Kruzenshtern crew sailing second leg of trans-Atlantic expedition

The Kruzenshtern, a Russian four-masted tall ship of the Baltic Fishing Fleet State Academy (BFFSA), is continuing her second leg of an international trans-Atlantic expedition. During her six-month voyage, the Kruzenshtern will call at ports in Belgium, Spain, Peru, Venezuela and Panama. In February 2010, she will drop anchor in Vancouver, due to host the upcoming Winter Olympics. 120 cadets from the BFFSA, the Kaliningrad, St. Petersburg and Volga-Caspian fisheries colleges are sailing aboard the Kruzenshtern

After leaving Kaliningrad, the Kruzenshtern heaved into Baltic icy winds, rains and stormy weather, pitching and rolling as she went

Almost 50% of the inexperienced cadets were seasick during a weak category 3 storm on the first day of the voyage. The doctor handed out seasickness pills, while the Captain’s First Mate for Academic Work ordered the cadets to work on deck. Fresh air and splashes of saltwater turned out to be the best seasickness remedy

As the voyage got underway, the cadets started training in line with a mandatory ten-day ship-rigging program that will allow them to master all ship-rigging controls

The Kruzenshtern is carrying six female cadets from the BFFSA radio-technical department for the first time

They will undergo the same training course as all other cadets

The Kruzenshtern called at Seebrugge, Belgium, on December 6-9, following the expedition’s plan

Saint Nicholas, or Santa Claus, the patron saint of sailors, merchants, children and students, visited the ship together with port officials as the European Christmas season started on December 6

The cadets were shown local port facilities and also visited the local fish and seafood exchange and the Bruges (Brugge) Maritime Museum

BFFSA Rector Vladimir Volkogon, the ship’s Captain Mikhail Novikov and Nikolai Paletsky, head of the Academy’s Sea Navigation Department, visited the Antwerp Maritime Academy. The sides agreed to exchange cadets and instructors and to conduct joint high-seas training aboard the Kruzenshtern