Batkivschyna continues its Discover Ukraine Expedition

by Natalie Korsheniuk Pollock
Special to The Ukrainian Weekly

HARTFORD, Conn. - The Discover Ukraine Expedition launched its mission to raise awareness of the newly independent country with Cap. Dmitrii Birioukovitch of Kyiv as its emissary. He took the helm of the Batkivschyna (fatherland) two years ago to circumnavigate the world and make friends with both Ukrainians and non-Ukrainians along the way.

The 64-year-old Capt. Birioukovitch has 50 years of sailing experience and a degree in construction engineering. He had rebuilt an old fishing trawler as a 90-foot schooner, reinforced its hull with ferro-cement and added a high rigging mast, cabins, a galley, and common areas in preparation for the long voyage.

With an invitation to from the United States to participate in an international regatta of tall ships in New York Harbor in July 2000, the captain, his wife, Nina, their nephew and a crew of 13, set sail from Kyiv in April 1999. The story of the ship's heroic crossing, financed in only one direction by its economically strapped country, caught the imagination of onlookers and the international press as it made its way to New London, Conn., from New York for the continuation of the event.

Norwich businessman Ron Aliano, who had recently built the American Wharf with the help of the city, extended an invitation to the "Bat," as it has become known, to spend the winter as his guest. A group of sailing enthusiasts, some Ukrainian, took the ship and crew into their care, providing supplies, repair work and new equipment for the boat.

The captain and crew of the Bat stayed until May of this year, making friends, attracting media attention and giving tours of the ship. Finally, on Memorial Day weekend, the bittersweet day of good-byes arrived. Just as warmly as the people of Norwich had welcomed the ship, they wished its crew safe passage. (See The Weekly, June 17).

The ship was ready to embark on the Great Lakes Challenge, at the invitation of the American Sail Training Association, but first the captain was determined to pay a visit to Hartford, capital city of the state that had served as the Batkivschyna's adopted homeport for several months. He personally wanted to thank Gov. John G. Rowland for the $8,000 check he was presented while in New London.

As the day of Hartford's welcoming ceremony neared, several logistical details remained unresolved. Chief among them was the ship's ability to pass through the Erie Canal, as the harsh winter had deposited a great deal of silt in some areas. If the Bat could not pass safely, then it would have take a longer route to the St. Lawrence Seaway in order to cut across New York state and reach the Great Lakes on schedule. The longer route would take more time, leaving no time to motor up the Connecticut River to visit Hartford and come down again.

Also in question was the availability of adequate docking facilities in Hartford. At first, Riverfront Recapture assured the organizers of the event that new docking would be in place by the arrival date of June 5. As the day neared, it became clear that the docking would not be built in time, and alternate plans had to be pursued by a variety of experts on the river: river pilots, dock masters, an excursion boat owner and the Police Marine Division.

In the end it was a Riverfront Recapture staffer with a can-do attitude that reassured everyone.

It rained for several days before the Bat's arrival. On the afternoon of June 4, as the ship neared Hartford, the docking issues were moot. Heavy rains, melting snow and a burst dam in Vermont had swollen the Connecticut River to unusually high levels, and the water was moving swiftly, bringing with it large pieces of debris, capable of ripping a hole in a typical boat's hull. But the Bat is not a typical boat.

Upon the recommendation of our friend at Riverfront Recapture, the ship anchored overnight in the middle of the river, protected from floating tree limbs by the legs of the Charter Oak bridge.

The following morning, on a beautifully sunny and balmy day, the Bat motored up to Riverfront Plaza, at the base of Constitution Plaza, to the the waving of Ukrainian flags and balloons, right on schedule. Lt. Gov. Jodi Rell and Hartford Mayor Mike Peters were on hand. Music by the Yevshan choir wafted from the sound system, and Master of Ceremonies Ray Dunaway, WTIC radio talk show host, addressed the mixed crowd of 400 downtown office workers, members of the Ukrainian community and representatives of every area media outlet, including the Associated Press wire service.

As the captain stepped off the Batkivschyna, two young Ukrainian women in costume greeted him in his native language and in English with bread and salt. The mayor warmly welcomed him to Hartford, and the lieutenant governor, standing in for Gov. Rowland, who was busy with the Legislature, explained the significance of this event, saying," The Bat is now the legendary tall ship of Ukraine ... and last year we here in Connecticut adopted it."

She applauded the good will mission of the captain and the crew, emphasizing that "the best part of the 20-city Friend Ship Tour the Bat is embarking on this summer is that it will be used to raise money for the innocent children who are still suffering as a result of Chornobyl. It's a very worthy cause and a seaworthy ship to do it with."

She went on to praise the Children of Chornobyl Relief Fund, with offices in New Haven, "for having partnered with the ship" and for their work with hospitals in Ukraine, "although much more is still needed." In a symbolic gesture of friendship, the captain, along with the mayor and the lieutenant governor dipped a bucket into the Connecticut River and scooped up some American water which was poured into a bottle and will be transported on the ship to Ukraine to be mingled with the water of the Dnipro River.

Onlookers were invited to share a piece of cake with the captain, and invited to tour the boat. Specially designed T-shirts, with the Friend Ship Tour logo on the front and the list of ports of call on the back, were on sale to commemorate the event.

Later in the afternoon, John Nesklada of New Britain, one of the crew and part of the group which first befriended and looked after the schooner's crew in Norwich, lead the captain and his wife on a tour of Hartford, visiting the Old State House, the Capitol building and the Mark Twain House. Capt. Birioukovitch said he was thrilled to retrace some of the American history which he had read about in Ukraine.

In a conversation over dinner on the second night of their Hartford visit, he talked with members of the local CCRF chapter about his impression of life in the United States, and how the pace and the priorities differ from those in Ukraine. The long-time student of American culture understood that in this country there is a strong sense of competition in every phase of life, and a drive to keep up in order to succeed.

He almost wistfully commented that Ukrainians are not yet in that position; many are still striving just to survive on a day-to-day basis, but that the situation seems to be improving. He also pointed out that on his recent visit to his home he had observed many changes for the better. People seemed more prosperous and optimistic, according to the captain. And then he enthusiastically extended an invitation to visit him in Kyiv.

He fulfilled his mission in Hartford by inspiring the imagination of non-Ukrainians and in the process teaching them something about his fatherland; he stirred the souls of Ukrainians - immigrants, first-generation who still speak the language and even second-generation who do not; and he forged new friendships with government officials, the media, and those who enjoy boats. In the process, he also helped to raise funds for the children of Chornobyl.

The Bat left Hartford quietly, without fanfare, on the morning of June 7, to catch the most beneficial tide with the help of the Hartford Police Marine Division. Even as onlookers strolled along the river early that morning, curious about the crew's last-minute preparations, and caught them still getting dressed, the crew was welcoming to everyone.

And when it came time to say good-bye to their newest Connecticut friends, the crew had hugs and mementos for us all. There was warmth and pain in those long and friendly hugs. And there was a sense of urgency in the crew's reiterated invitations to come and visit them in Kyiv.

From Hartford, the Bat traveled back down the Connecticut River to New Haven and then along the coast of New York until it entered the Hudson River on its way to the Erie Canal.

The plan is to stop in several Ukrainian communities along the route and make new friends. In Buffalo the crew was to celebrate the Fourth of July; in Chicago they will participate in the 10th anniversary celebrations of Ukraine's independence on August 23-26.

All Ukrainians, their friends and relatives are invited to meet the captain and his crew. The Bat also needs volunteer sailors, with or without experience, to accompany the crew for any part of the voyage. After the Great Lakes regatta, the captain hopes to sail down the Mississippi River to New Orleans, spend the winter in Florida, then eventually cross the Pacific Ocean to visit Hawaii, Australia (where he has family) and travel across the Panama Canal back to Ukraine by 2004.

And when Capt. Birioukovitch sets his sights on a destination, the chances are very good that he will make it there. His determination and optimism know no limits.

For more information on the expedition or to volunteer, visit the website at www.batkivshchyna.org.

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, July 15, 2001, No. 28, Vol. LXIX

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