27 July. Dreams became true.
For all the participants of the expedition Lake Baikal is not only the deepest basin of fresh water on the planet but indeed a dream that became true. When people mention Baikal they usually say “My dream is to visit Baikal”. For the participants of the expedition Class@Baikal the dream became true with wonderful memories that make you wish to come back again. The offshore part of the expedition is over. Today we are preparing for tomorrow seminars when the participants of the expedition will present the work completed during the cruise. But Baikal is constantly in our mind and the memories, impressions and emotions are overflowing.
Marina Solovieva
I participated to the TTR-Class@Baikal expedition for the second time. During this cruise I had the chance to participate not only to the geophysical leg but also to two geological legs. Twenty days onboard! We had so many emotions during the cruise that is impossible to mention them all therefore I will report only the main ones. First of all I want to mention the team work: we had three crew changes during the cruise, but every time we had a very friendly family atmosphere and we started to understand each other. I will remember the part of the geophysical expedition for the numerous equipments and approaches used, even when we encountered problems I learned a lot from solving them. However the geological part of the expedition was more impressive because everything was new for me. The most exciting was the first gas hydrate sampling. Ice fuzzes and crackles and burns! I learned so much about marine geology during one single cruise that it is incomparable with what I am tought during University courses. And of course Baikal itself cannot leave you emotionless. Endless water landscapes, rocky cliffs, unique sunsets, starry skies and the unforgettable feeling of nature living in harmony. Baikal will remain in my heart forever; there is neither long night shift, nor a hard working day spent onboard that won’t make me wish to come back again.
Nikita Gubin
Finally no more shifts, no more data processing, no more communicating with nice people. All expedition was spent in a friendly, warm, and learning atmosphere and now I can say that in this big world I have many more friends.
I met new people onboard and this was a start of a very friendly relationship exchanging experiences and knowledge. Leaving now makes me very sad, I sincerely hope that in the future when someone from my new friends will again visit Baikal, they will remember that here they have a friend who will be happy to see and assist them.
Dina Gilyazetdinova
Emotions are overflowing in my head. These were the two best weeks in my life, that I spend with my dear friends and we became one big family. Every participant in a way was important for me and I want to thank you all from the deep of my heart. We will remember forever everything we went through during the expedition and I look forward for Class@Baikal-2016. It is very sad to leave the boat that became my second home. And while being onshore I remember with melancholy these two weeks spent together.
Svetlana Korost
Two weeks passed quickly like two days. I even were not able to imagine that in such a short period so much work can be done. The participants have been working day and night becoming one team of friends. Unfortunately the expedition is over but we already dream about our next trip.
Gul’naz Karamova
That was an unforgettable expedition. I achieved new skills and experience and great memories. This is my first five days visit to Lake Baikal, and I already got used to the feeling of getting pleasure from long working days without getting tired. Finally I could use in a practical way the theoretical skills learned at the University. I want to thank all the participants of the expedition foe the friendly atmosphere and supervisors for sharing their knowledge. The expedition is not over yet but I already wait its continuation.
Vladimir Kirillov
I am very impressed by this expedition, I will remember it for all my life. I did not experience such feelings since a long time. We woke up in the early morning and then worked the whole day in both physical and intellectual ways. Baikal rewarded us with outstanding landscapes that cannot be described in simple words nor photos or videos. Even when we had bad weather, the atmosphere was special. One just needs to see this and then fall in love with it for the rest of the life.
All participants and crew became a family for this short period of time. Team work was our main approach. It is unfortunate to leave this beautiful place. We spent a wonderful time together and I hope to be back soon.
Anna Pochevalova
My first cruise. Although it was only five days long I learned a lot. At the beginning it was difficult, new environment, new schedule of the days, numerous cores to be processed: clay, silt, diatomic ooze….We worked hard. What we learned in a few days, we could never achieve in normal life.
In addition visiting the deck of the ship gives you wonderful images of water mirror landscapes or foggy coastlines similar to mirages, or sunsets painted in the sky with amazing colors, or moonlight water reflections, or, or, or…We shared many breathtaking moments that no camera can catch on an image, but these moments are stored somewhere inside me to preserve these unforgettable memories of Lake Baikal.
I want to thank all the participants to the expedition, that helped me to learn new things and made the atmosphere special.
Dinara Davletshina
There is a saying: “to get a sea of emotions”. I will say this in a different way: “to get deep emotions as Lake Baikal. Endless like the starry sky feeling of happiness. Unlimited experience like the opportunities for geologists”. The expedition rewarded me with new views for my life, now I see how much people can be friendly, kind and inspired by ideas. Great thanks to all tam for giving me the possibility to be part of this great work.
Every day spent onboard was rich of new discoveries. Although some were not outstanding, they were important for all of us. I would be pleased to come back. Great Baikal wait for us.
Olesya Vidishcheva
Our cruise is over. We spent fourteen days onboard but it feels as if it was a full month, or may be two. During these two weeks here a was a lot of work and sleepless nights, so many emotions and impressions that it is enough for a full year. The expeditions can already be considered a success although the results of the investigations will be presented only at the end of October at the international meeting in Moscow (MARESEDU 2015, www.maresedu.com). This success is the achievements of all people onboard the RV “G.Yu. Vereshchagin”. During difficult physical and psychological conditions everything depends a lot on people surrounding you. During the expedition I was working in the geochemical team and everybody onboard helped us. I am very thankful to all the participants. During our time onboard we became one family. This was my third expedition on Baikal and I hope it wasn’t the last. I look forward with impatience for Class@Baikal-2016.
Svetlana Bubnova
Very little can be expressed with words, very loudly you can say about Baikal. Shadows, halftones, gentle whispering, and splashing of the waves – only hint, promise, intriguing and inquiring.
"Floating University" returned from an expedition to Lake Baikal. On the shore of the ship "G.Yu.Vereschagin " met journalists television "Vesti" and journalists Irkutsk National Research Technical University. Video Svetlana Bubnova.