Exclusive | Spectacular scene as Mexican tall ship docks in NYC, giving sneak peek of blockbuster Sail4th celebration of Americas 250th

Sea-nic views abounded onboard and off.A Mexican navy tall ship carrying 277 crewmembers ceremonially soared into lower Manhattan Tuesday — giving New Yorkers a taste of what to expect at next year’s blockbuster Sail4th event celebrating America’s 250th birthday.Dozens of naval cadets stood stoically aboard the Cuauhtémoc’s towering 147-foot mast, while others dressed in cultural Mexican garb awaited nearby, and three long horns sounded as the boat sailed through New York Harbor as a signal of goodwill between Mexico and the US — even amid the ongoing tariff drama.The vessel, built in Spain in 1982 with the sole purpose of training cadets, is expected to be one of 30 Class A International Tall Ships that will parade through the Harbor on July 4, 2026 — in an impressive processional that will also include scores of smaller vessels, a dramatic military flyover and a fireworks finale.“The visual will be unbelievable, and the events are going to be magical,” said Capt.

Andrew McGovern, a board member for Sail4th, adding that “cultural exchanges” will be a main focus of the blockbuster event.“This will have a lasting legacy and open people’s eyes.This is what we were built on and founded on.”The Post was offered an exclusive trip onto the Cuauhtémoc as it sailed below the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge and into Pier 17 at the South Street Seaport.The stop is just the third in the vessel’s eight-month voyage around the globe, which offers the Mexican cadets the opportunity to flex their sailing muscles in environments like Jamaica, Iceland, Portugal and more.This year’s class boasts 175 cadets, the largest class the nation’s navy has seen yet.“The classes are getting bigger and bigger.

We just keep getting more and more people!” said Lt.Sg.

Hugo Calvario, the ship’s orthopedic surgeon.“We had to leave almost 40% of the crew to take on more cadets,” he continued, meaning the trainees have to pick up the slack and take on more respo...