Down the river to Obukhovka
Our departure from Rostov was interrupted for an hour while Maxine and I dived over the side and groped in chilly water with the propeller, which had become fouled by a mooring line. In the…
Our departure from Rostov was interrupted for an hour while Maxine and I dived over the side and groped in chilly water with the propeller, which had become fouled by a mooring line. In the…
Tainui’s mast was lifted off the deck and swung across to cradles ashore both gently and efficiently by Ivan. This lovely bloke knows boats, cranes and the petty worries of a tired and elderly sailor.…
This is a long post but I feel the need to set down some aspects of Russia’s dark underbelly. They have loomed larger here than elsewhere, as we had been warned they would. Our epic,…
Well, we’re off. After 3 days of rigorous and tiring negotiation and 4 hours of paperwork on board this morning, we were given clearance to leave Russia by the Port Captain and officers from the…
The 200 mile passage from Azov to Kerch’ in Ukraine is divided into two equal parts.The first leg of our crossing was a gentle square run with everything poled out, warm sun, good food and…
Looking back at Azov as we motored down river I was sad to be saying goodbye to all those wonderful ships. The short stretch of the Don below Azov is just as beautiful as the…
With the return to Tainui of Rosie and the arrival of lovely Beth, as a male I find myself seriously outnumbered. I am unable to win arguments and…
Readers will know that yesterday was annual Kerch Day. Despite wandering thunderstorms and intermittent rain there was a festive spirit in the town – tooting car horns, fun rides, concerts, WW2 re-enactments and streets full…
Maxine’s efficiency, humour and enthusiasm, her overall competence as seaman, navigator, translator, ship manager and negotiator are beyond doubt. But she is not a perfect person. Little Miss Imperfect, as Bill has noted. Maxine’s Achilles…
It is with great sadness that I announce the passing of dear old Mike. He died peacefully last Sunday after a long struggle with metastatic carcinoma of the colon. He fought his illness with characteristic…