Members of the expedition of the Tomsk Regional Branch of the Russian Geographical Society "Following the paths of Russian explorers" have completed their stay in the hospitable Brazilian city of Fortaleza. The trimaran Russian Ocean Way put to sea on the night of February 23 and moved south to Cabedelo. Brave travelers Evgeny Kovalevsky, Stanislav Berezkin and Aleksey Gaiduk from Novosibirsk, who has joined them, will have to travel 300 miles along the coast of South America.
“Sailing has been difficult: a headwind, a head current, a hard unpleasant wave – it damages the trimaran. Speed is 2-2.5 knots. A sleepless night; traditionally, after a stop, the first two days you feel nauseated – seasickness,” Kovalevsky admitted in a message from distant Brazil.
Руль тримарана в опытных руках Станислава Берёзкина. Фото участников экспедиции
The stop in Fortaleza lasted about two months. The crew was putting their inflatable trimaran in order after sailing across the Atlantic. The elements badly battered the vessel during this difficult voyage – the mast was broken, the hull fasteners snapped. Local authorities provided support to the Russians and helped in preparation for the continuation of the voyage.
“We made two thank-you visits before setting off. One to Capitania, the navy base of the Brazilian state of Ceará. We thanked the commander of the base for his assistance in crossing the Atlantic, assistance in obtaining entry documents, and assistance in preparing the vessel. We also visited the management of the Port of Mucuripe in Fortaleza, Ms. President Mayhara Chaves and Director of Infrastructure Eduardo. We thanked them for their help in preparing the vessel for sailing, accepted Mayhara and Eduardo as shore crew members,” Kovalevsky said.
Экипаж тримарана перед выходом в море. Фото участников экспедиции
In Fortaleza, an experienced Novosibirsk water tourist Aleksey Gaiduk joined the main crew. He will reach Salvador with Evgeny Kovalevsky and Stanislav Berezkin, from where he will fly to Russia.
On July 1, 2021, Siberian travelers Evgeny Kovalevsky and Stanislav Berezkin set off along the route of the first Russian round-the-world expeditions of the 19th century: Ivan Krusenstern’s (1803–1806), Yuri Lisyansky’s (1803–1806), Otto Kotzebue’s (1815–1818, 1823–1826), Vasily Golovnin’s (1817–1819), Fyodor Litke’s (1826–1829), Thaddeus Bellingshausen and Mikhail Lazarev’s (1819–1921). The international project of the Tomsk Regional Branch of the Russian Geographical Society "Following the paths of Russian explorers" is dedicated to the 250th birthday anniversary of Krusenstern and the 200th anniversary of the discovery of Antarctica by Russian sailors. These events for a long time determined Russia's leadership in the development of the oceans and the discovery of new lands. You can learn more about the project and provide all possible assistance in its implementation on the website of the expedition.
New episodes of the documentary "The World Through the Eyes of Modern Russian Travelers" continue to be released on the expedition's YouTube page. A series of videos tells about the difficult journey from Kronstadt to Fortaleza, which the brave Russians made in six months.