Overview

A fascinating memoir of the Baltic Millennium Rally - a sailing adventure together with Russian sailors in the summer of 2000 to celebrate the turn of the millennium. The voyage involved sailing to St Petersburg, inland to Petrozavodsk, on to the White Sea and Barents Sea, and home via North Cape and the west coast of Norway; a circumnavigation of Scandinavia. It was the first time the London-based Cruising Association had organised such a long-distance rally. Irene Campbell-Grin invites you on board and lets you experience the joys together with the many challenges that she and her husband Gordon faced on their boat ""Fereale"", in an expedition not many people have the courage to undertake. This was at a time when Russia was trying to open up to the world and the world to them. Her unique day-by-day account describes in detail the once-in-a-lifetime experience. It gives a glimpse into the country's notorious bureaucracy, but also shows the kindness and generosity of the many Russians they met on their way. Ultimately it proves how boating brings people together. It is the story of Gordon and Irene's love of the sea.

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9781916387317

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Reviews

""I thought this was fascinating. The pictures are stunning and the trip intriguing and original... There were some riveting incidents such as the drunk Russian who launched himself into an icy cold lock, and plenty of frustration with Russian bureaucracy."" - Allan Brunton-Reed, Thomas Reed Publications ""I read this with a great deal of pleasure. It is fascinating, smoothly written, and contains human, emotional aspects. It also contains the information that can be important for others who undertake this kind of trip."" - Cees van Dijk, NOMAS mediaproducties ""One of the most unusual and innovative works I have had the pleasure of reading in quite some time... wonderfully written in Ms Campbell-Grin's own unique style... completely intriguing."" - Literary Consultant's Report

I thought this was fascinating. The pictures are stunning and the trip intriguing and original... There were some riveting incidents such as the drunk Russian who launched himself into an icy cold lock, and plenty of frustration with Russian bureaucracy. - Allan Brunton-Reed, Thomas Reed Publications I read this with a great deal of pleasure. It is fascinating, smoothly written, and contains human, emotional aspects. It also contains the information that can be important for others who undertake this kind of trip. - Cees van Dijk, NOMAS mediaproducties One of the most unusual and innovative works I have had the pleasure of reading in quite some time... wonderfully written in Ms Campbell-Grin's own unique style... completely intriguing. - Literary Consultant's Report

Author Information

Irene is Dutch, with two daughters and four teenage grandchildren, and has been married to Gordon for the last 50 years. She grew up sailing dinghies in Friesland, Holland, and struck gold when she met Gordon, a seasoned British sailor, whilst being an au pair in Burnham-on-Crouch in Essex. The two have since spent their lives sailing together at every opportunity, logging many nautical miles. In Sailing the Waterways of Russia's North she shares her diary from her voyage through Russia. Originally written just for family and friends, she was persuaded by a fellow participant of the Baltic Millennium Rally to hand in her diary to the Cruising Association for their log competition, and much to her surprise won The Hanson Cup. She eventually agreed, after a lot of persuasion from those in the sailing community, to publish her diary; a frank account of her and Gordon's journey through Russia and their struggles and highlights along the way.

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