Russian navigators, along with European ones, are the most famous pioneers who discovered new continents, sections of mountain ranges and vast water areas.
They became the discoverers of significant geographical objects, took the first steps in the development of hard-to-reach territories, and traveled around the world. So who are they - the conquerors of the seas, and what exactly did the world learn about thanks to them?
Afanasy Nikitin - the very first Russian traveler
Afanasy Nikitin is rightfully considered the first Russian traveler who managed to visit India and Persia (1468-1474, according to other sources 1466-1472). On the way back he visited Somalia, Turkey, Muscat. On the basis of his travels, Athanasius compiled the notes "Journey Beyond the Three Seas", which became popular and unique historical and literary aids. These notes became the first book in the history of Russia, made not in the format of a story about a pilgrimage, but describing the political, economic and cultural features of the territories.
Afanasy Nikitin
He was able to prove that even as a member of a poor peasant family, one can become a famous explorer and traveler. Streets, embankments in several Russian cities, a motor ship, a passenger train and an aircraft are named after him.
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Semyon Dezhnev, who founded the Anadyr prison
Cossack chieftain Semyon Dezhnev was an Arctic navigator who became the discoverer of a number of geographical objects. Wherever Semyon Ivanovich served, everywhere he sought to study the new and previously unknown. He was even able to cross the East Siberian Sea on a makeshift koch, going from Indigirka to Alazeya.
In 1643, as part of a detachment of explorers, Semyon Ivanovich discovered Kolyma, where he founded the city of Srednekolymsk with his associates. A year later, Semyon Dezhnev continued his expedition, walked along the Bering Strait (which did not yet have this name) and discovered the easternmost point of the mainland, later named Cape Dezhnev. An island, a peninsula, a bay, a village also bear his name.
Semyon Dezhnev
In 1648, Dezhnev set off again. His ship was wrecked in the waters located in the southern part of the Anadyr River. Having reached on skis, the sailors went up the river and stayed there for the winter. Subsequently, this place appeared on geographical maps and was called the Anadyr prison. As a result of the expedition, the traveler was able to make detailed descriptions, make a map of those places.
Vitus Jonassen Bering, who organized expeditions to Kamchatka
Two Kamchatka expeditions inscribed the names of Vitus Bering and his associate Alexei Chirikov in the history of marine discoveries. During the first trip, the navigators conducted research and were able to supplement the geographical atlas with objects located in Northeast Asia and on the Pacific coast of Kamchatka.
The discovery of the Kamchatka and Ozerny peninsulas, the bays of Kamchatsky, the Cross, the Karaginsky, the Bay of Conduct, the island of St. Lawrence are also the merit of Bering and Chirikov. At the same time, another strait was found and described, which later became known as the Bering Strait.
Vitus Bering
The second expedition was undertaken by them in order to find a way to North America and explore the Pacific Islands. On this journey, Bering and Chirikov founded the Peter and Paul prison. It got its name from the combined names of their ships ("Saint Peter" and "Saint Paul") and subsequently became the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.
On the approach to the shores of America, the ships of like-minded people lost sight of each other, heavy fog affected. "Saint Peter", driven by Bering, sailed to the west coast of America, but got into a severe storm on the way back - the ship was thrown onto an island. The last minutes of Vitus Bering's life passed on it, and the island subsequently began to bear his name. Chirikov also reached America on his ship, but successfully completed his voyage, finding several islands of the Aleutian ridge on the way back.
Khariton and Dmitry Laptev and their “named” sea
Cousins Khariton and Dmitry Laptev were like-minded and assistants to Vitus Bering. It was he who appointed Dmitry the commander of the Irkutsk ship, and Khariton led his double boat Yakutsk. They took part in the Great Northern Expedition, the purpose of which was to study and accurately describe and map the Russian shores of the ocean, from Yugorsky Shar to Kamchatka.
Each of the brothers made a significant contribution to the development of new territories. Dmitry became the first navigator to survey the coast from the mouth of the Lena to the mouth of the Kolyma. He made detailed maps of these places, based on mathematical calculations and astronomical data.
Khariton and Dmitry Laptev
Khariton Laptev and his associates conducted research on the northernmost section of the coast of Siberia. It was he who determined the size and shape of the huge Taimyr Peninsula - he surveyed its eastern coast, and was able to identify the exact coordinates of the coastal islands. The expedition took place in difficult conditions - a large amount of ice, snowstorms, scurvy, ice captivity - the team of Khariton Laptev had to endure a lot. But they continued the work they had begun. On this expedition, Laptev's assistant Chelyuskin discovered the cape, which was later named after him.
Noting the great contribution of the Laptevs to the development of new territories, members of the Russian Geographical Society decided to name one of the largest seas in the Arctic after them. Also, the strait between the mainland and Bolshoi Lyakhovsky Island is named after Dmitry, and the western coast of Taimyr Island bears the name of Khariton.
Kruzenshtern and Lisyansky - the organizers of the first Russian circumnavigation of the world
Ivan Kruzenshtern and Yuri Lisyansky are the first Russian navigators to circumnavigate the world. Their expedition lasted three years (started in 1803 and ended in 1806). They set off with their teams on two ships, which bore the names "Nadezhda" and "Neva". Travelers passed through the Atlantic Ocean, entered the waters of the Pacific Ocean. On them the sailors sailed to Kuril Islands, Kamchatka and Sakhalin.
Ivan KruzenshternThis journey allowed us to collect important information. Based on the data obtained by navigators, a detailed map Pacific Ocean. Another important result of the first Russian round-the-world expedition was the data obtained about the flora and fauna of the Kuriles and Kamchatka, local residents, their customs and cultural traditions.
During their journey, the sailors crossed the equator and, according to maritime traditions, could not leave this event without a well-known ritual - a sailor dressed as Neptune greeted Krusenstern and asked why his ship arrived where the Russian flag had never been. To which he received the answer that they are here solely for the glory and development of national science.
Vasily Golovnin - the first navigator who was rescued from Japanese captivity
Russian navigator Vasily Golovnin led two round-the-world expeditions. In 1806, being in the rank of lieutenant, he received a new appointment and became the commander of the sloop "Diana". Interestingly, this is the only case in the history of the Russian fleet when a lieutenant was entrusted with the management of a ship.
The leadership set the goal of the round-the-world expedition to study the northern part of the Pacific Ocean, with special attention to that part of it that is within the native country. The path of "Diana" was not easy. The sloop passed the island of Tristan da Cunha, passed the Cape of Hope and entered the port, which belonged to the British. Here the ship was detained by the authorities. The British informed Golovnin about the outbreak of war between the two countries. The Russian ship was not declared captured, but the crew was not allowed to leave the bay either. After spending more than a year in this position, in mid-May 1809, the Diana, led by Golovnin, tried to escape, which the sailors succeeded in successfully - the ship arrived in Kamchatka.
Vasily Golovin The next important task Golovnin received in 1811 - he had to draw up descriptions of the Shantar and Kuril Islands, the shores of the Tatar Strait. During his journey, he was accused of not adhering to the principles of sakoku and was captured by the Japanese for more than 2 years. It was possible to rescue the crew from captivity only thanks to the good relations of one of the Russian naval officers and an influential Japanese merchant, who was able to convince his government of the harmless intentions of the Russians. It is worth noting that no one in history has ever returned from Japanese captivity before.
In 1817-1819, Vasily Mikhailovich made another round-the-world trip on the Kamchatka ship specially built for this.
Thaddeus Bellingshausen and Mikhail Lazarev - discoverers of Antarctica
Captain of the second rank Thaddeus Bellingshausen was determined to find the truth about the existence of the sixth continent. In 1819, he went to the open sea, carefully preparing two sloops - Mirny and Vostok. The latter was commanded by his associate Mikhail Lazarev. The first round-the-world Antarctic expedition set itself other tasks. In addition to finding irrefutable facts confirming or refuting the existence of Antarctica, the travelers were going to explore the waters of three oceans - the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian.
Thaddeus Bellingshausen The results of this expedition exceeded all expectations. During the 751 days that it lasted, Bellingshausen and Lazarev were able to make several significant geographical discoveries. Of course, the most important of them is the existence of Antarctica, this historical event took place on January 28, 1820. Also during the trip, about two dozen islands were found and mapped, sketches were created with views of Antarctica, images of representatives of the Antarctic fauna.
Mikhail Lazarev
Interestingly, attempts to discover Antarctica were made more than once, but none of them were successful. European navigators believed that either it did not exist, or it was located in places that simply could not be reached by sea. But the Russian travelers had enough perseverance and determination, so the names of Bellingshausen and Lazarev are included in the lists of the world's greatest navigators.
Yakov Sannikov
Yakov Sannikov (circa 1780, Ust-Yansk, Russian Empire - after 1811) - Russian merchant from Yakutsk, miner of arctic fox, mammoth tusks and explorer of the New Siberian Islands.
Known as the discoverer of the ghost island "Sannikov Land", which he saw from the New Siberian Islands. He discovered and described the islands of Stolbovoy (1800) and Faddeevsky (1805).
In 1808-1810, he participated in the expedition of the exiled Riga Swede M. M. Gedenstrom. In 1810 he crossed the island of New Siberia, in 1811 he bypassed the island of Faddeevsky.
Sannikov expressed an opinion about the existence to the north of the New Siberian Islands, in particular from Kotelny Island, of a vast land called "Sannikov Land".
After 1811, traces of Yakov Sannikov are lost. Neither further occupation nor the year of death are known. In 1935, pilot Gratsiansky, who was flying in the lower reaches of the Lena River, near Kyusyur discovered a tombstone with the inscription "Yakov Sannikov". The strait is named after him, along which a section of the Northern Sea Route passes today. It was opened in 1773 by the Yakut industrialist Ivan Lyakhov. Initially, the strait was named after the expedition doctor E.V. Tolya V.N. Katina-Yartseva F.A. Mathisen. The current name is given to K.A. Vollosovich on his map, and in 1935 approved by the government of the USSR.
Grigory Shelikhov
Grigory Ivanovich Shelikhov (Shelekhov; 1747, Rylsk - July 20, 1795, Irkutsk) - Russian explorer, navigator, industrialist and merchant from the Shelekhov family, from 1775 engaged in the arrangement of commercial merchant shipping between the Kuril and Aleutian island ridges. In 1783-1786 he led an expedition to Russian America, during which the first Russian settlements in North America were founded. He organized several trading and fishing companies, including those in Kamchatka. Grigory Ivanovich explored new lands for the Russian Empire, was the initiator of the Russian-American Company. Founder of the North East Company.
The bay was named after him. Shelikhov Bay (Kamchatka region, Russia) is located between the Asian coast and the base of the Kamchatka Peninsula. Refers to the water area of the Sea of Okhotsk.
Ferdinand Wrangel
Wrangel showed himself from the best side, and he, tested in a difficult circumnavigation, is assigned to lead an expedition to the extreme north-east of Siberia, to the mouths of the Yana and Kolyma, in order to map the coast of the Arctic Ocean up to the Bering Strait, and in addition to test the hypothesis about the existence of an undiscovered land connecting Asia with America.
Wrangel spends three years in ice and tundra with his companions, among whom his main assistant was Fedor Matyushkin, a lyceum comrade A.S. Pushkin.
In between campaigns to the North, under the leadership of Wrangel and Matyushkin, a topographic survey of the vast coast was made, covering 35 degrees in longitude. On the territory of the recently white spot, 115 astronomical points were identified. For the first time, studies of the influence of climate on the existence and development of sea ice were carried out, and the first meteorological station in this region was organized in Nizhnekolymsk. Thanks to the meteorological observations of this station, it was established that in the interfluve of the Yana and Kolyma there is a "pole of cold" of the Northern Hemisphere.
Ferdinand Wrangel described the expedition and its scientific results in detail in a book that was first published in 1839 and was a huge success. The famous Swedish polar explorer Adolf Erik Nordenskiöld called it "one of the masterpieces among the writings on the Arctic".
The expedition in the Chukotka-Kolyma Territory put Wrangel on a par with the largest explorers of the harsh Arctic. Subsequently, becoming one of the founders of the Russian Geographical Society, he thought over the project of an expedition to the North Pole. He proposes to go to the Pole on a ship, which should be wintering off the northern coast of Greenland, to prepare food warehouses along the route of the polar party in the fall, and in March people go exactly in the direction of the meridian on ten sleds with dogs. Interestingly, the plan to reach the pole, drawn up by Robert Peary, who entered the pole 64 years later, repeated the old Wrangel project in the smallest detail. An island in the Arctic Ocean, a mountain and a cape in Alaska are named after Wrangel. Having learned about the sale of Alaska by the Russian government in 1867, Ferdinand Petrovich reacted very negatively to this.
If we talk about the great travelers of our time, then it is impossible to ignore the unique talent of Fyodor Filippovich Konyukhov to conquer what, at first glance, is impossible to conquer. Today Konyukhov is the first of the best travelers on the planet, who conquered the North and South Poles, the highest peaks of the world, the seas and oceans. He has more than forty expeditions to the most inaccessible places on our planet.
A descendant of northern Pomors from the Arkhangelsk province was born on the shores of the Sea of Azov in the fishing village of Chkalovo. His irrepressible thirst for knowledge led to the fact that already at the age of 15, Fedor crossed the Sea of \u200b\u200bAzov on a fishing rowing boat. It was the first step on the way to great achievements. Over the next twenty years, Konyukhov takes part in expeditions to the North and South Poles, conquers the highest peaks, makes four trips around the world, participates in a dog sled race, crosses the Atlantic Ocean fifteen times. In 2002, the traveler made a solo voyage across the Atlantic in a rowboat and set a record. More recently, on May 31, 2014, Konyukhov was met in Australia with several records at once. The famous Russian was the first to cross the Pacific Ocean from continent to continent. It cannot be said that Fedor Filippovich is a person fixated only on travel. In addition to the nautical school, the great traveler has the Belarusian Art School in Bobruisk and the Modern Humanitarian University in Moscow. In 1983, Fedor Konyukhov became the youngest member of the Union of Artists of the USSR. He is also the author of twelve books about his own experiences of overcoming the difficulties of wandering. At the end of the legendary passage across the Pacific Ocean, Konyukhov said that he was not going to stop there. He plans new projects: flying around the world in a balloon, sailing around the world in 80 days for the Jules Verne Cup on a keel yacht with a crew, diving in Mariana Trench.
Bear Grylls
Today, this young English traveler, TV presenter and writer is known to an audience of millions thanks to the highest-rated TV show on the Discovery Channel. In October 2006, the program “Survive at all costs” began to air with his participation. The goal of the TV presenter is not only to entertain the viewer, but also to give valuable advice and recommendations that may come in handy in unforeseen situations.
Born Bear in the UK in a family of hereditary diplomats, he received an excellent education at the elite Ladgrove School and the University of London. Parents did not interfere with their son's passion for sailing, rock climbing and martial arts. But the future traveler received endurance and survival skills in the army, where he mastered skydiving and mountaineering. These skills helped him subsequently achieve his cherished goal - the conquest of Everest. This event took place at the very end of the last century, in 1998. Bear Grylls has just irrepressible energy. The list of his travels is huge. From 2000 to 2007 he sailed around the British Isles in thirty days to raise funds for the British Royal Society for Water Rescue; crossed the North Atlantic in an inflatable boat; flew over the Angel Falls on a steam-powered plane, dined in a balloon at an altitude of more than seven thousand meters; paragliding over the Himalayas... In 2008, the traveler led an expedition organized to climb one of the most remote unclimbed peaks in Antarctica. Almost all of the expeditions Grylls participates in are charitable.
If you think that long journeys are the prerogative of the strong half of humanity, then you are deeply mistaken. And this was proved by the young American Abby Sunderland, who at the age of 16 alone made a round-the-world trip on a yacht. Interestingly, Abby's parents not only allowed her to make such a risky venture, but also helped to prepare for it. It should be noted that the girl's father is a professional sailor.
January 23, 2010 the yacht left the port of Marina Del Rey, in California. Unfortunately, the first voyage was unsuccessful. The second attempt took place on 6 February. Very soon, Abby reported damage to the yacht's hull and engine failure. At that time she was between Australia and Africa, 2 thousand miles from the coast. After that, the connection with the girl was interrupted, and nothing was known about her. The search operation was unsuccessful, and Abby was declared missing. However, a month later, a distress signal was received from the yacht from the southern part of the Indian Ocean. After 11 hours of searching by Australian rescuers in a severe storm, a yacht was discovered in which, fortunately, Abby was safe and sound. A large supply of food and water helped her survive. The girl said that all the time after the last communication session she had to overcome the storm, and she physically could not get in touch and send a radiogram. Abby's example inspires the brave in spirit to test their abilities and not stop there.
One of the most original travelers of our time spent thirteen years of his life on his unusual trip around the world. The non-standard situation was that Jason refused the achievements of civilization in the form of any kind of technology. The former British janitor went on his world tour with a bicycle, a boat and… roller skates!
The expedition started from Greenwich in 1994. The 27-year-old Lewis chose his friend Steve Smith as his partners. In February 1995, the travelers reached the United States. After 111 days of sailing, the friends decided to cross the states separately. In 1996, rollerblading Lewis is hit by a car. He spent nine months in the hospital. After recovering, Lewis goes to Hawaii, and from there on a pedal boat sails to Australia. In the Solomon Islands, he was at the epicenter of the civil war, and off the coast of Australia he was attacked by an alligator. Upon arriving in Australia, Lewis cuts short the trip due to financial difficulties and works for a short time at a funeral home and sells T-shirts. In 2005, he moved to Singapore, from there to China, from which he moved to India. Having traveled the country on a bicycle, the Briton reaches Africa by March 2007. The remainder of the Lewis route passes through Europe. He cycled through Romania, Bulgaria, Austria, Germany and Belgium, then crossed the English Channel and returned to London in October 2007, completing his unique trip around the world. James Lewis proved to the whole world and to himself that there is no limit to human capabilities.
Pyotr Beketov (1600 - after 1661) - Russian explorer of the 17th century, explorer of Siberia.
One of the most exemplary "Russian conquistadors", who honestly served his cause and did not get involved in any adventures, Beketov was the founder of several Russian cities.
Biography
Almost nothing is known about the early years of the life of many prominent personalities of the 17th century; Pyotr Beketov is no exception in this sense. Information about him appears only in the 1620s, when he got a job as an archer in the civil service.
Some time later, in 1627, Beketov sent a petition to the tsar, in which he asked to be given the position of centurion in order to have at least some decent salary.
Vasily Poyarkov is one of the discoverers of Siberia. He made a huge contribution to the development of these lands.
In the 17th century, the Russian Empire dreamed of annexing Siberia to its lands. It was a huge and rich territory, where many peoples lived.
Special expeditions were assembled to study and annex the Siberian lands. One of them was headed by Vasily Poyarkov.
Years of life
Accurate information about the years of life of Vasily Poyarkov has not been preserved. Only documentary sources have survived to this day, in which there is information about his activities. They date back to 1610-1667.
Vasily Ermolaevich Bugor was an Arctic navigator and one of the pioneers of Siberia.
He explored unexplored territories, helping the Yenisei governor A. Oshanin.
Years of life
The exact years of Bugor's life are unknown, but historians believe that he was born around 1600 and died in 1668.
Biography of Bugor
Bugor did not have a noble origin. He was a Cossack foreman, participated in the construction of prisons and the study of Siberia.
Mikhail Stadukhin is a explorer and polar navigator of the 17th century who explored North-Eastern Siberia, a man who was one of the first to visit the north of the Sea of Okhotsk, as well as the Kolyma, Gizhiga, Penzhina and Anadyr rivers.
The geographical discoveries of M. Stadukhin became a huge contribution to the discovery and study of the Russian coast of the Arctic and the Pacific Ocean.
Years of life of Mikhail Stadukhin
Date of birth unknown, died 1666.
Biography of Mikhail Stadukhin
It is not known for certain what year Mikhail Stadukhin was born. Presumably, the Russian explorer was born into a family of Pomors in one of the villages on the Pinega River.
The development of Siberia in the 17th century is often presented as the most important event in the history of Russia in modern times.
It is referred to as the Russian analogue of the Great geographical discoveries of the European world and the conquest of the New World.
In part, this is a fair comparison. In the context of the emergence of the all-Russian market and the rise of the economy, the development of new trade routes is an important stage in the development of the country.
S. I. Chelyuskin is a sea traveler, researcher, member of a long-term expedition, who made serious geographical discoveries that were ignored during his lifetime.
Origin
Chelyuskin's ancestors (according to documents of the 17th century - Chelyustkins) were at first quite successful people, held important positions, were well promoted, were rich
But under Peter the Great, Semyon Ivanovich's father fell into disgrace (he was among the rebellious Moscow archers) and until the end of his life his family vegetated in the wilderness, barely making ends meet.
Exact information about where and when S. I. Chelyuskin was born has not yet been found, approximately 1700.
Education
In 1714, the noble undergrowth Semyon Chelyuskin was admitted to a Moscow school, where boys were taught exact and navigational sciences. Here, the future researcher comprehended the wisdom of mathematics, geography, astronomy.
He was a smart and diligent student. In 1721, after graduating, he was recommended for a certificate for navigational activity.
Yu. F. Lisyansky is an outstanding Russian navigator who, together with Kruzenshtern, made a trip around the world.
Youth
Y. Lisyansky was born in the Little Russian city of Nizhyn in a simple family of a priest in 1773. Since childhood, he dreamed of the sea, so he entered the Naval Cadet Corps and successfully graduated from it. By appointment, he served on the frigate "Podrazhislav" as part of the squadron of Admiral S.K. Greig. He was a participant in Gogland and several other naval battles in the war with the Swedes, served as a volunteer in the British fleet, participated in battles with the French on the shores of North America, sailed to the Antilles and India.
circumnavigation
Returning to his homeland, Lisyansky was appointed commander of the Neva sloop. This ship was sent on a round-the-world expedition under the leadership of I.F. Kruzenshtern, who commanded the second Nadezhda sloop. These two Russian ships left their homeland in the middle of summer 1803 from Kronstadt. In November 1804, Yu. F. Lisyansky and I. F. Kruzenshtern were the first in the history of the Russian fleet to cross the equator line. In February of the same year, both ships bypassed Cape Horn, entering the Pacific waters. Here the ships separated.
Khariton Prokofievich Laptev is one of the largest Russian polar explorers. The future conqueror of the Arctic was born in the village of Pekarevo, located near Pskov, in 1700. In 1715, young Laptev entered the St. Petersburg Naval Academy, which he successfully completed three years later and entered the fleet as a midshipman. In 1726 he was promoted to midshipman. In 1734, he took part in the war against Stanislav Leshchinsky, who had been proclaimed the Polish king a year earlier.
The Mitava frigate, on which Laptev served, is captured by the French in the course of hostilities, who resorted to deception for this. Upon returning to his homeland, Laptev, along with the rest of the Mitava officers, is sentenced to death for surrendering the ship without a fight, but the crew is found not guilty in time. After this misunderstanding, Khariton Prokofievich returns to the service. In 1737 he was promoted to lieutenant, and was appointed commander of a detachment in the Great Northern Expedition. The purpose of the campaign was to explore the Arctic coast between the Lena and the Yenisei, another great Russian polar explorer, Dmitry Yakovlevich Laptev, a cousin of Khariton Prokofievich, also took part in it. In the early spring of 1738, members of the expedition arrived in Yakutsk.
Dmitry Yakovlevich Laptev is a famous Russian traveler who, together with his cousin Khariton Prokofievich Laptev, became famous for his polar expeditions.
Born in 1701 into a family of small landed nobles in the village of Bolotovo, Pskov province. In 1715, together with his cousin, he began studying at the Naval Academy in St. Petersburg. Upon graduation in 1718, Laptev was promoted to midshipman on one of the ships of the Kronstadt squadron.
In 1721 he received the rank of midshipman, and in 1724 he became a non-commissioned lieutenant. From 1727 to 1729 he commanded the frigate Saint James.
The biography of the great polar explorer Georgy Yakovlevich Sedov is unusual and tragic. He was born in 1877 in a small Azov village, today this village bears the name of the great polar explorer. George learned hard work from an early age. His father, a simple Azov fisherman, went missing for several years. The boy had to work to feed his mother and eight brothers and sisters. He did not have time to learn to read and write, and until the age of 14 he could neither read nor write.
After his father returned home, in two years he graduated from the parochial school and ran away from home. What the boy did in that life and how he made his way to the desired goal is little known. But at the age of 21, Georgy Sedov received a diploma as a long-distance navigator. At the age of 24, after successfully passing the exam, he receives the rank of lieutenant.
His first hydrographic expedition was to the Arctic Ocean. northern ice have long been beckoning a young sailor. He dreamed of conquering the North Pole and proving that a Russian person could do it.
The Russo-Japanese War began, and the expedition to the North Pole had to be postponed. But the idea does not leave him. He writes articles in which he proves that the development of the Northern Sea Route is necessary for Russia. He worked on the Caspian Sea, in the Kolyma, explored the Krestovaya Bay in Novaya Zemlya.
If you think that with the departure of the Age of Discovery, outstanding travelers have sunk into oblivion, then you are mistaken! Our contemporaries also made the most amazing journeys. Among them are scientists who went in search of confirmation of their theories, explorers of the deep sea, and just adventurers who ventured to travel around the world alone or with like-minded people. Many documentaries have been created about their travels, and thanks to them, we can see the whole world through their eyes, real, alive, full of dangers and adventures.
Jacques-Yves Cousteau
Captain Cousteau is a famous French explorer of the World Ocean, author of books and films, inventor. The oceans revealed many of its secrets, showed the beauty of its depths still inaccessible to people for a huge number of diving enthusiasts. We can say that Captain Cousteau is the father of modern diving, because it was he who created the main apparatus for diving. Being engaged in research of the underwater world of our planet, Cousteau created the famous floating laboratory "Callisto" and the first apparatus for diving "Denise".Jacques-Yves Cousteau captivated millions of people, showing them on movie screens how beautiful the underwater world is, giving them the opportunity to see what was still inaccessible to man.
Thor Heyerdahl
The name of the most famous Norwegian of the 20th century is spelled "Thor" in his native language, just like the name of one of the main gods of Norse mythology, Thor. He made many trips on makeshift watercrafts of contacts between ancient civilizations. Heyerdahl proved in practice his theory about visiting residents South America the islands of Polynesia, as the scientific world did not perceive his ideas.Together with his team, in 101 days, having sailed 4300 miles, he reached the atoll of Raroia. It was one of his most famous voyages, the Kon-Tiki Expedition, on a makeshift raft. The film he shot during his trip won an Oscar in 1951.
And in 1969, he went on a new dangerous expedition on a papyrus boat to prove, to prove the possibility of crossing the Atlantic Ocean by African peoples. However, the first journey of Thor Heyerdahl on the boat "Ra" ended in failure, the boat sank, not reaching just 600 miles from the island of Barbados.
A year later, the stubborn Norwegian repeated his journey and sailed from Morocco to Barbados in 57 days. By the way, our compatriot Yuri Senkevich was the doctor on this expedition. Heyerdahl later traveled to the Maldives, Peru and Tenerife.
Yuri Senkevich
The popular TV presenter of the "Club of Travelers" program Yuri Senkevich was included in the list of the most famous travelers not only as the doctor of the Thor Heyerdahl expedition. His "track record" of the traveler is respected:as a doctor-researcher Senkevich was trained to participate in a space flight,
participated in the 12th Antarctic expedition to the station "Vostok" in order to study human behavior in extreme conditions,
traveled on the papyrus boat "Ra", then on the "Ra-2" and in the Indian Ocean on the "Tigris".
Millions of Soviet TV viewers were able to see the world, as they joked then "through the eyes of Senkevich." By the way, the program "Cinema Travel Club" was listed in the Guinness Book of Records.
Nikolay Drozdov
More than 40 years ago, Nikolai Nikolaevich Drozdov became the host of the popular TV show "In the Animal World". An avid traveler, a "gallant know-it-all", who spends hours talking about animals as the most wonderful and beautiful creatures in the world - be it an elephant, a bug, or even a poisonous snake. An amazing and wonderful person, the idol of millions of viewers of our country, listening to whose stories about interesting facts from the life of birds, reptiles, domestic and wild animals, about the beauty of our nature is an incomparable pleasure, because only a person in love with life can talk like that.Interesting fact about Nikolai Nikolayevich himself - his great-great-great-grandfather was Metropolitan Filaret of Moscow, and his maternal great-great-grandfather Ivan Romanovich von Dreiling was an orderly of Field Marshal Mikhail Kutuzov.
Nikolai Drozdov traveled the whole world, all zoological and National parks, studying the habitats and habits of animals in natural conditions, climbed Elbrus, participated in a long expedition on the research vessel Callisto and in the first Soviet expedition to Everest, twice went to the North Pole, passed along the Northern Sea Route on an icebreaker " Yamal", sailed along the coasts of Alaska and Canada on the "Discoverer".
Fedor Konyukhov
A lone traveler who conquered what seemed impossible to conquer, more than once overcame a path that could not be walked alone - the great contemporary Fyodor Konyukhov. The first among travelers who conquered the North and South Poles, seas, oceans and the highest peaks of the world, which is proved by more than 40 expeditions made by him to the most inaccessible places on our planet. Among them are five round-the-world trips, a solo voyage across the Atlantic (which, by the way, he crossed more than once) on a rowboat. Konyukhov was the first to cross the Pacific Ocean from continent to continent.But the life of our famous compatriot is not filled with travel alone - Fedor Konyukhov became the youngest member of the Union of Artists of the USSR and the author of twelve travel books. There were also new plans ahead: flying around the world in a balloon and circumnavigating the world in 80 days for the Jules Verne Cup, as well as diving into the Mariana Trench. However, having accepted the priesthood in 2010, Fedor Konyukhov decided not to travel anymore, but ... the ways of the Lord are inscrutable and the famous traveler is again at the helm. In the spring of this year, he "beat" the Russian record and stayed in the air on a balloon for 19 hours and 10 minutes.
Bear Grylls
Fame came to the young English traveler thanks to the highest-rated TV show on the Discovery channel, Survive at Any Cost, which first aired in October 2006. The TV presenter and traveler does not just "entertain" the audience with beautiful views of the most amazing places on the planet, his goal is to bring to the audience life recommendations that can come in handy in unforeseen situations.His list of travels is respected: he sailed around the British Isles in thirty days, crossed the North Atlantic in an inflatable boat, flew over the Angel Falls in a steam-powered plane, flew over the Himalayas in a paraglider, led an expedition to one of the furthest unclimbed peaks in Antarctica and arranged ... a gala dinner in a balloon at an altitude of more than seven thousand meters! Most of Grylls' expeditions are for charitable purposes.
Abby Sunderland
Not only men can boast of friendship with the wind of wandering - Abby Sunderland, a young traveler who at the age of 16 alone made a trip around the world on a yacht, will give odds to many men. The determination of Abby's parents is surprising, because they not only allowed her to participate in such a dangerous enterprise, but also helped to prepare for it. Alas, the first start on January 23, 2010 was unsuccessful and Abby made a second attempt on February 6.The journey turned out to be more dangerous than expected: between Australia and Africa, 2 thousand miles from the coast, the yacht's hull was damaged and the engine failed. After this message, communication was interrupted, the search for Abby's yacht was unsuccessful, and she was declared missing. A whole month later, Australian rescuers in the zone of the most severe storm found the lost yacht and Abby alive and unharmed. Who then will say that a woman has no place on a ship?
Jason Lewis
And, finally, the most original of modern travelers, who spent 13 years on a round-the-world trip! Why so long? It's just that Jason has abandoned all technology and all the achievements of civilization. The former janitor, along with his friend Steve Smith, went around the world on a bicycle, boat and rollerblades!The expedition started from Greenwich in 1994, in February 1995 the travelers reached the shores of the United States and after 111 days of sailing decided to cross America separately on roller skates. Lewis had to interrupt the journey for 9 months after an accident. After recovering, Lewis goes to Hawaii, from where he sails on a pedal boat to Australia, where he had to spend some time earning money for his further trip ... selling T-shirts.
In 2005, he reaches Singapore, then crosses China and India on a bicycle. By March 2007, he reached Africa and also crossed all of Europe on a bicycle: Romania, Bulgaria, Austria, Germany and Belgium. Having crossed the English Channel, in October 2007, Jason Lewis returned to London.
Whoever reads about the brave wanderers of the Middle Ages, who tried to open more profitable trade routes or perpetuate their name, imagines with delight how this happened. Enthusiastic sea lovers smell the sea water and see the open sails of frigates in front of them. What is most surprising is how great travelers could survive their adventures in reality, showing so much perseverance and resourcefulness. Thanks to them, the world learned about new lands and oceans.
The Reality of Dangerous Journeys
It is a pity that in fact the great travelers could not always feel the taste of romance: their ships were wrecked, and the whole team could get sick with an illness unprecedented in those days. The sailors themselves, who ventured to new discoveries, had to endure hardships, they were often overtaken by death. There is nothing surprising that today many people are so admired by their courage and determination! One way or another, thanks to some of the travelers, new continents were discovered, and some of them made an invaluable contribution to world geography. With the help of historical documents that contain eyewitness accounts or notes from ship's logs, we can have plausible accounts of their wanderings. However, it is a pity that the great geographical travelers rarely achieved what they aspired to.
Christopher Columbus in pursuit of spices and gold
It's about a man who all his life dreamed of going on a long voyage. Like anyone else in his place, he understood that he could not do without financial support, and it was not so easy to get it from the rich and unwilling to share their finances of the monarchs. Where did the desperate traveler want to go? He wished with all his heart to find the shortest western route to India, which at that time was famous for its spices, worth its weight in gold.
Trying to prove his case, Columbus continued to repeatedly come to the Spanish king and queen for a long eight years. It is worth noting that there were many flaws in his plan. Despite the fact that scientists were already convinced of the spherical shape of the Earth, the question was which strip of the world's ocean separates Europe from Asia. As it turned out later, Christopher made two gross mistakes. First, he assumed that the territory of Asia occupies a much larger area than it actually was and is. Secondly, Columbus underestimated the size of our planet by a whole quarter.
Columbus' first expedition
Be that as it may, "knock and it will be opened to you": the expedition was approved, three ships were equipped for the voyage. The enterprising Spanish monarchs were eager not only for profitable trade routes - they were pleased with the very idea of converting the eastern countries to Catholicism. And on August 3, 1492, about 90 people set off on a long voyage. They sailed many nautical miles, but the rich lands did not appear on the horizon. Columbus constantly had to reassure his team, sometimes even downplaying the actual distances covered on a protracted journey. And finally, as it might seem, they achieved their goal! Where did our tireless sailors get to?
The land his team reached was Bahamas. There every now and then naked natives met, and the tropical climate was conducive to relaxation. But in any case, this was not at all what great travelers set off for, leaving their homes and families behind. After a two-week rest, the sailors went on and reached Cuba. Columbus could not calm down in any way because he could not find either spices or gold.
Further, the odyssey continued to the east, where the treasured gold was discovered. This happened on the island, which Columbus gave the name of La Isla Hispaniola (now Hispaniola). Christopher Columbus already dreamed of how these lands would be subject to the Spanish crown. He was expected to return home and huge honors, as well as another trip.
Subsequent expeditions of Columbus
The following year, a whole armada set off with Columbus, consisting of 17 ships and more than 1,200 people. There were many soldiers and priests among the people. The Spaniards wanted to turn the new lands into colonies, and make the inhabitants Catholics. Columbus still wanted to reach the shores of India.
Two subsequent voyages to eastern India only slightly increased the navigator's happiness. Be that as it may, the sea routes that were designated by him contributed to the colonization of the whole mainland - North America. His achievements have turned the world upside down.
Vasco da Gama - the great navigator
Vasco da Gama lived a little earlier than Columbus, and had already opened the way to India, skirting Africa. Preparations for his long journey began long before he was born - how different this case from what happened to Columbus! The Portuguese monarchs understood the importance of the spice trade. Manuel I - the king of Portugal - believed that only a person who, as one historian put it, "would combine the courage of a soldier with the cunning of a merchant and the tact of a diplomat" could become the head of an expedition. According to the king, it was Vasco da Gama who was suitable for this role.
In terms of natural skills and enterprise, this man was very different from Columbus - he knew his business well, understood where and why he was sailing. The first expedition, although it was associated with certain difficulties, ended in success - Vasco da Gama concluded peaceful relations and an agreement with the Indian ruler on the sale of spices. The delighted king of Portugal immediately ordered the organization of subsequent expeditions. Thus, thanks to this courageous man, a new sea route from Europe to Asia was opened.
For many centuries there lived different people who achieved a lot in natural science and geography. If we talk about the achievements of our compatriots, then the first great Russian traveler who immediately comes to mind is Nikolai Miklukho-Maclay. Although his achievements, of course, cannot be put on a par with the merits of Christopher Columbus, James Cook, Vasco da Gama or Amerigo Vespucci. Of particular interest is his conclusion that the cultural and racial characteristics and differences of peoples are due to the natural and social environment.
Among other Russian travelers who made a certain contribution to the development of geography, one can name Fedor Konyukhov, Yuri Senkevich, Ivan Papanin, Nikolai Przhevalsky, Afanasy Nikitin, Erofei Khabarov, Vitus Bering and many others. The life of each of them is a long journey full of rich events.
The great thirst for knowledge invested in man
The question may arise: why do people have such an urgent need for something unknown and distant? The fact is that since childhood, a person has a need to learn about the world around him, to explore it, to find answers to the questions: "What is the meaning of life? What are we doing on our planet?" All of us, in fact, in our hearts are "great" travelers and discoverers. We are so arranged, one might even say so created, to constantly learn about the world around us. It is no coincidence that we are on Earth and are very different from animals, no matter how some strive to prove that we are descended from our smaller brothers. A lot of books have been written about the desire of a person from childhood to learn about the world around him. One of these stories was written by M. Zoshchenko - "Great Travelers". Next, I would like to briefly describe what kind of book this is.
M. Zoshchenko, "Great travelers"
In every person, adult or even a child, lives his own Columbus or Vasco da Gama. Since childhood, we can observe how a child wants to know the world around him. Zoshchenko's story "Great Travelers" tells the story of three children who have gathered on a distant journey around the world. They took a lot of different things that were very difficult to carry, and which eventually turned into unnecessary trash. This short instructive story teaches children that knowledge is needed for great accomplishments. Zoshchenko's story "Great Travelers" is a masterpiece in miniature.
Instead of a conclusion
As we can see, each of us has a huge craving for the unknown - whether you are a great Russian traveler or an ordinary person. Everyone strives to find answers to burning questions. Great travelers and their discoveries only prove this simple and very important truth. In the meantime, regardless of whether we cover great distances during our short life or not, each of us will begin and end our earthly journey, full of adventures and a lifetime. There is only one question: what will we discover during this journey and what will we leave behind?
