2000: THE YEAR IN REVIEW

Of captains, ships and courageous journeys

Operation Sail 2000 - the largest maritime event in history- brought ships from over 60 countries, including Ukraine, to selected ports along the Eastern Seaboard of the United States. Billed as the largest gathering in history of sailing ships, OpSail 2000 began in Puerto Rico on May 25, then proceeded to U.S. points northward.

The Batkivschyna, the 89-foot Ukrainian schooner that was the centerpiece of the "Discover Ukraine" project, left Kyiv on April 7 on a journey to sail around the globe to celebrate the millennium and inform the world about Ukraine.

It was a long and difficult journey for Capt. Dmitrii Birioukovitch and his 11-member crew. When the Batkivschyna was a no-show at the festivities in Puerto Rico and Miami, fears were raised that the ship was lost at sea. However, having fought storms and severe winds, Capt. Birioukovitch saw that the ship would not make it to Puerto Rico, so he altered the course and headed for Norfolk, where the ship arrived a week early.

"I can't imagine the amount of courage and skill and sheer audacity it took to cross the Atlantic in this tiny boat," said one admirer who visited the vessel's cramped quarters. The ship was dubbed "The Sweetheart of OpSail" by the New Britain Herald, and the "never say die" attitude of its crew was compared by many to the classic story of "The Little Engine That Could."

The Discover Ukraine idea was the brainchild of Capt. Birioukovitch, who also helped invent the lightweight concrete bottom design utilized by the gaff schooner. The captain hoped that by sailing abroad he and his crew would increase the general public's awareness of Ukrainian history, culture, and geopolitical and economic potential. Aboard the ship were 20 panels depicting the history of Ukraine from the Scythian period to the present, as well as art work, photographs, videos and souvenirs.

In New York on July 4, hundreds of thousands turned out to greet the ships of OpSail. As the Batkivschyna came into the Hudson River, Capt. Birioukovitch, hands at the helm in his white captain's hat, exclaimed, "This is what it's all about, my friends. This is what we came for." The Batkivschyna's other ports of call were: Norfolk, Va., Baltimore, New London, Conn., and Wilmington, Del.

Ukraine's Black Sea Kozak tradition became part of the fabric of the OpSail tapestry, as fully integrated as Irish sea chanties and re-enactments of pirate raids.

Another voyager, the Slavutych, joined ships in New York Harbor for the grand Fourth of July festivities that included the International Naval Review. The Slavutych is part of the ongoing joint cooperation programs between Ukraine's Ministry of Defense and the U.S. Department of Defense. The 106-meter-long frigate is the main administrative vessel of Ukraine's relatively small Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol.

Taking advantage of a visit to New York by Slavutych, the New Jersey-based Children of Chornobyl Relief Fund on July 7 delivered humanitarian aid destined for the ship's home port. The medical supplies were donated to meet the health care needs of people in Sevastopol.

Although the Batkivschyna and the Slavutych dominated the news, there was another ship, the 55-foot ketch Ikar, with a crew of eight from Mykolaiv, Ukraine. The ship was to leave Mykolaiv on April 7, but due to complications, it departed a month late.

The Ikar, a Bermudan ketch, was especially designed for around-the-world sailing. However, like the Batkivschyna, the Ikar faced many obstacles in crossing the Atlantic. By July 4 the ketch finally reached the shores of Massachusetts and was warmly greeted by the Boston community.

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, January 7, 2001, No. 1, Vol. LXIX

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