“Isn’t it time you rested your tongues in a glass of water?” our friend Masha sweetly enquired. “We could certainly use it :),” we laughed. Because although talking the hind leg off a donkey isn’t exactly heavy lifting, the fatigue does build up. And we haven’t even reached the hottest part yet—I mean...
Those Wonderful School Years...
This isn’t about how, 30 years ago, I sat behind a handsome lad riding a Minsk motorcycle, clutching an armful of tulips we’d picked from the neighbours’ gardens near Anka’s dacha. The last day of school was coming up, after all, and we couldn’t leave the teachers without flowers!
What I mean is that this May, 30 years after finishing school, we went all out on a tour of schools and camps. Guiding young minds towards bright dreams. Two schools and three meetings with four classes, from Year 1 to Year 10. We were delighted that we managed to light a spark even in those teenagers who had turned up intending to sleep. As we left, there were hugs and photos. It was a pity our second mate Nastya wasn’t there at the schools.
Nor did she make it to our meeting at the Ocean All-Russian Children’s Centre, Artek’s younger brother, as they call themselves. Because Artek is almost 100 years old, while Ocean is only 36. The Ocean kids turned out to be very warm-hearted and very busy. After our whirlwind meeting, we spent about half an hour signing autographs—all of us, from the captain to our youngest sailor, for the first time in such numbers.
We let the children go off to their next activity, and under the watchful guidance of Alexander, the organiser, we inspected the camp, including the Sea Squadron unit. In the dining hall we lunched on rassolnik and pelmeni, then departed for the yacht to catch our breath. And in the Sea Squadron, even the adult leaders have that gleam in their eyes. It gives you energy. We want to come to them aboard Lady Mary in the summer, anchor in their bay, and give the wings of sail to future deep-sea captains. People here often ask us why we came back now. Besides the compelling reasons that would have brought us back in any case, there is also this: to sow the seeds of goodness and timeless values in inquisitive young minds.
On 6 May, 35-plus such people (young ones, I mean) were herded by officers from the Makarov Higher Maritime College into the Chekhov Library for a meeting with our sailing crew. Speaking to them made me more nervous than anything else. My voice actually trembled. These were proper maritime cadets sitting there, after all ). About ten of them pulled the whole audience into an active phase of listening and discussion. There are still those whose eyes light up. They are still out there. Although I always want more.
The First Day Without Any Fuss
And then came 7 May, Radio Day. My former professional holiday ). Though there is no such thing as a former holiday, is there? Besides, this is the first day without any meetings meticulously scheduled by our shore team. There is only work on the boat and dinner with some wonderful parents, to whom we brought a parcel from their children in Tahiti.
Today, the three of us learned from the culinary magicians Vladimir and Tatiana how to prepare Russian Far Eastern seafood at Soul Kitchen, a school of Far Eastern cuisine. We experienced gastronomic ecstasy and fell forever in love with scallops served with three different fresh sauces, which we also made ourselves. (There will be more photos on social media.)
Midnight draws near, and we’re still packing up the belongings accumulated over eight years and carrying them out to the car.
Nastya flies in on the morning of the 9th. Hooray. You have no idea how much we’ve missed her! It feels so empty with just the three of us.
Three days remain before we hit the road. On 10 May, we’ll move the boat to Russky Island. There we’ll lay up the yacht and load the Toyota Surf with luggage right up to the roof. Our thanks to fate and to Anatoly Makarov, who just happens to need this all-terrain vehicle delivered to Novosibirsk. That is what we’ll travel in to complete our second circumnavigation as a family!
Friends, thank you to everyone supporting the expedition with gifts so dear to our hearts and with money transfers through YooMoney ! It is you who are helping us repair the heroic, storm-battered Lady Mary. We’ll return to the yacht in the autumn and begin preparing her for new long-distance voyages. We’ve allowed about a year and a half to prepare the new expedition. And the amount of work... it’s frightening even to say how much there is. There wouldn’t be enough room in this post.
But we’re not afraid of work. ...We’re afraid of war. And of the fact that history has taught people nothing... Peace to your home!