A Sailor’s Birthday

A sailor’s birthday. “If my birthday falls during the passage, it’ll be the worst birthday of my life!” That was what Nastya used to say back when, like normal people, we were planning to go wild in New Zealand, and the issue was a two-week passage that might not be over by 12 December. Today, our young sailor is celebrating her birthday in the open ocean, without the slightest hope of feeling solid ground beneath her feet even by New Year. And the choices occupying her thoughts are these: I hope tomorrow’s storm won’t be worse than yesterday’s. Or whether the weather will allow her to make her beloved Olivier salad.. .. And she isn’t whining about the worst birthday ever or any of that. I think we have the bravest, most patient and wisest teenage daughter in the world. Who else, with no passion for sea passages thousands of miles long, would agree without complaint to set off on a voyage like this? “Well, there’s no getting off a submarine now,” Nastya smiles, even as this maddening rolling once again sends pots and bowls flying off the table. And only we know what this passage to the back of beyond costs her—a quiet girl with no ants in her pants. .. .. ,,.. ,, ..,,..,,.. .. .. Nastya, thank you, our wise little pupil and teacher, for your sensitivity, your solidarity and your tolerance of our adventures! May this school of life, which you live through with us around the clock in the endlessness of ocean passages, lead you to happiness! Today is the birthday of the best young sailor in the world! We haven’t seen land or any other people for three weeks now, apart from a few hours’ stop to replenish our provisions off the tiny island of Rimatara half a month ago. And it will be at least another month before we reach the next land and see other people. How many 17-year-olds do you know who could do this? Our only link to the outside world is your birthday wishes to the most patient girl in the world’s oceans, friends. And may this birthday turn out not to be the worst, but the most exotic of her life. Nastenka, we must have behaved very well in a past life to have been given a daughter like you. Be happy, darling!