcano, captain of Ferdinand Magellan's last exploratory fleet. The ship also carries the de Elcano coat of arms, which was granted to the family by Emperor Charles I following Elcano's return in 1522 from Magellan's global expedition. The coat of arms is a terraqueous globe with the motto "Primus Circumdedisti Me" (meaning: "First to circumnavigate me").

Expect new features and a video on Fort Monroe on Traveler later this summer.

Nice shot! It pays to be in the right spot at the right time :-)


An amazing historic place. Glad the NP is taking care of it. Great shot too!


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