Traveling: Skipper

For the third year in a row, the life of Olga Khokhlova is divided into land and water. On the Islands of the Mediterranean Sea, Olya is devoted to the sea and yachts, and after swimming returns to Moscow and works with the architecture of the urban environment. Despite those who contradict each other at first glance, it was their aggregate to raise an amazing harmony in Ola. In an interview, she tells about the training for skipper and work on cruise yachts, about the depreciation from social aspirations and rethinking world processes, about the Balearic Islands and the rise to the current volcano in Italy.

– How did you get into amateur yachting?

– by profession I am architect. I studied in the marchs, and then at the Arrow Institute. Now I work in the architectural bureau Wowhaus, I am engaged in the organization of the urban environment. But at the same time, I go to a skipper on cruise yachts. I grew up in Sochi on the sea. For a while, my uncle taught in the yacht club for young children, I rode with him, but did not do directly technique. But I wanted to learn all the time. When I went to Moscow, I thought that I would come back and learn. At some point, Uncle drowned. Returned on the yacht, drowned, and did not find it. I realized that no one would teach me anymore and I need to somehow solve it myself. And here at work colleague said that there is a friend who drives yachts. He told me how to get a license. So I went for the first time in Greece. I received a license in 2012, and professionally began working in the summer of 2013.

– How to learn to the skipper?

– Skipper is a yacht captain, a man who manages the yacht. Most often, the skipper works either by himself on a rented boat, or on a charter company. In any case, when people want to relax on the yacht, they need a person who manages the boat, paving the route, knows some cool places and ensures safety. Since there are no uniform international rights, you need to choose a school and get a license at least level Day Skipper. This means "Captain of Coastal Sailing". This license is allowed to walk in the day in good weather no further than 20 miles from the coast (about 40 km).

– What influenced the desire to go to amateur yachting?

– When you realize that most of the land covers water and water you can walk at any point, it is very inspiring. Some world processes are becoming clearer when you are on water, and not on land. On land important city as a point of cluster, and it seems that only something happens in them. And when you are on the water – you understand that in fact the processes are built differently.

– There were some terrible stories, with storm and mermaids?

– Each yacht has a small engine boat, in Russian Tuzik. If you are on anchor, you ride on it. She has a small fuel supply, and should always be checked so that it does not end. And always with me just in case there must be a paddle and flashlight. Somehow, I traveled to the shore very many times, and forgot to check how much fuel remains. I went to bed, and the remaining team members and guests went to the club. And here they call me at night, ask to meet them in the port. I sit in the engine boat, sailing, and then she stalls. I’m trying to start her, opening the tank, it is absolutely empty. And here to top it all I understand that I have one paddle. I start to row this oars, first on the one hand, then on the other. I understand that this is a complete horror. And here I hear the rear rustle. I turn around and understand that the catamaran goes at full speed. And he does not see me, because it is dark, and I’m small. I started to signal a flashlight and scream. At the last moment he traveled me, but it was very unpleasant. As a result, we somehow managed to call the girls, I explained to them the situation. They included all their charm, found some kind of guys on the shore, who had to go to their boat, but eventually took me to the tug, brought us on board, we drove them to wine, and everything ended well.

– How you adapt to the fact that guests are different, but at the same time you are responsible for them? Will they have to explain some safety rules?

– First, it is necessary to immediately designate that I am responsible for guests and bring responsibility for them up to criminal. It gives them to understand: no matter what I say is important. Further I explain the safety rules and find out who is sick, who knows how to swim, and who is not. In principle, all people on boats behave more or less equally. There traits are a bit leveled. On the yacht, a person behaves differently. All become calm and relaxed. The sea has some kind of magic that people make others. All apparent is washed away. I can not say that everyone becomes enlightened, but in general, aggressive features and shifting go somewhere.

– You have not only Russian guests. What they differ from Russian tourists?

– I will not say that there is a strong difference – probably only experience. For most Russian holidays on a yacht – this is something completely unusual. And for foreigners everything is different. On the Spanish Islands, for example, movement on water is the usual thing. Sometimes it’s easier from the boat not to go somewhere on the water, what to get by car. For Europeans, this holiday is not new. For them, this is the opportunity to reach some beaches that are more accessible on the yacht than on foot or by car. And they specifically know what they want.

– Tell about especially an outstanding person who met.

– Every day you meet some special people. I remember, I met the skipper Roberto, he already for 50. He is from Patagonia, Argentina. He traveled around the whole world and worked at a variety of boats: both on private and charter. It is all covered with tattoos with different symbols and values. You can ask about every tattoo, and he will tell what it means. It is very calm, steel nerves, and helps everyone. This is an amazing person who, who is not tightened at all, in the morning I climbed out all the boats, asked how it was, was everything in order. Was always pleased to help something and himself was absolutely calm. The team of his guard and everywhere he ran after him, as for dad. Man like cosmonaut. I also imagine cosmonauts.

– How to change looks for life?

– changed so much that I do not know where to start and how to explain it. I can say that since I started to control the yacht, I started my second life. In fact, this may not be noticeable. I live in the same city, I work professionally in the same sphere. But feelings – as if I was the other. And now Olya version 2.0. I relaxed about everything in life and try to take everything as it is. I finally realized that there are completely different people. No one better, worse or truthful. All relatively and individually. Every person has its own universe. And I myself, accordingly, it became better to understand. My fear disappeared regarding many things. I have become calmer, and more open, in general, somehow better. Was grounded in general. And most importantly, I realized that it was all the beginning, I became very interested to live. I can not say that I once had falnial sentiments, but now I really understand that life is so amazing that it captures the Spirit.

– In general, what kind of warehouse the person should be for the work of the skipper?

– If you work with a skipper with unfamiliar people, then at least one must be able to treat people with respect and with understanding. And if you just walk on the yacht, in principle, any person can. The main thing is to learn the rules and techniques. The only thing – with all this you need to remember about the greatest responsibility not only for your, but also someone else’s life. Diet will not pass. Water – she is not about it.

– How to change the attitude to the city?

– As I said, I began to treat everything calmerly and loyal to everything, I became interested in absolutely everything, without any estimated position. Accordingly, I began to relate to the city without I liked something or did not like it. I’m just watching. By virtue of your profession, I see how you can change or improve the city, how to create a more comfortable environment for people. I understand why the city is needed and for what a person needs nature. Of course, I would like most people to understand how to keep balance. But at all, it is sometimes necessary to go on vacation on the yacht, water. It is useful to break away from civilization, as it is the brains. Clever you understand your place in the Universe: You are part of the whole, and you are not worse and no better than anyone. Yourself with someone or something to compare useless. And it seems to me when a person has an imbalance, problems and appear: with consumption, aggression and misunderstanding of others, with self-esteem and love.

– Tell me a story from the trip.

In May, we started with Sicily and went to Lieba Islands. There is a valid volcano, completely unique. For several thousand years, he splashes Lava every 20 minutes to a little bit. Accordingly, he does not accumulate voltage and there is no danger that he rushes. In ancient times, he served as a natural lighthouse for ships. Thanks to him, people understood where they are, and went to Sicily. On this volcano you can climb. Volcano is not a classic slide, but a little littered. Where he is lit up the side, flows lava and all bald. On the other hand, on the contrary, greens are raging and very good soil due to volcanic dust. There is also a city. There were filmed the film "Stromboli, Land of God" with Ingrid Bergman in the lead role. We started the rise in the evening, it was still light. The rise was heavy enough, and the edges are still not visible. Hour you go, two, herbs are replaced by small vegetation, you go to the third hour, dark, and you understand why you need a flashlight. The last hour and a half you go on stones and sheer cliffs, crawl, nothing can be seen except back in front of going. It became terribly cold, all worked. Then at the very top beginning to burn the nose and the lungs with some specific gas. But all this is worth. You climb into a small ridge, and here there is an explosion, and the fountain of Lava meters 50 heights. There is no soil, but ash. Feels like on Mars, the landscape is completely unearthly. And these rolled thunders and splashing lava make it clear that you stand from the earthly subsoil, at the very beginning of time. There you can sleep an hour and see three such eruptions, different in power. Then the descent is already on a different path. Volcanic ash sliding like on a snowboard. You almost knee in this ashes, legs fall into it, and he drags you down. Only time to turn slightly like on the board. Under the end of the knees fall off. After the rise and the descent everything was without forces. Our conductor advised us to pizzeria, almost the best in all Sicily. We went down, and they say: and we closed. We started to persuade them – we specially came to you from the volcano. They heard Russian speech, and it turned out that the owner of the pizzeria from Moldova. He moved to Naples in his youth, learned there to prepare pizza, moved to Sicily, and then moved to Stromomboli. He, naturally, all prepared. We sat all covered, sweaty, in ash, ate this pizza and were very happy. Everyone overcame itself. It was worth it.