A month has passed since the start of Alvaro de Marichalar's round-the-world expedition under the flag of the Russian Geographical Society. The Spanish extreme traveler and member of the Tomsk Branch of the Russian Geographical Society shared the first details of the unique voyage.
Alvaro set out on the expedition “Following Magellan's Path” from Miami on February 19, 2022. The route ran through Pensacola, the administrative center of Escambia County in the western part of the US state of Florida. This is one of the first European settlements on the shores of America, which was founded in 1559 by the ancestor of Marichalar, Alvaro Tristan de Luna y Arellano. On March 17, the descendant of the conquistador reached this City of Five Flags, which at various times belonged to Spain, France, Great Britain, the "Confederates", and since the beginning of the 19th century, the United States.
The expedition "Following Magellan’s Path" is dedicated to the 500th anniversary of the first circumnavigation of the world in the history of mankind. The expedition is designed to remind about the accomplishments and contribution of world circumnavigators to world culture and science. In addition, Alvaro de Marichalar plans to set the world record for a voyage of this level on the smallest ship.
Marichalar noted that the two-year break from sailing caused by restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic did not go unnoticed for his reliable companion, the Numancia jet ski.
“Many of the problems with the jet ski that I had to face are a consequence of the fact that it was stationary for 23 months due to the pandemic. This is something unimaginable for any vessel, and even more so for such a fragile one as the one I use,” Alvaro shared with representatives of the Russian Geographical Society.
Alvaro de Marichalar added that he is an honorary citizen of Pensacola. He considered it an honor to be again in this historical place for him.
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According to the Spaniard, on the voyage he is accompanied by good luck and good signs. He told the readers of the Russian Geographical Society’s website about one amusing event:
"After leaving the coast, all landmarks disappear, so I determine the course by the sun. But one day another unexpected navigation aid appeared: a beautiful cloud in the form of an arrow indicated the exact course to the west, which was where I needed to go. This is something magical and unique, something I have never seen... I interpret this as a sign from God to move forward..."
And ahead, the Panama Canal and Mexico, Central America, Alaska and the Far East. Along the route of the expedition under the flag of the RGS, Alvaro plans to visit Kamchatka and Primorsky Krai, go around Eurasia and cross two oceans, the Pacific and the Indian.
Russian schoolchildren will be able to meet and have a chat with the thrill-seeker at "Lessons from the Ocean", the educational online meetings that are held throughout the year by the Tomsk Branch of the Russian Geographical Society. During these exciting activities, schoolchildren in Russia and other countries learn about the oceans from modern travelers and explorers.
The next lesson is scheduled for spring 2022. It will be held with the inclusion of two crews: Evgeny Kovalevsky and Stanislav Berezkin (round-the-world expedition Russian Ocean Way) and Alvaro de Marichalar (round-the-world expedition "Following Magellan’s Path"). You can follow the progress of the project at rgotomsk.com.