From Russia with love
THE straits Kattegat and Skagerrak are the gates from the Baltic to the North Sea. What a hard time they give us!
We had no time to waste in port, so we turned the engine on and left. Steering into the wind on the bow. There is hardly anything stable on the ship tortured by pitching, two days we are pushing against wind and waves.
We are on board the 100 foot Shtandart, an 18th century frigate replica. Her square rigging does not leave us a choice of direction. Tacking would deviate us from the course too much.
We are forty on board: eight deckhands per mast, officials, mechanics and a cook. I am on the foremast shift, we have our turn from midnight to four o’clock in the morning. That night only few of the crew were able to keep the ship on course. I
