Female sailor Elena Devyatova: "Every sailor is the face of his country"
Elena Devyatova has spent 20 years of her life sailing at sea on board the famous Russian ships "Pallada", "Sedov" and "Nadezhda". Ahead of SCF Black Sea Tall Ships Regatta 2016, she told the IAA PortNews correspondent about her career path, the status of a female sailor on ships, and the importance of international sailing races for cadets education.
- Elena, at the beginning of our conversation I can't help but ask you why did you chose to come to the fleet. Are you from a family of sailors? Where did you study? When did you first get on board a sailboat?
- I graduated from the Far Eastern State University with a major in journalism. I have worked long on television. It so fell out that I had lived for five years in Europe, and when I returned with my to Vladivostok, on the main square of the city, right at the pier, I saw a terrific ship. It was the Pallada, a new tall ship that just arrived from Poland. Then I decided to somehow commit myself to that ship.
In 1989, the ship came to Vladivostok, and since 1990, while working as a journalist on television, I tried to spend all my vocations on board the tall ship. In 1990 Goodwill Games were held in America and for the first time our Soviet tall ship Pallada was bound for the west coast of the United States, to Seattle, where Russians very rare (at that time) and the locals were quite wary of them. The "iron curtain" was lifted just a little and we managed, as they say, to sneak into this 'narrow crack'.
- Were you the only woman on board? What did you do on the tall ship?
- Women were always present on the fleet, engaged in services: the cleaners, barmaid, assistants, etc. As to me, I was on the ship as a journalist, and this my first film I shot then about this journey "Last summer in America." The film was demonstrated later for education and ideological aims. At that time I was really worried about our cadets that the American life charm could corrupt them, but the boys were OK and the number of visitors on board the Pallada during her stopover was growing day by day.
I must say that we were greeted very warmly when we went ashore, we have met an initiative group in T-shirts with "Welcome Pallada!" inscription. It was a pleasant surprise! And then it was our turn to surprise them by our hospitality: those wishing to get aboard the ship were so many that people lined up to visit the ship in the morning.
Since then, my most important task as a tutor of students is to convey the idea that every sailor is the face of his country and he should behave with dignity.
- A separate question about the seasickness. Did it ever trouble you?
- The sailing vessel rests on her keel, being constantly tossed by the waves, but yet you have to do your job. I can say for sure: everybody has ever experienced seasick. But eventually you get your sea legs.
You have to keep yourself in shape. You do not sleep, do not eat. Of course, when you work with students, you need to keep yourself when you come into the audience room. Pitching and rolling won't let you come unglued. You need to be healthy and optimistic at sea.
- How comfortable was working in male-dominated place?
- When you come into a sphere dominated by men, in particular, to the ship, then be prepared that that all the stereotypes (eg, about a woman on board ship) are alive nowadays. Ask any master and he will tell you that women has no business at the sea.
Men are very hard to accept that they can be under someone's command. And to not have pillows wet with tears the woman sailor must define the terms, draw a red line. As they said, when I worked as a journalist: "There are neither women nor men, only editors!" Here at sea is the same as there are people, and they perform their duties. Female tricks won't work here and you'll have to forget them quickly.
- You have worked on tall ships for 20 years now: 10 years on the "Pallada" and 10 years on the Nadezhda. What did you like most in your work?
- Well, actually the sailors are always different from people of other professions, because of their brotherhood. Sailboats can not be compared with anything. The most beautiful thing that a person can experience in life is sailing.
When you climb a 50-meter height, overlook the horizon when you come down and see the top of the sails and you realize that it is you, yourself who overcome bad weather, has set sails, and the ship sails because of you job. This is the feeling which you'll experience never ever.
You can add to this are the emotions from communicating with the people who come sometimes on board the sailboat. For example, in Australia, our tall ship was visited by immigrants of the first wave, one of them, having seeing our ship, wrote a poem that the Russian sailboat changed his attitude to the country, he wanted to forget.
- How often did you see girls cadets who came to train or work? According to your observations, is there any trend of increasing interest in maritime career among girls?
- Unfortunately, there are more girls cadets who come for training. This is the view of almost all the captains: girls on the ship are for bad, because the sailboat it is physically very hard, men's work.
- What was the most memorable from your experience on the Nadezhda and why?
- Participation in the Black Sea Regatta. The sailing festivals are very rare in Asia. Therefore, it is great to have such an event held nowadays in Russia.
The race, the opportunity to compete is a unique experience for trainees. When the twenty-storey high tall ships listing 25-30 degrees, sailing, overtaking each other and taking on water, this is something really incredible!
I hope that sailing will gain momentum. I'm planning the itinerary and communicate with the ports that could host the Pacific Regatta 2018.
- What is the main lesson of your 20-year experience in sailing? What should a student learn who for the first time come aboard the tall ship?
- That he should leave all the fears and childish whims on shore. Any young cadet on board must be a real man who will not be afraid in strong winds, rain, storm to climb to the 50-meter height to set the sails properly. And at the same moment the same brave comrade will be on the same yardarm, ready to rush for help.
- The "Nadezhda" boasts numerous victories in various tall ship regattas. How significant it is for you to win the race? Or is there some other more important criteria?
- To win, of course, is important. Victory is an important indicator of teamwork. But another thing is important also - the hospitality, the ability to be the face of you sailboat, and hence of your country. For example, in the Black Sea Tall Ship Regatta the boats were competing not against the clock, but also during stopover were staying several days at the ports, with an awful lot of people wanting to see the vessels. Many eagerly came aboard, shook hands with the team. That's why I always say that the cadets are responsible for every action on the vessel and can not let down their team.
- In September, the new SCF Black Sea Tall Ships Regatta 2016 will be held. How significant is an international regatta with participation of famous sailing ships in our country to improve the status of the sailor profession?
- When the World War II was over, when all of Europe was in ruins, in England a very clever man decided that you need to come up with a cause, something that will unite the youths. And today, every port in Europe hosts a regatta. In Asia, they are coming to understand what an important role the sailboats can play in the life of an individual and in the life of the country as a whole. Recently, India has built a tall ship and Vietnam even two boats.
Sailing allows young cadets to test their attitude towards their chosen profession, and trainees to confirm their interest to their country.
Sailboats can be a national idea. America, for example, is going to build 300 sailing ships by 2050, and many European cruise companies have already a backlog of reservations for years ahead made by those wishing to get abord the sailing ships. Actually, Russia can boast the most powerful training sailing fleet, an outstanding school of training professionals who are able to sail, so this kind of regatta is yet another chance for our country to strengthen its maritime nation status.
Interviewed by Elena Tkacheva.
Photography by Valery Vasilevsky.