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Kruzenshtern sailing-ship to arrive in Kaliningrad after 1,5-month voyage

The second since the beginning of 2013 voyage of the world’s sailing fleet legend lasted only 46 days
Photo ITAR-TASS
Photo ITAR-TASS

KALININGRAD, August 13 (Itar-Tass) - Russia’s famous sailing ship Kruzenshtern that is ending a regular voyage on Tuesday is arriving at the homeport of Kaliningrad, Alexei Aleyev, the press officer of the Baltic Fishing Fleet State Academy (BFFSA), which owns the barque, told Itar-Tass.

“The second since the beginning of 2013 voyage of the world’s sailing fleet legend lasted only 46 days, but over this time Kruzenshtern, headed by Captain Mikhail Novikov, has visited seven ports of five countries: Poland, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Germany,” Aleyev said.

The following figures testify to Kruzenshtern’s popularity: more than 13 thousand people visited the Russian barque in the Latvian capital Riga, in the Polish Szczecin - more than 19 thousand. The number of visitors was slightly in other ports.

In the Estonian capital Tallinn Kruzenshtern’s crew and 120 cadets of the BFFSA and the country’s maritime colleges attended the events in honor of the 210th anniversary of the first Russian circumnavigation expedition of 1803-1806, led by great explorer Ivan Kruzenshtern - the sailing ship was named after him, laid flowers at the grave of Kruzenshtern at the Dome Church in Tallinn, visited the house-museum in Laane-Virumaa.

And Riga became the place of the start of the international sailing regatta Nhe Tall Ship Races 2013. At the stage of the race, which ran to Szczecin, Kruzenshtern was competing with 19 sailing ships of her class. As a result, the barque, built back in 1926, took the honorable fourth place, finishing just a few minutes after her younger “colleague” from Poland.

In the German port of Warnemunde the Russian sailing ship took part in the traditional maritime festival Hansa Sail 2013. The reception of the captains of the vessels participating in this international event was held on board the Kruzenshtern barque.

“And, of course, this voyage has been an important test on the path of mastering the difficult profession of sailor, a test of will, character, ability to work in a team,” the BFFSA representative said.

The Kruzenshtern barque will stay at her homeport for a short time. On August 16, the sailing ship is to start another voyage that will last for more than 70 days.