It’s easy to spot a sailor who has successfully rounded Cape Horn. Sea lore permits ‘Cape Horners’ to wear a gold earring in their left ear to mark this rite of passage. On the Kruzenshtern they pierce their ears right there on board, after successfully battling the Cape and its force ten winds. 120 Russian cadets can now proudly claim to be real sailors. The Kruzenshtern is one of the last great windjammers and the pride of the Russian merchant fleet. Built 80 years ago, it is now used as a sailing school ship for future Russian sailors and captains and is one of the best in the world. Admiral Kruzenshtern, a seafarer in the service of the Czars, led the first Russian circumnavigation of the globe precisely 200 years ago. In honour of its namesake, the Kruzenshtern now sails around the world in 14 months. Cape Horn is the most spectacular part of the journey and we are there to witness it. For the twins, Maksim and Anton it is a huge honour to be able to be here on the Kruzenshtern. Like everything else in their lives up to this, they have trained as sea cadets together. Both want to be captains. “Then we will have to separate”, says Maksim, “because you can’t have two captains on one ship.”
A Cape Horn Baptism - Russian-style
People / Society
- Title: A Cape Horn Baptism - Russian-style
- Original title: Seemannstaufe am Kap Horn
- Film by: Ina Ruck
- Format: 30', Series
- Long running series: Human Encounters
- Production: WDR
- Year of production: 2006
- Language / subtitle version: German
