in hawser-tossing, bucket-brigade races, lifeboat races, knot-tying and a variety of other competitions. For their part, Newport-based AST A poured on real home-port hospitality concluding with an awards ceremony and party under a big top at Newport's Fort Adams Park. "This has been a great success," declared an elated and relieved Nick Horvath, AST A program coordinator, "a real fulfillment of ASTA's goal of excellence in sail training." AST A has recently held a series of rallies and conferences to assist member groups in areas such as sail training program development, legislative efforts, fundraising and insurance arrangements. At Newport, taking advantage of the tall ship turnout for the big events in New York and Boston, AST A brought together its biggest fleet ever, ranging from its largest member vessel Eagle on down to the small brigantine Black Pearl, AST A's founding vessel. Included were the brig Niagara, out of Lake Erie for the first time, "HMS" Rose, Providence, Pride ofBaltimore, New Way, Harvey Gamage, Spirit of Massachussetts, Lady Maryland and Quinnipiack. Adding some international competition to the event were the fourmasted Chilean barkentine Esmeralda (with a formidable cadet complement of 200), the Australian brigantine Young Endeavour and the new Canadian sail training barkentine Concordia. Which vessel had the best crew members? Well, the awards appeared to go around quite evenly, but the most enthusiastic crew members, judged by the loudest cheers at the prize-giving, were Becky Sugden, 16, and Kara Thompson, 17, both from Maine and among the allgi rl high school cadet crew of the Harvey Gamage. For them, Newport was the icing on the cake after four weeks of what Kara dubbed with teenage relish "the experience of a lifetime." -KEVIN HAYDON
•
"Friends in America:" A Beginning for Perestroika Kruzenshtern's Captain Reflects In 1974, NMHS Advisors Howard Slotnick and Frank 0. Braynard sailed aboard the Kruzenshtern as part of a worldwide effort to entice tall ships to New York forOpSail '76. It was a different time in the history of the relationship between the United States and the Soviet Union. Until the two-man envoy and the crew could break through and unite on SEA HISTORY 63, AUTUMN 1992
the ground of their mutual seafaring experience, Howard recalls feeling the coldwar tension that had characterized relations between the superpowers for many decades. It was at this time that Howard met Captain Genady Kolomensky, then serving as second mate on the Kruzenshtern and now captain of the Russian bark. Their continuing friendship would in its own way mirror the human forces at work over the last two decades to overcome the threatening confrontation of opposing governments. AtOpSail 1992inNewYork,inJuly,the most recent episode of this story was played out against the background of a vastly changed world order. When Slotnick went to meet the Grand Regatta fleet in San Juan, he had a question for his old friend: "How come Kruzenshtern is here? We heard you were not coming." Kolomensky replied that he had to come. He remembered OpSail 1976: "In 1976 we didn't know
Earlier this year, when Kolomensky found out about the Grand Regatta, he called his superiors. They told him he could come, but they had no money to pay for the voyage. With very little money aboard to pay for food (apart from the ruined ruble), the cadets and crew made a bold decision. They would forego their wages if the money they had was needed to buy provisions; they would rather go to the United States than be paid. "Somehow," said Kolomensky, "we will find friends in America." On a wing and a prayer, the Kruzenshtern joined the fleet in the Canaries and set out for America. In San Juan, Howard Slotnick made a determination to help, but had to reassure Kolomensky, "this is not out of charity, this is out of friendship." He called his friend, New York attorney and philanthropist Norman Liss. Liss swung into action, contacting everyone he knew who could help. Kolomensky gave Slotnick a list of 54 items and, by the time he got back to New York, people were calling saying things like: "I'll take items 1-15 ," recalls Slotnick. When the vessel arrived, New York's Zaro's Bakery delivered flour and butter, and bread and rolls each morning. The HuntsPointMarketAssociationandmany others also followed through. Every item on the list, beginning with five tons of potatoes and ending with 500lb ofchicken, ~ was provided by a willing New York. "By ~ the end of her visit we had 20 tons of food," says Slotnick, "more than the ·· Kruzenshtern could hold. So we provided ~ for four ships. On the morning of deparo. ture, cadets formed four lines along the The Kruzenshtern entering Boston harbor. Brooklyn docks to take supplies to the what to expect. You don't realize that we Kruzenshtern and the other ex-Soviet ships had always been taught that America Mir, Sedov, and Tovarisch." was the enemy. When we came, we were This episode might have had its poitreated so well we realized that Ameri- gnant end in New York, but when Slotnick cans were not our enemy. We left with was asked to tell this story on Channel 5 in the feeling that America was a good Boston, during the city's tall ship parade, place and not like what we had heard." it started again. At 7 AM the next morning, To understand the effect of this, says the show's producer called to ask Howard Slotnick, you have to understand that what to do with the incoming truckloads these cadets are the cream of the crop, of donations. "Then," recalls Slotnick, carefully selected for training at sea. "Reebok, a Sail Boston sponsor, came Over the years, Kolomensky kept in touch down and took each Kruzenshtern cadet with the cadets, many of whom are now to their factory and outfitted them from high-ranking naval officers and head to toe. It was overwhelming." At the goverment officials. "They have never ship's farewell, Captain Kolomensky told forgotten what they saw and how well him, "Now I'm going home in a ship that's they were treated," says Kolomensky. like a restaurant." Of the many tall ship tales that sailors He sees his ship as one of the forerunners of "perestroika" creating a ripple effect will take home this year, the story of the for the forces of change-"That is the Kruzenshtern may, once again, travel the farthest. -KEVIN HA YOON reason why I had to come this time."
g
35