I myself learned to tie sailor’s knots in the early 1960s on the Spanish Navy’s Specialist Training Ship “Galatea”.

This sailing ship, a bric barque with a long maritime history, was built in Glasgow (Scotland) at the end of the 19th century and after sailing for several years under the British flag in all the seas of the world, it passed into Italian hands with the name “Clara Estella”.

It was later bought by the Spanish Navy until it was removed from the Official List of Navy Ships in 1992 at the height of the Universal Exhibition in Seville. There, docked in a pier, and after suffering a fire, it was left half abandoned and listed until in this lamentable state it was bought at public auction by a maritime company in Glasgow, where the ship had been built and where it was towed. In that city, the ship underwent a major restoration work in order to turn it into a museum ship that can now be visited in that port under its original name of “Greenly”.

A long and interesting history of this veteran ship, which perhaps one day I will write about, although to the fans of the old and legendary sailing ships I will tell you that they can learn part of the history of this ship through the Internet, either under the name of “Galatea” or “Greenly”.

From my stay on the training ship “Galatea” I have fond memories, among them that of Corvette Captain D. Ricardo Saavedra Montero, a veteran officer who had sailed as a specialist apprentice in maneuvering on the sailing corvette “Nautilus” in which he traveled through Europe, Asia and America.

I also remember my colleagues from Equatorial Guinea who, over time, occupied the highest positions in the navy of that sister country, such as David Ela and others who became vice-presidents of the government, ambassadors to the UN and chief of the Guinean Navy.

Among my Spanish colleagues was Vicente Gonzáles Lizondo who opted for civilian life where he founded the Valencian Union party and was for a time President of the Cortes of this Autonomous Community.

After the “Galatea” I was on board for 25 years on various ships of the Spanish Navy, including an oil tanker, a minesweeper, a frigate, two destroyers, a deep-sea and rescue tug and other ships, in addition to spending several years in land destinations, adding up to a total of 38 years active between land and sea.

Today I still practice nautical knots at home or teaching as a professor in the courses for multi-purpose fishing skipper.

I have also written a treatise on nautical knots which, although approved by the Joaquín Chapaprieta Institute of Culture in Torrevieja (Alicante), is still pending publication.

With nautical knots we can make anything from a nice painting to a simple keychain.

Students of the different nautical qualifications in Spain, whether sports, recreational or professional, are always required to know at least half a dozen of the knots considered to be most useful.