In the 1930s the Maritime of Vigo was the concessionaire of the Dársena that today occupies the Nautico of Vigo (Seoane & Prado Collection)

At least the obscurantism surrounding the existence of the Vigo Maritime Club is curious. Founded in the early 1930s with the base of Viguese athletes of rowing, swimming and waterpolo, Agustín Rivas Villanueva was first president, and an important fact to understand the history of his disappearance: he would form a candidacy within the Republican Party. They tell the news of those convulsive years that four remers of the Náutico: Manuel Cañizo, José Puig, Manuel Puid and Agustín Rivas, disobeyed the instructions of the club and that they were expelled... perhaps it was true or perhaps it is a fable more of the Franco era, which surely hid the real story that the legendary Viguese institution was going through tremendous economic hardships, which led him in 1931 to give up the fight for the concession of the former passenger station... a fight in which it was left only the Maritime to obtain the administrative concession of the Government of the Republic.

We talked about a few years when the Royal Nautical Club of Vigo no longer had the "ship as headquarters", "Klosofic" that had been scrapped. We talked about a few years when the Nautico had its social place on the grounds of the Gran Hotel de Vigo (Puerta del Sol), we spoke of a few years in which the reference of the Viguese nautical sport was the Maritime of Vigo which by the way had a bold message:"Democracy and freedom"... they say it was written in bronze letters at the entrance of their headquarters... The Maritime had achieved the number of 600 partners, with new additions such as Julio Curbera, Alfonso González Garra, Juan Docet, Manuel Eparrago, Antonio Fresco, Manuel Conde, Pedro Ituri or Emilio Peña... The activity of the "Republican club for not a few"It was frenzy in rowing. (and in pyragüism that was considered a rowing in the 1930s of the last century)... in waterpolo and swimming had a lot of pronunciation in fact organized the I Travel to Nado de la Ría de Vigo, among other events. One of the guidelines of the Maritime Directive was the equality of men and women in nautical sport... it was the first club in Spain to organize rowing races with ladies.

The pool project was aborted by the Civil War (Seoane & Prado Collection)

The coexistence of Maritime and Nautical was acceptable, but marked by substantial differences in its daily work... the Nautical represented conservatism and the Maritime progress... with a directive full of liberals and Republicans. The Civil War begins and with it the barbarities and vendettas of each other: Estanislao Núñez one of the most prominent partners of the Nautico is killed in retaliation to the Franco coup d'état... tens and dozens of members of the Maritime are imprisoned (talk about about 350) and in many cases sent to concentration camps and in some of the gunshots... chaos is made with Spain... Vigo and the nautical world is no stranger to this very sad part of our history. The Maritime has reduced its potential to 7 partners with the ability to carry the reins of the Club!.

The "Reds" of the Maritime at their last great event (Seoane & Prado Collection)

And peace comes and with it the retribution of the winning side. The Maritime is invited to "merge" with the Nautical representative with two options: yes or yes. Freedom times. It is given to the Nautico the concession in power of the "reds," and the Franco paraphernalia echoes in the Viguese nautical, with parties, nautical competitions... and the Maritime is a convid of stone to this fagueness of the winners. What happened was so greedy, that even in the proposal for unity, we talk about "REAL LIVING NAUTICE AND MARITIME CLUB PRODUCTS".

Now after many years of darkness the Marítimo de Vigo Club sadly erased in those unfortunate years that I wish never to repeat again, has been reborn from the hand of not a few descendants of those who were expolated, stolen and vilified, but imprisoned or shot, or simply erased from the Vigo nautical map. The Club Marítimo de Vigo, requests its historic place within the Viguese nautical.

The Anthem of the Maritime

Maritime!
Youth flower
Hot Ascua
bright ideal
and health

Maritime!
Value school
conscious and free
where they succeed
remer and swimmer

Maritime!
Sport crucible
and democracy
Men's nursery
of good will
Here it triumphs
the tendon and firmness
It's the first duty, loyalty!