Who was the second person to travel around the world? Who completed the second circumnavigation of the world? North America has already been discovered

June 1st, 2018

Ask anyone, and he will tell you that the first person to commit trip around the world, was the Portuguese navigator and explorer Ferdinand Magellan, who died on the island of Mactan (Philippines) during an armed skirmish with the natives (1521). The same is written in history books. In fact, this is a myth. After all, it turns out that one excludes the other.

Magellan managed to go only half of the way.

Primus circumdedisti me (you were the first to circumvent me)- reads the Latin inscription on the coat of arms of Juan Sebastian Elcano crowned with a globe. Indeed, Elcano was the first person to commit circumnavigation.

The San Telmo Museum in San Sebastian houses Salaverria's painting "The Return of Victoria". Eighteen emaciated people in white shrouds, with lit candles in their hands, staggering down the ramp from the ship onto the Seville embankment. These are sailors from the only ship that returned to Spain from Magellan's entire flotilla. In front is their captain, Juan Sebastian Elcano.

Much in Elcano’s biography is still unclear. Oddly enough, the person who first rounded Earth, did not attract the attention of artists and historians of his time. There is not even a reliable portrait of him, and of the documents he wrote, only letters to the king, petitions and a will have survived.

Juan Sebastian Elcano was born in 1486 in Getaria, a small port town in the Basque Country, near San Sebastian. He early connected his own destiny with the sea, making a “career” that was not uncommon for an enterprising person of that time - first changing the job of a fisherman to being a smuggler, and later enlisting in the navy to avoid punishment for his too free attitude towards laws and trade duties. Elcano managed to take part in the Italian Wars and the Spanish military campaign in Algeria in 1509. Basque mastered maritime affairs well in practice when he was a smuggler, but it was in the navy that Elcano received the “correct” education in the field of navigation and astronomy.

In 1510, Elcano, the owner and captain of a ship, took part in the siege of Tripoli. But the Spanish Treasury refused to pay Elcano the amount due for settlements with the crew. After leaving military service, who never seriously seduced the young adventurer with low earnings and the need to maintain discipline, Elcano decides to start new life in Seville. It seems to Basque that a brilliant future awaits him - in his new city, no one knows about his not entirely impeccable past, the navigator atoned for his guilt before the law in battles with the enemies of Spain, he has official papers allowing him to work as a captain on a merchant ship ... But the trading enterprises in which Elcano becomes a participant turn out to be unprofitable.

In 1517, to pay off debts, he sold the ship under his command to Genoese bankers - and this trading operation determined his entire fate. The fact is that the owner of the sold ship was not Elcano himself, but the Spanish crown, and the Basque, as expected, again had difficulties with the law, this time threatening him with the death penalty. At that time it was considered a serious crime. Knowing that the court would not take into account any excuses, Elcano fled to Seville, where it was easy to get lost and then hide on any ship: in those days, captains were least interested in the biographies of their people. In addition, there were many of Elcano’s fellow countrymen in Seville, and one of them, Ibarolla, was well acquainted with Magellan. He helped Elcano enlist in Magellan's flotilla. Having passed the exams and received beans as a sign of a good grade (those who failed received peas from the examination committee), Elcano became a helmsman on the third largest ship in the flotilla, the Concepcion.

Ships of Magellan's flotilla

On September 20, 1519, Magellan's flotilla left the mouth of the Guadalquivir and headed for the shores of Brazil. In April 1520, when the ships settled for the winter in the frosty and deserted Bay of San Julian, the captains dissatisfied with Magellan mutinied. Elcano found himself drawn into it, not daring to disobey his commander, captain of the Concepcion Quesada.

Magellan energetically and brutally suppressed the rebellion: Quesada and another of the leaders of the conspiracy had their heads cut off, the corpses were quartered and the mutilated remains were stuck on poles. Magellan ordered Captain Cartagena and one priest, also the instigator of the rebellion, to be landed on the deserted shore of the bay, where they subsequently died. Magellan spared the remaining forty rebels, including Elcano.

1. The first circumnavigation in history

On November 28, 1520, the remaining three ships left the strait and in March 1521, after an unprecedentedly difficult passage across the Pacific Ocean, they approached the islands, which later became known as the Marianas. In the same month, Magellan discovered the Philippine Islands, and on April 27, 1521, he died in a skirmish with local residents on the island of Matan. Elcano, stricken with scurvy, did not take part in this skirmish. After the death of Magellan, Duarte Barbosa and Juan Serrano were elected captains of the flotilla. At the head of a small detachment, they went ashore to the Rajah of Sebu and were treacherously killed. Fate again - for the umpteenth time - spared Elcano. Karvalyo became the head of the flotilla. But there were only 115 people left on the three ships; There are many sick people among them. Therefore, the Concepcion was burned in the strait between the islands of Cebu and Bohol; and his team moved to the other two ships - Victoria and Trinidad. Both ships wandered between the islands for a long time, until, finally, on November 8, 1521, they dropped anchor off the island of Tidore, one of the “Spice Islands” - the Moluccas. Then it was generally decided to continue sailing on one ship - the Victoria, of which Elcano had recently become captain, and leave the Trinidad in the Moluccas. And Elcano managed to guide his worm-eaten ship with a starving crew through Indian Ocean and along the coast of Africa. A third of the team died, about a third were detained by the Portuguese, but still “Victoria” entered the mouth of the Guadalquivir on September 8, 1522.

It was an unprecedented transition, unheard of in the history of navigation. Contemporaries wrote that Elcano surpassed King Solomon, the Argonauts and the cunning Odysseus. The first circumnavigation in history has been completed! The king granted the navigator an annual pension of 500 gold ducats and knighted Elcano. The coat of arms assigned to Elcano (since then del Cano) immortalized his voyage. The coat of arms depicted two cinnamon sticks framed with nutmeg and cloves, and a golden castle topped with a helmet. Above the helmet is a globe with the Latin inscription: “You were the first to circle me.” And finally, by a special decree, the king granted Elcano a pardon for selling the ship to a foreigner. But if it was quite simple to reward and forgive the brave captain, then resolving all the controversial issues related to the fate of the Moluccas turned out to be more difficult. The Spanish-Portuguese Congress met for a long time, but was never able to “divide” the islands located on the other side of the “apple of the earth” between the two powerful powers. And the Spanish government decided not to delay the departure of the second expedition to the Moluccas.

2. Goodbye La Coruña

La Coruña was considered the safest port in Spain, which “could accommodate all the fleets of the world.” The importance of the city increased even more when the Chamber of Indian Affairs was temporarily transferred here from Seville. This chamber developed plans for a new expedition to the Moluccas in order to finally establish Spanish dominance on these islands. Elcano arrived in La Coruña full of bright hopes - he already saw himself as an admiral of the armada - and began equipping the flotilla. However, Charles I appointed as commander not Elcano, but a certain Jofre de Loais, a participant in many naval battles, but completely unfamiliar with navigation. Elcano's pride was deeply wounded. In addition, from the royal chancellery came the “highest refusal” to Elcano’s request for payment of the annual pension granted to him of 500 gold ducats: the king ordered that this amount be paid only after returning from the expedition. Thus, Elcano experienced the traditional ingratitude of the Spanish crown towards famous navigators.

Before sailing, Elcano visited his native Getaria, where he, a famous sailor, easily managed to recruit many volunteers onto his ships: with a man who has walked around the “apple of the earth,” you will not be lost in the devil’s mouth, the port brethren reasoned. In the early summer of 1525, Elcano brought his four ships to A Coruña and was appointed helmsman and deputy commander of the flotilla. In total, the flotilla consisted of seven ships and 450 crew members. There were no Portuguese on this expedition. The last night before the flotilla sailed in La Coruña it was very lively and solemn. At midnight, a huge fire was lit on Mount Hercules, on the site of the ruins of a Roman lighthouse. The city said goodbye to the sailors. The cries of the townspeople who treated the sailors with wine from leather bottles, the sobs of women and the hymns of pilgrims mixed with the sounds of the cheerful dance “La Muneira”. The sailors of the flotilla remembered this night for a long time. They were sent to another hemisphere, and they now faced a life full of dangers and hardships. IN last time Elcano walked under the narrow arch of Puerto de San Miguel and descended the sixteen pink steps to the shore. These steps, already completely erased, have survived to this day.

Death of Magellan

3. The misfortunes of the chief helmsman

Loaiza's powerful, well-armed flotilla set sail on July 24, 1525. According to the royal instructions, and Loaysa had fifty-three in total, the flotilla was to follow the path of Magellan, but avoid his mistakes. But neither Elcano, the king's chief adviser, nor the king himself foresaw that this would be the last expedition sent through the Strait of Magellan. It was Loaisa's expedition that was destined to prove that this was not the most profitable path. And all subsequent expeditions to Asia were sent from the Pacific ports of New Spain (Mexico).

On July 26, the ships rounded Cape Finisterre. On August 18, the ships were caught in a strong storm. The main mast on the admiral's ship was broken, but two carpenters sent by Elcano, risking their lives, still got there in a small boat. While the mast was being repaired, the flagship collided with the Parral, breaking its mizzenmast. The swimming was very difficult. Not enough fresh water, provisions. Who knows what the fate of the expedition would have been if on October 20 the lookout had not seen the island of Annobon in the Gulf of Guinea on the horizon. The island was deserted - only a few skeletons lay under a tree on which a strange inscription was carved: “Here lies the unfortunate Juan Ruiz, killed because he deserved it.” Superstitious sailors saw this as a terrible omen. The ships hastily filled with water and stocked up on provisions. On this occasion, the captains and officers of the flotilla were convened for a festive dinner with the admiral, which almost ended tragically.

A huge, unknown breed of fish was served on the table. According to Urdaneta, Elcano’s page and chronicler of the expedition, some sailors who “tasted the meat of this fish, which had teeth like a large dog, had such stomach pain that they thought they would not survive.” Soon the entire flotilla left the shores of inhospitable Annobon. From here Loaisa decided to sail to the shores of Brazil. And from that moment on, a streak of misfortune began for the Sancti Espiritus, Elcano’s ship. Without having time to set sail, the Sancti Espiritus almost collided with the admiral's ship, and then fell behind the flotilla for some time. At latitude 31º, after a strong storm, the admiral's ship disappeared from sight. Elcano took command of the remaining ships. Then the San Gabriel separated from the flotilla. The remaining five ships searched for the admiral's ship for three days. The search was unsuccessful, and Elcano ordered to move on to the Strait of Magellan.

On January 12, the ships stood at the mouth of the Santa Cruz River, and since neither the admiral's ship nor the San Gabriel approached here, Elcano convened a council. Knowing from the experience of a previous voyage that there was an excellent anchorage here, he suggested waiting for both ships, as was provided for in the instructions. However, the officers, who were eager to enter the strait as quickly as possible, advised leaving only the Santiago pinnace at the mouth of the river, burying a message in a jar under the cross on the island that the ships were heading to the Strait of Magellan. On the morning of January 14, the flotilla weighed anchor. But what Elcano took for a strait turned out to be the mouth of the Gallegos River, five or six miles from the strait. Urdaneta, who, despite his admiration for Elcano. retained the ability to be critical of his decisions, writes that Elcano’s mistake really amazed him. That same day they approached the present entrance to the strait and anchored at the Cape of the Eleven Thousand Holy Virgins.

An exact copy of the ship "Victoria"

At night a terrible storm hit the flotilla. The raging waves flooded the ship to the middle of the masts, and it could barely stay on four anchors. Elcano realized that everything was lost. His only thought now was to save the team. He ordered the ship to be grounded. Panic began on the Sancti Espiritus. Several soldiers and sailors rushed into the water in horror; everyone drowned except one, who managed to reach the shore. Then the rest crossed to the shore. We managed to save some of the provisions. However, at night the storm broke out with the same force and finally destroyed the Sancti Espiritus. For Elcano - captain, first circumnavigator and the main helmsman of the expedition - the crash, especially through his fault, was a big blow. Elcano had never been in such a difficult situation. When the storm finally subsided, the captains of other ships sent a boat for Elcano, inviting him to lead them through the Strait of Magellan, since he had been here before. Elcano agreed, but took only Urdaneta with him. He left the rest of the sailors on the shore...

But failures did not leave the exhausted flotilla. From the very beginning, one of the ships almost ran into rocks, and only Elcano’s determination saved the ship. After some time, Elcano sent Urdaneta with a group of sailors to pick up the sailors left on the shore. Urdaneta's group soon ran out of provisions. It was very cold at night, and people were forced to bury themselves up to their necks in sand, which also did little to warm them. On the fourth day, Urdaneta and his companions approached the sailors dying on the shore from hunger and cold, and on the same day Loaiza’s ship, the San Gabriel, and the pinassa Santiago entered the mouth of the strait. On January 20, they joined the rest of the flotilla.

JUAN SEBASTIAN ELCANO

On February 5, a strong storm broke out again. Elcano's ship took refuge in the strait, and the San Lesmes was thrown further south by the storm, to 54° 50′ south latitude, that is, it approached the very tip of Tierra del Fuego. In those days, not a single ship sailed further south. A little more, and the expedition could open a route around Cape Horn. After the storm, it turned out that the admiral's ship was aground, and Loaiza and his crew left the ship. Elcano immediately sent a group of his best sailors to help the admiral. On the same day, the Anunciada deserted. The captain of the ship, de Vera, decided to independently get to the Moluccas past the Cape of Good Hope. The Anunciada has gone missing. A few days later, the San Gabriel also deserted. The remaining ships returned to the mouth of the Santa Cruz River, where the sailors began repairing the admiral's ship, which had been battered by storms. Under other conditions it would have had to be abandoned altogether, but now that the flotilla had lost three largest ship, this could no longer be afforded. Elcano, who, on his return to Spain, had criticized Magellan for staying at the mouth of this river for seven weeks, was now forced to spend five weeks here. At the end of March, the somehow patched up ships again headed for the Strait of Magellan. The expedition now consisted of only an admiral's ship, two caravels and a pinnace.

On April 5, the ships entered the Strait of Magellan. Between the islands of Santa Maria and Santa Magdalena, the admiral's ship suffered another misfortune. A boiler with boiling tar caught fire and a fire broke out on the ship.

Panic began, many sailors rushed to the boat, not paying attention to Loaiza, who showered them with curses. The fire was still extinguished. The flotilla moved on through the strait, along the banks of which on the high mountain peaks, “so high that they seemed to stretch to the very sky,” lay eternal bluish snow. At night, Patagonian fires burned on both sides of the strait. Elcano was already familiar with these lights from his first voyage. On April 25, the ships weighed anchor from the San Jorge parking lot, where they replenished their supplies of water and firewood, and again set off on a difficult voyage.

And there, where the waves of both oceans meet with a deafening roar, a storm struck Loaisa's flotilla again. The ships anchored in the bay of San Juan de Portalina. On the shore of the bay rose mountains several thousand feet high. It was terribly cold, and “no clothing could warm us,” writes Urdaneta. Elcano was on the flagship the entire time: Loaiza, having no relevant experience, relied entirely on Elcano. The passage through the strait lasted forty-eight days - ten days more than Magellan. On May 31, a strong northeast wind blew. The whole sky was overcast. On the night of June 1–2, a storm broke out, the most terrible that had occurred so far, scattering all the ships. Although the weather later improved, they were never destined to meet. Elcano, with most of the crew of the Sancti Espiritus, was now on the admiral's ship, which numbered one hundred and twenty people. Two pumps did not have time to pump out the water, and it was feared that the ship could sink at any moment. In general, the ocean was Great, but by no means Quiet.

4. The helmsman dies an admiral

The ship was sailing alone; neither sail nor island were visible on the vast horizon. “Every day,” writes Urdaneta, “we waited for the end. Due to the fact that people from the wrecked ship moved to us, we are forced to reduce rations. We worked hard and ate little. We had to endure great hardships and some of us died.” Loaiza died on July 30. According to one of the expedition members, the cause of his death was loss of spirit; he was so worried about the loss of the remaining ships that he “became weaker and died.” Loayza did not forget to mention his chief helmsman in his will: “I ask that Elcano be returned the four barrels of white wine that I owe him. Let the crackers and other provisions lying on my ship Santa Maria de la Victoria be given to my nephew Alvaro de Loaiza, who should share them with Elcano.” They say that by this time only rats remained on the ship. Many on the ship suffered from scurvy. Wherever Elcano looked, everywhere he saw swollen, pale faces and heard the groans of the sailors.

Since they left the strait, thirty people have died from scurvy. “They all died,” writes Urdaneta, “because their gums were swollen and they could not eat anything. I saw a man whose gums were so swollen that he tore off pieces of meat as thick as a finger.” The sailors had one hope - Elcano. They, despite everything, believed in him lucky star, although he was so ill that four days before Loaisa's death he made a will himself. A cannon salute was given in honor of Elcano's assumption of the post of admiral, a position for which he had unsuccessfully sought two years earlier. But Elcano's strength was running out. The day came when the admiral could no longer get out of bed. His relatives and his faithful Urdaneta gathered in the cabin. In the flickering light of the candle one could see how thin they had become and how much they had suffered. Urdaneta kneels and touches the body of her dying master with one hand. The priest watches him closely. Finally he raises his hand, and everyone present slowly kneels. Elcano's wanderings are over...

“Monday, August 6th. The valiant Senor Juan Sebastian de Elcano has died." This is how Urdaneta noted in his diary the death of the great navigator.

Four people lift the body of Juan Sebastian, wrapped in a shroud and tied to a board. At a sign from the new admiral, they throw him into the sea. There was a splash that drowned out the priest's prayers.

MONUMENT IN HONOR OF ELCANO IN GETARIA

Epilogue

Worn by worms, tormented by storms and storms, the lonely ship continued on its way. The team, according to Urdaneta, “was terribly exhausted and exhausted. Not a day went by without one of us dying.

Therefore, we decided that the best thing for us was to go to the Moluccas." Thus, they abandoned the bold plan of Elcano, who was going to fulfill Columbus’s dream - to reach the eastern coast of Asia, following the shortest route from the west. “I am sure that if Elcano had not died, we would not have reached the Ladron (Mariana) Islands so soon, because his always intention was to search for Chipansu (Japan),” writes Urdaneta. He clearly thought Elcano's plan was too risky. But the man who first circled the “earthly apple” did not know what fear was. But he also did not know that three years later Charles I would cede his “rights” to the Moluccas to Portugal for 350 thousand gold ducats. Of Loaiza's entire expedition, only two ships survived: the San Gabriel, which reached Spain after a two-year voyage, and the Santiago, under the command of Guevara, which sailed along the Pacific coast of South America to Mexico. Although Guevara saw the coast of South America only once, his voyage proved that the coast nowhere extends far to the west and South America has the shape of a triangle. This was the most important geographical discovery of Loaiza's expedition.

Getaria, in the homeland of Elcano, at the entrance to the church there is a stone slab, a half-erased inscription on which reads: “... the illustrious captain Juan Sebastian del Cano, a native and resident of the noble and faithful city of Getaria, the first to circumnavigate the globe on the ship Victoria.” In memory of the hero, this slab was erected in 1661 by Don Pedro de Etave e Azi, Knight of the Order of Calatrava. Pray for the repose of the soul of the one who was the first to travel around the world.” And on the globe in the San Telmo Museum the place where Elcano died is indicated - 157º west longitude and 9º north latitude.

In history books, Juan Sebastian Elcano undeservedly found himself in the shadow of the glory of Ferdinand Magellan, but in his homeland he is remembered and revered. The name of Elcano is borne by a training sailing ship consisting of Navy Spain. In the wheelhouse of the ship you can see the coat of arms of Elcano, and the sailing ship itself has already completed a dozen expeditions around the world.

The modern world seems so small. Just think, today it is possible to get from one corner of the planet to a completely different one even in a day. Every day, millions of passengers travel by plane over distances that would have been difficult to even dream of 200 years ago. And all this became possible thanks to the brave and purposeful people who once made a sea voyage around the world. Who was the first to take such a brave step? How did it all happen? What results did it bring? Read about this and more in our article.

Background

Of course, people did not immediately cross the globe. It all started with small trips on ships that were less reliable and fast than modern ones. In Europe in the 16th century, the production of goods and trade reached such a level that there was an objective need to search for new markets. But first of all, searching for new sources of useful and accessible resources. In addition to the economic aspects, a suitable political situation has also emerged.

In the 15th century, trade turnover in the Mediterranean fell sharply due to the fall of Constantinople (present-day Istanbul). The ruling dynasties of the most developed countries set their subjects the task of finding the shortest route to Asia, Africa and India. The latter country at that time was considered truly a land of treasures. Travelers of those times described India as a country where gold and precious stones cost nothing, and the quantity of spices so expensive in Europe was unlimited.

TO XVI century the technical component was also at the required level. New ships could carry more cargo, and the use of instruments such as a compass and barometer made it possible to move considerable distances from the coast. Of course, these were not pleasure yachts, so the military equipment of the ships was important.

By the end of the 15th century, Portugal was the leader among the countries of Western Europe. Its scientists have mastered the knowledge of sea tides, currents and the influence of wind. Cartography developed at a rapid pace.

The era of great sea voyages around the world can be divided into two stages:

• Stage No. 1: The end of the 15th - mid-16th centuries - Spanish-Portuguese travel.

It was at this stage that such great events as the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus and the first voyage around the world by Ferdinand Magellan took place.

• Stage No. 2: Mid-16th - mid-17th centuries - Russian-Dutch period

These include the Russian exploration of Northern Asia, discoveries in North America, and the discovery of Australia. Among those who traveled around the world were scientists, military men, pirates and even representatives of ruling dynasties. All of them were extraordinary and outstanding personalities.

Ferdinand Magellan and his first voyage around the world

If we talk about who made the first trip around the world, then the story should begin with Ferdinand Magellan. This sea voyage initially did not bode well. Indeed, even immediately before leaving, most of the team refused to obey. But still it happened and played a huge role in history.

Start of the journey

At the end of the summer of 1519, five ships set out from the port of Seville on a voyage with no definite purpose, as they then believed. The idea that the earth could be round was, to put it mildly, distrustful to most people. Therefore, Magellan’s idea seemed nothing more than an attempt to curry favor with the crown. Accordingly, people filled with fear periodically made attempts to disrupt the journey.

Thanks to the fact that there was a person on board one of the ships who carefully recorded all the events in his diary, the details of this first trip around the world reached his contemporaries. The first serious skirmish took place near the Canary Islands. Magellan decided to change course, but did not warn or inform the other captains about this. A riot broke out, which was quickly extinguished. The instigator was thrown into the hold in shackles. Discontent grew, and soon a new riot was organized demanding a return. Magellan proved himself to be a very tough captain. The instigator of the new riot was immediately executed. On the second day, two other ships attempted to return without permission. The captains of both ships were shot.

Achievements

One of Magellan's goals was to prove that there was a strait in South America. In the fall, the ships reached the modern shores of Argentina, Cape Virgines, which opened the way for the ships into the strait. The fleet passed through it in 22 days. The captain of another ship took advantage of this time. He turned his ship back home. Having crossed the strait, Magellan's ships found themselves in the ocean, which they decided to call the Pacific. Surprisingly, during the team’s four months of travel across the Pacific Ocean, the weather never deteriorated. This was pure luck, because in most cases he cannot be called Quiet.

After the discovery of the Strait of Magellan, the team faced a four-month test. All this time they wandered around the ocean without meeting a single inhabited island or piece of land. Only in the spring of 1521 did the ships finally land on the shores of the Philippine Islands. This is how Ferdinand Magellan and his team crossed the Pacific Ocean for the first time.

Relations with the local population did not immediately go well. Magellan's team received an unexpectedly hospitable welcome on the island of Mactan (Cebu), but was involved in tribal feuds. As a result of the clashes on April 27, 1521, Captain Ferdinand Magellan was killed. The Spaniards overestimated their capabilities and opposed an enemy that outnumbered them many times over. In addition, the team was very exhausted from the journey. Ferdinand Magellan's body was not returned to the crew. Now there is a monument to the great traveler.

Out of a team of 260 people, only 18 returned to Spain. Five ships left the shores of the Philippines, of which only the Victoria ship reached Spain. It was the first ship in history to circumnavigate the world.

Pirate Captain Francis Drake

No matter how strange it may sound, one of the most prominent roles in the history of navigation was played by a pirate. In addition, this navigator, who was the second in history to circumnavigate the world, was also in the official service of the Queen of England. His fleet defeated the Invincible Armada. The man who was the second to circumnavigate the world, the navigator, went down in history as a pirate captain and fully confirmed his status.

History of formation

At a time when the slave trade was not yet legally prosecuted by Britain, Captain Francis Drake began his activities. He transported “black gold” from Africa to the countries of the New World. But in 1567, his ships were attacked by the Spaniards. Drake came out of that story alive, but the thirst for revenge consumed him for the rest of his life. A new stage in his life begins when he single-handedly attacks coastal cities and sends dozens of ships of the Spanish crown to the bottom.

In 1575, the pirate was presented to the queen. Elizabeth the First offered the pirate service to the crown in exchange for funding his expedition. The only thing is that an official document stating that Drake represents the interests of the queen was never issued to him. The main reason for this was that, despite the official purpose of the trip, England was pursuing completely different interests. Initially, losing to Spain in the development of lands overseas, the queen made insidious plans. Its goal was to slow down the progress of Spanish expansion as much as possible. Drake was on his way to rob.

The results of Drake's expedition exceeded all expectations. In addition to the fact that the Spaniards' confidence in their superiority at sea was significantly undermined, Drake made a series of important discoveries. First, it became clear that Tierra Del Fuego is not part of Antarctica. Secondly, he discovered the ocean separating Antarctica and the Pacific Ocean. He was the second in history to travel around the world, but was able to return from it alive. And also very wealthy.

Upon his return, Captain Francis Drake was knighted. So the pirate, the robber, became the queen's knight. He became a national hero of England, who was able to put the fleet of arrogant Spain in its place.

Invincible armada

Be that as it may, Drake only slightly dampened the ardor of the Spaniards. Overall they still dominated the sea. To fight the British, the Spaniards created the so-called Invincible Armada. It was a fleet of 130 ships whose main purpose was to invade England and eliminate the pirates. The irony is that the Invincible Armada actually suffered a resounding defeat. And largely thanks to Drake, who at that time had already become an admiral. He always had a flexible mind, used tactics and cunning, more than once putting the enemy in a difficult position with his actions. Then, taking advantage of the confusion, strike with lightning speed.

It became the last glorious fact in the pirate’s biography. Afterwards he failed the crown’s task to capture Lisbon, for which he fell out of favor and was sent to prison at the age of 55. New World. Drake did not survive this trip. Not far from the coast of Panama, the pirate fell ill with dysentery, where he was buried at the bottom of the sea, dressed in battle armor, in a lead coffin.

James Cook

A self-made man. He went from a cabin boy to a captain and did a number of important geographical discoveries, having completed three round-the-world sea voyages.

Born in 1728 in Yorkshire, England. Already at the age of 18 he became a cabin boy. I have always been very sensitive to issues of self-education. He was interested in cartography, mathematics and geography. From 1755 he served in the Royal Navy. He took part in the Seven Years' War and, as a reward for his years of work, received the rank of captain on the ship Newfoundland. This navigator traveled around the world three times. Their results were reflected in further history development of humanity.

Circumnavigation between 1768 and 1771:

• He proved the assumption that New Zealand (NZ) is not one island, but two separate ones. In 1770 he opened the strait between the North and South Islands. The strait was named after him.
• The first to pay attention to studying natural resources NZ, as a result of which he came to the conclusion about the high potential of using it as a dependent territory of Great Britain.
• Carefully mapped the eastern coast of mainland Australia. In 1770, his ship went around the eastern side of the bay, where it is now located. The largest city Australia - Sydney.

Circumnavigation between 1772 and 1775:

• The first person in history to cross the Antarctic Circle was in 1773.
• He was the first to observe and mention in reports such a phenomenon as the aurora borealis.
• In 1774-1775 he discovered many islands off the coast of Australia.
• Cook was the first to demonstrate the Southern Ocean.
• He suggested the existence of Antarctica, as well as the low potential for its use.

Sailing from 1776 to 1779:

• Rediscovery of the Hawaiian Islands in 1778.
• Cook was the first to explore the Bering Strait and the Chukchi Sea.

The voyage ended in Hawaii with the death of Captain Cook himself. The attitude of the local residents was unfriendly, which, in principle, given the purpose of Cook’s team’s visit, is quite logical. As a result of another conflict in 1779, Captain Cook was killed.

This is interesting! From Cook's on-board notes, the concepts of “kangaroo” and “taboo” first reached the inhabitants of the Old World.

Charles Robert Darwin

Charles Robert Darwin was not so much a traveler as a great scientist who became the founder of the theory natural selection. For constant research, he traveled all over the world, including a round-the-world sea voyage.

In 1831, he was invited to take part in a voyage around the world on the Beagle. The team needed naturalists. The circumnavigation of the world lasted five years. This journey in history is on a par with the discoveries of Columbus and Magellan.

South America

The first part of the world on the expedition's route was South America. In January 1831, the ships reached the coast of Chile, where Darwin conducted a series of studies on the coastal cliffs. According to the results of these studies, it turned out that the hypothesis about changes occurring gradually in the world, distributed over very long time periods (the theory of geological changes), is correct. At that time this was a completely new theory.

Having visited Brazil, near the city of Salvador, Darwin spoke of it as “the land of wish fulfillment.” The same could not be said about Argentine Patagonia, where the researcher headed, further moving south. Although the desert landscapes did not fascinate him, it was in Patagonia that the fossilized remains of huge mammals similar to sloths and anteaters were discovered. It was then that Darwin suggested that changes in the size of animals depended on changes in their living conditions.

During his exploration of Chile, the great scientist Charles Darwin crossed the Andes Mountains several times. Having studied them, he was extremely surprised that they consisted of streams of petrified lava. In addition, the scientist focused on differences in the composition of flora and fauna in different climatic zones.

Probably the most important event Darwin's visit to the Galapagos Islands in 1835 marked the beginning of his entire sea voyage around the world. Here Darwin first saw many unique species that do not live anywhere else on the planet. Of course, the giant turtles made the strongest impression on him. The scientist noted this feature: related, but not identical species of plants and animals lived on the neighboring islands.

Pacific Ocean Research

Having explored the fauna of New Zealand, Charles Darwin was left with an indelible impression. The scientist was surprised by such flightless birds as the kiwi and the owl parrot. The remains of moa, the largest birds that lived on our planet, were also found here. Unfortunately, moas completely disappeared from the face of the earth in the 18th century.

In 1836, this navigator, who circumnavigated the world, landed in Sydney. Apart from the English architecture of the city, nothing attracted special attention researcher, since the vegetation was very monotonous. At the same time, Darwin could not help but note such unique animals as the kangaroo and the platypus.

In 1836, the voyage around the world was over. The great scientist Charles Darwin began to systematize the collected material, and in 1839 the “Diary of a Naturalist’s Research” was published, which was later continued by the famous book on the origin of species.

The first Russian trip around the world 1803-1806 by Ivan Krusenstern

In the 19th century, the Russian Empire also entered the arena of maritime research. The round-the-world voyages of Russian navigators began precisely with the voyage of Ivan Ivanovich Kruzenshtern. He was one of the founders of Russian oceanology and served as an admiral. Largely thanks to him, the formation of the Russian Geographical Society took place.

How it all began

The first sea voyage around the world took place in 1803-1806. A Russian navigator who circumnavigated the world with him, but did not receive the same fame, was Yuri Lisyansky, who took command of one of the two ships of the circumnavigation expedition. Kruzenshtern repeatedly submitted requests to finance the trip to the Admiralty, but they never received approval. And most likely the round-the-world voyage of Russian navigators would never have taken place if it were not for the financial benefits of the highest ranks.

At this time, trade relations with Alaska were developing. The business is extremely profitable. But the problem is the journey, which takes five years. A private Russian-American company sponsored Kruzenshtern's expedition. Approval was received from Emperor Alexander the First himself, who was also one of the shareholders. The Emperor approved the request in 1802, adding an embassy assignment to the purpose of the trip. Russian Empire to Japan.

They set sail on two ships. The ships were led by Kruzenshtern himself and Yuri Lisyansky, his closest comrade.

Travel route and its results

From Kronstadt the ships were heading to Copenhagen. During the trip, the expedition visited England, Tenerife, Brazil, Chile (Easter Island), and Hawaii. Then the ships went to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Japan, Alaska and China. The final destinations were Portugal, the Azores and the UK.

Exactly three years and twelve days later, the sailors entered the port of Kronstadt.

Results of the sea voyage:

• The Russians crossed the equator for the first time.
• The shores of Sakhalin Island were mapped.
• Kruzenshtern published the Atlas South Sea».
• Maps updated Pacific Ocean.
• Russian science has developed knowledge about inter-trade wind countercurrents.
• For the first time, water measurements were taken at depths of up to 400 meters.
• Data appeared on atmospheric pressure, tides and tides.

The great navigator traveled around the world, and later became the director of the Naval Cadet Corps.

Konstantin Konstantinovich Romanov

Konstantinovich was born in 1858. His father was Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolaevich, who recreated the Russian fleet after the Crimean campaign. From childhood, his destiny was naval service. Grand Duke Konstantin Konstantinovich took place in 1874. At that time he was a midshipman.

Grand Duke Konstantin Konstantinovich set a trip around the world as his goal, since he was one of the most educated people of that era. He was interested in seeing the whole world. The prince was fond of art in all its manifestations. He wrote poems, many of which were set to music by the greatest classics of our time. His beloved friend and mentor was the poet A. A. Fat.

In total, naval service Grand Duke devoted fifteen years, remaining at the same time a true admirer of art. Even on his trip around the world, Grand Duke Konstantin Konstantinovich took with him the painting “Moonlit Night on the Dnieper,” which had a magical effect on him, despite the threat to its safety.

Grand Duke Constantine died in 1915, unable to withstand the trials of fate. By that time, one of his sons had been killed in the war, and he was never able to recover from the blow he received.

Instead of an afterword

The era of greatness and discovery lasted more than 300 years. During this time, the world changed rapidly. New knowledge and new skills emerged that contributed to rapid development all branches of science. This is how more advanced vessels and instruments appeared. At the same time, “white spots” disappeared from the maps. And all this thanks to the exploits of desperate sailors, outstanding people of their time, brave and desperate. You can easily answer the question of which navigator was the first to circumnavigate the world, but the whole essence of the discoveries is that each of the voyages is important in its own way. Each of the travelers contributed to the world that surrounds us today. The opportunity to travel today, and, if desired, to repeat the interesting and exciting path of any of them, but in a more comfortable conditions- this is their merit.

Returning to his homeland, single yachtsman Evgeny Gvozdev did not become a national hero of Russia, as happened with Serge Testa, whom all of Australia knows. He returned the dinghy to the sponsors who had gone bankrupt by that time, and he was rereading Serge Test’s book “500 Days,” about a trip around the world on the microyacht “Australian Thing,” which the author gave him as a gift in Darwin. Having made sure that there were no sponsors for him in Russia, the retired hero began to independently to glue my new yacht out of fiberglass for my second trip around the world on... the balcony of my own small apartment in Makhachkala. Evgeny Gvozdev borrowed the dimensions of the yacht (now a keel) from Serge Testa: 3.6 meters long and 1.4 meters wide. Weight is 350 kilograms, of which 120 are on the keel.

The end of the first trip around the world on a yacht.

Even the first circumnavigation of the world convinced the yachtsman not to count on the help of officials, but to rely only on his own strength. Evgeniy Gvozdeva's former miserable state even benefited him. In the Red Sea, during a trip around the world on a yacht, “Lena” was daily tried to be robbed by people on “fishing” sailboats, which for some reason did not smell of fish at all. Captain Gvozdev, who had by that time studied the key phrases of maritime slang, went on a counterattack: “Help! Of bread! Water!" - he shouted, barely noticing the approach of the slanting sail. Thus, he still managed to get to the entrance to the Suez Canal, where he was able to verify once again that Russia is a country of advice, but of no action. His calls to the consulates in Cairo and Athens ended with meaningless instructions to diplomats about the rules of passage through straits, which they had never passed through. Real help came in the form of the captain of a British yacht, who lent Gvozdev a 4-horsepower outboard engine to navigate the canal, and from New Zealand yachtsmen who paid the fee. But they forgot to tell the captain of the Lena about this, and the greedy Egyptian officials ripped off the money from Gvozdev again. It should be noted that domestic “servants of the people” are quickly catching up with Egyptian bribe-takers, who have been training in corruption since the times of the pharaohs.

Unlimited arbitrariness of officials in the territory former USSR should be included in a separate category of extreme dangers for yachting. Thus, having experienced unimaginable adventures on a trip around the world on a yacht, Evgeny Gvozdev cannot talk about this phenomenon without strong nautical expressions and, in his opinion, this is the only thing that should be classified as irresistible elements. And another thing that caught his eye upon returning home (after visiting 27 countries) was the eternal Russian rudeness and rudeness, which the poor yachtsman of Russia had lost the habit of in three years.

It just so happens that the most extreme yachting awaits us in our native waters. In addition to the legalized lawlessness of officials of all stripes and ranks, yachtsmen are threatened by the lawlessness of criminals and the rudeness of others. In this regard, the inland waters of the CIS countries are not much safer than the coast of Somalia. But that's not all. The helplessness of the naval departments of the fragments of the USSR led to the complete decline of navigation support in many places inland waters CIS. For example: by 2003, the Ukrainian part of the Danube had turned into a shallow swamp overgrown with reeds. The shore markers have rotted, and the buoys have long since been torn off and carried out to sea. If you do not use the services of some fisherman who, even in a drunken state, knows these places as well as the holes in his nets, then you can only navigate these sections of the Danube on a yacht on the Romanian side. And don’t rely on modern navigation devices: electronic maps of the Danube exist, but not for this region.

Similar desolation has affected too many areas of the interior. waterways CIS countries to seriously consider them as suitable for yachting. Local yachtsmen can still somehow use them - they have nowhere to go, but even extreme sports enthusiasts from abroad do not risk such feats. It’s a pity, since in all civilized countries this is one of the additional sources of foreign currency inflow, including to maintain these very routes in order. Statistics show that at the beginning of the 20th century, 25,570 km of waterways were used for navigation in the Volga basin; in the mid-70s, only 16,851, and now even less. If we take into account the ecological state of navigable rivers, the picture becomes completely sad. At the same time, the work of Russian scientists proves that the country has at least one million kilometers of potentially navigable inland waterways!

Second trip around the world on a yacht.

But all this is a digression. Let's return to our hero. Without finishing the long-awaited book by his fans about the first trip around the world on a yacht, and without sitting on the shore for even three years, the captain of the now Said set off on a second trip around the world, on an even more extreme voyage. It seemed like there was so much more? But, firstly, his yacht was now half (in volume) smaller than the previous one. Secondly, he is already 65 years old. And, thirdly, he chose the route for his second trip around the world on a yacht, rounding Cape Horn, and in the most difficult version - from east to west.

The port of departure was the same Novorossiysk. The beginning of the second trip around the world on a yacht was standard: a humiliating showdown with local border guards and customs officers - more like a fight against extortion (Albanians are allowed, but not their own?) led to a delay in departure, and this disrupted his entire route schedule. Now Evgeny Gvozdev faced an inevitable encounter with the winter storms of the Southern Hemisphere, which he had so hoped to avoid. Still, times change, and this time (June 2, 1999) the captain of “Said” left Novorossiysk heading straight to the Bosphorus.

If “Lena” was the size of a trough, then “Said” was like a basin. Inside, his new yacht resembled a large hole or a small den (1.5 meters long), holding 700 kg of cargo, including 90 kg of the weight of the traveler himself and 250 liters of water (at the rate of only 2 liters per day). The rest is food (three months' supply) and yachting equipment. Evgeniy Gvozdev, with his height of 181 centimeters, had to sleep on his second trip around the world either hunched over (an option for bad weather) or with his legs sticking out through the hatch (an option for good weather). Now the yacht had a small gasoline engine. However, there was no radio or satellite navigation, which was too expensive for a retiree on a completely private circumnavigation. The only navigational instruments are a sextant and a compass. These are the rules of extreme yachting - the game Gvozdev chose for himself. A harsh and dangerous man's game...

Who said that Russian pensioners are not allowed to travel to the Canary Islands? New Year the captain of the Said had already met with friends in Las Palmas. Looking from the outside, you can envy them: now on one yacht, now on another - back and forth to the Canary Islands, Tahiti and other Cyprus. But only those who have seen the sea on TV can think this way. Any yachtsman wiped away tears, watching Evgeny Gvozdev depart from the pier on his fragile basin. However, in February 2001, Evgeny Gvozdev nevertheless passed through the Strait of Magellan into the Pacific Ocean and became the first yachtsman in the world who managed to do this on such a small yacht. Already in Chilean waters, he was overtaken by a coast guard vessel and, not knowing the whole background, they tried to declare his second trip around the world on a yacht “manifestly unsafe voyage.” The Chilean officers categorically advised him to stop mocking himself and offered the captain of the Said free transportation of him and the boat on a ship to the northern border of Chile. But they didn’t have to spend government Chilean pesos on a Russian pensioner. Evgeny Gvozdev left Chilean waters in the direction of French Polynesia and, after 125 days of ocean passage, managed to reach Marina Tahiti before the appearance of cyclones (in November 2002).

On Evgeniy Gvozdev’s second trip around the world, we were able to follow the movements of the brave Russian through publications in the foreign press, which call his exploits unparalleled and incredible, as well as through messages on the Internet. Judging by the exchange of information on the Internet, this time many yachtsmen followed his progress - Evgeny Gvozdev became famous in the world, but only in the world of yachting. Russian media continue to ignore their compatriot hero (with the exception of true friend Oleg Sanaev is now the editor of the newspaper “Dagestanskaya Pravda” which has a website on the Internet, and on it a page dedicated to Evgeny Gvozdev).

Thanks to this Makhachkala edition, you can read the optimistic letters of Gvozdev himself:
“I have formalized my departure and on February 6 I am leaving for Mo'orea (nearby here), then to Raiatea, Bora Bora and Samoa. If I don’t like Samoa, I go to Australia without stopping. On board the yacht there is food for 4 months. I hope there will be no problems with water - the yachtsmen and the management of Marina Tahiti gave me a hand-held, portable seawater desalinator. The thing weighs about two and a half kg, and in a day you can pump about 20 liters of water suitable for drinking. It was delivered by plane from France (the price there was 500 dollars, in Tahiti - a thousand). Don’t be surprised, Tahiti is the most expensive island in the world: lemons - 9 dollars per kg, apples - 7, tomatoes - 5, etc. d. And this is in the cheapest store...
Here they sewed me a mainsail for free, and now I have one new set of sails and two old ones on board. I bought 30 liters of gasoline for the engine, got a copy of the map of the Torres Strait, rested, stuffed my body with vitamins, and got a bald haircut (to save shampoo and water). It's time to know the honor... But seriously, we're sick of Tahiti to hell. I want to go home, to Russia. All the best, hugs.
Evgeny Gvozdev. 02/05/2002 Tahiti, on board the yacht Said

The problems of a yachtsman who chronically needs help, like a litmus test, shows the attitude of society towards yachtsmen. A curious situation in the second trip around the world on a yacht arose with the appearance of Evgeniy Gvozdev in Australia (August 2002). Australian officials, on completely legal grounds, tried to limit the freedom of movement of “Said” and the length of his stay on the fifth continent. The reason was the expired USSR sailor's passport - Gvozdev's only document. But it was not there! The Australian yachting community made such a fuss about this that it shook even the impenetrable immigration authorities.

The trials that befell the yachtsman-great martyr Evgeniy Gvozdev on his second trip around the world cannot be listed. But he himself gave birth to them when he decided on such a reckless voyage. This is too much even for extreme yachting. Twice he drowned and gave a distress signal, he was robbed (a beggar!) dozens of times, he was hunted by a swordfish and attacked by a whale, his yacht was arrested, and the yachtsman himself often went hungry and suffered from scurvy, thirst and chronic lack of sleep - for such yachtsmen as Gvozdev, the autopilot device had not yet been invented. Finally, he couldn't even wash himself for months. As you guessed, his “yachts” could not have not only a shower, but also a latrine. He constantly sails on yachts in disrepair and clearly not appropriate for the region of navigation, without means of communication, and without modern navigation instruments. We dare to suggest that he doesn’t wear running lights at night either. There is no need to even think about civil liability insurance for the yachtsman himself (his wife, three children and four grandchildren at home). We are ready a thousand times to bow to the personal courage of Evgeniy Gvozdev, but it is impossible to recognize such a trip to sea as a role model.

We want to continue the topic of extreme yachting with one observation. The well-known rule “Russian people create obstacles for themselves, which they then heroically overcome” has already spread to yachting.

The last trip around the world on a yacht.

On July 12, 2003, a brave pensioner brought Said to the port of Sochi. However, this was not the end of his campaigns.
Having returned from his second trip around the world, Gvozdyov lives with the thought of a third trip around the world on a yacht, this time he decides to go from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean through the Drake Passage, and also see once again the beauty of the Strait of Magellan, which, according to Evgeniy Alexandrovich, he fell in love with. The yacht for the third trip around the world is provided to Gvozdyov by the director of the Makhachkala company IVT, Davud Mukhumaev. Gvozdyov calls the yacht “Getan 2”. Length 5.5 meters, width 2.5 meters. On September 19, 2008, the yacht “Getan 2” set out on its last trip around the world from Novorossiysk and headed again to the Bosporus and Dardanelles. Having successfully passed the strait, he entered the Mediterranean Sea. Reached the shores of Italy. In the area of ​​Cape Spartivento on December 1, Evgeny Gvozdev made contact for the last time, reporting a strong storm, an overkill, a broken and newly restored mast. On December 10, 2008, the body of a 75-year-old Russian man with a deep wound to his head was discovered on the beach of Castelporziano in southern Italy. In the same area, on the beach named after Amerigo Vespucci, the yacht “Getan II”, washed ashore, was found on the beach, on which Gvozdev set off from Novorossiysk on his last trip around the world on a yacht. On it, the carabinieri found personal belongings, travel notes and a list of names written in Russian.

He was buried in the Makhachkala city cemetery.

Friends recall that 75-year-old Gvozdev seemed to be afraid of dying on the shore - he wanted to leave like a real sailor. If so, then he probably left a happy man. And also - he proved that the dream of life, which was for him to travel around the world on a yacht, can be realized at an advanced age, and with almost no money. It would be the desire and character of a real man.

Ask any schoolchild who was the first to travel around the world, and you will hear: “Of course, Magellan.” And few people doubt these words. But Magellan organized this expedition, led it, but was unable to complete the voyage. So who is the first navigator to accomplish

Magellan's Voyage

In 1516, a little-known nobleman, Ferdinand Magellan, came to the Portuguese king Manuel I with the idea of ​​​​carrying out Columbus's plan - to reach the Spice Islands, as the Moluccas were then called, from the west. As you know, Columbus was then “interfered” by America, which was on his way, which he considered to be the islands of Southeast Asia.

At that time, the Portuguese were already sailing to the islands of the East Indies, but bypassing Africa and crossing the Indian Ocean. Therefore, they did not need a new route to these islands.

History repeated itself: ridiculed by King Manuel, Magellan went to the Spanish king and received his consent to organize the expedition.

On September 20, 1519, a flotilla of five ships left the Spanish port of San Lucar de Barrameda.

Moons of Magellan

Nobody disputes that historical fact that the first trip around the world was made by an expedition led by Magellan. The vicissitudes of the path of this dramatic expedition are known from the words of Pigafetta, who kept notes throughout the days of the journey. Its participants were also two captains who had already visited the islands of the East Indies more than once: Barbosa and Serrano.

And especially on this campaign, Magellan took his slave, the Malayan Enrique. He was captured in Sumatra and served Magellan faithfully for a long time. On the expedition, he was assigned the role of translator when the Spice Islands were reached.

Progress of the expedition

Having lost a lot of time crossing and passing through the rocky, narrow and long strait, which later received the name of Magellan, the travelers reached a new ocean. During this time, one of the ships sank, the other went back to Spain. A conspiracy against Magellan was discovered. The ships' rigging needed repairs, and food and drinking water were running out.

The ocean, called the Pacific, at first met with a good tailwind, but subsequently it became weaker and, finally, completely died down. People deprived of fresh food died not only from hunger, although they had to eat both rats and skin from masts. The main danger was scurvy - the threat of all sailors of that time.

And only on March 28, 1521, they reached the islands, whose inhabitants answered with amazement the questions of Enrique, who spoke in his own language. native language. This meant that Magellan and his companions arrived on the East Indies from the other side. And it was Enrique who was the very first traveler to travel around the world! He returned to his homeland, circumnavigating the globe.

End of the expedition

On April 21, 1521, Magellan was killed after intervening in an internecine war between local leaders. This had the worst consequences for his companions, who were forced to simply flee from the islands.

Many of the sailors were killed or wounded. Of the 265 crew members, only 150 remained; they were only enough to control two ships.

On the Tidore Islands they were able to rest a little, replenish food supplies, and take spices and gold sand on board.

Only the ship "Victoria" under the control of Sebastian del Cano set off on the return voyage to Spain. Only 18 people returned back to the port of Lukar! These people are the ones who were the first to travel around the world. True, their names have not been preserved. But Captain del Cano and the chronicler of the journey, Pigafetta, are known not only to historians and geographers.

The first Russian trip around the world

The head of the first Russian round-the-world expedition was. This voyage took place in 1803-1806.

Two sailing ships - "Nadezhda" under the command of Kruzenshtern himself and "Neva" led by his assistant Yuri Fedorovich Lisyansky - left Kronstadt on August 7, 1803. The main goal was to explore the Pacific Ocean and especially the mouth of the Amur. It was necessary to identify convenient places to park the Russian Pacific Fleet and the best routes for its supply.

The expedition not only had great importance for the formation of the Pacific Fleet, but also made a huge contribution to science. New islands were discovered, but a number of non-existent islands were erased from the ocean map. For the first time, systematic research in the ocean was started. The expedition discovered inter-trade countercurrents in the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, measured water temperature, its salinity, determined the density of water... The reasons for the glow of the sea were clarified, data on the ebb and flow of tides, and weather components in different areas of the World Ocean were collected.

Significant clarifications were made to the map of the Russian Far East: parts of the coast of the Kuril Islands, Sakhalin, Kamchatka Peninsula. For the first time, some of the Japanese islands were marked on it.

The participants of this expedition became those Russians who were the first to travel around the world.

But for most Russians, this expedition is known by the fact that the first Russian mission led by Rezanov went to Japan on the Nadezhda.

Great Seconds (interesting facts)

The Englishman became the second person to circumnavigate the world in 1577-1580. His galleon "Golden Hind" first passed from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean through a stormy strait, which was later named after him. This path is considered much more difficult than through it due to constant storms, floating ice, and sudden changes in weather. Drake became the man who was the first to travel around the world, rounding Cape Horn. Since then, the tradition of wearing an earring began among sailors. If he passed leaving Cape Horn on the right, then the earring should have been in the right ear, and vice versa.

For his services he was knighted personally by Queen Elizabeth. It was to him that the Spaniards owed the defeat of their “Invincible Armada”.

In 1766, Frenchwoman Jeanne Barré became the first woman to sail around the world. To do this, she disguised herself as a man and got on the Bougainville ship, which set off on an expedition around the world, as a servant. When the deception was revealed, despite all her merits, Barre was landed in Mauritius and returned home on another ship.

The second Russian round-the-world expedition led by F.F. Bellingshausen and M.P. Lazarev is famous for the discovery of Antarctica in January 1820.