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The blue highway network of the Federation is one of the largest in the world. Just imagine: this is more than 100 thousand kilometers. And our fleet has always been and remains the pride of the country.
When is the Day of Marine and River Fleet Workers celebrated?
Since Soviet times, this holiday has been celebrated on the first Sunday of July. It turns out that the date is different every year. So decided the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. The document was signed on October 1, 1980. Day of workers of the sea and river fleet in Our Country is celebrated in first Sunday of July, in 2022 the holiday falls on 3th number.
history of the holiday
The President established this professional holiday to show the value of the civilian fleet. And its history began more than 300 years ago.
In 1696, Peter I decided: “There will be sea vessels.” It happened on October 30th. This is considered the date of creation of the fleet. The historical event played a huge role in the development of the country, and it is impossible to overestimate it. After all, Our Country has become a major maritime power.
The development of the fleet proceeded at a tremendous pace. Along with the number of ships, their quality also increased. The geography of routes was expanding more and more: both sea and river.
There is another important date in this story. And it is just in July, when the Day of Marine and River Fleet Workers is celebrated. So, in the middle of the summer of 1924, Sovtorgflot was formed. The joint-stock company united transport vessels of various departments, as well as ports, ship repair enterprises and educational institutions for future sailors and rivermen. Thus began the management of water transport as a single branch of the national economy.
During the Great Patriotic War, all the forces of this industry were mobilized to fight the enemy. And the next milestone in the development of the fleet is the 60s, when sea transport became the main method of delivering goods in foreign trade. In the next two decades, the Soviet fleet became a partner of many large foreign companies.
Holiday traditions
Although the day of the workers of the sea and river fleet always falls on a day off, most of the heroes of the occasion cannot celebrate it because of work. After all, July is a hot time for navigation, and the maximum number of ships are on the voyage. Therefore, often awards and certificates for sailors are received by their families.
The Day of Maritime and River Fleet Workers 2022 will traditionally be celebrated in port cities. Various events will be held there in honor of real heroes – the conquerors of the seas and rivers. It can be a cheerful and colorful festival, a solemn parade of ships in the water area, concerts of pop stars. In some cities, fireworks are arranged in honor of the sailors.
How to become a captain
Maritime professions are surrounded by a heroic-romantic halo. Many works of art tell about the fights of heroes in vests with the elements of nature. Of course, the most attractive thing for guys fascinated by the sea is captaincy. This, in addition to everything else, is both prestige and good money.
To become a captain, you need to enroll in a river or nautical school. A graduate can count on the position of third or second assistant to the head of the ship.
Education does not end with graduation. You will have to periodically take rating exams that the Coast Guard conducts. High scores and obtaining the title of bachelor or master of science bring you closer to your cherished goal. Career advancement is accompanied by obtaining higher-level licenses. This path will take about 10 years.
The myth of the woman on the ship
There is such a sign: a woman on a ship is in trouble. Its roots stretch from ancient times, when sailors believed in a formidable sea god. To appease him, the ships were called by female names. And since the ship is a “girl”, then the presence of other women could lead to jealousy, then expect trouble. But this is just superstition.
Although the captain of a ship is predominantly a male profession, there are also women who manage large ships. By the way, the world’s first representative of the fair sex, who became a sea captain, is Anna Shchetinina.
Interesting facts from the life of sailors
- Navigators discovered to the world not only different parts of our planet, but also … ketchup. In China in the 1600s, travelers from Britain tried a dish made from a mixture of salted fish and spices. It was called “ke-chiap”. Later, this sauce began to be prepared from tomatoes.
- The word “skyscraper” is directly related not only to the sky, but also to the sea. So 200 years ago they called the uppermost triangular sails.
- The oldest maritime knots found date back to the Neolithic Stone Age. That’s when they already knew how to weave.
- The tradition of sailors to paint their bodies with tattoos began with the famous English navigator and discoverer James Cook. In the 70s of the XVIII century, he brought the word tattoo and a colorful Polynesian from Tahiti, whose body was covered with patterns. Most often, sailors applied religious symbols, stars, images of the sea, a black cat, as well as signs of good luck: a four-leaf clover, a horseshoe, etc., on the body.