Day Eleven of Trip

I could not stay awake for the helicopter transfer but it apparently went very smoothly. This guy is hurt, a bad head injury. The ship turned around again and we got into Yalta today. We lost our berth at the dock because we were late and are now anchored off at sea. The weather is rough with wind and high seas, too rough for tender transfers. This is just a hint of the weather that gave the Black Sea the name The Inhospitable Sea by the Greeks.

The staff is upset because we lost our berth (to the dreaded Regent Lines, their sworn enemy) and because this sea anchor means we will lose a day somewhere. The captain has decided to stay here and forgo the planned stop at Sevastopol. (It is a stop with military history and stimulated Tolstoy's first book.)

Yalta is famous for the Yalta conference that divided Europe up--for better of worse--after the Second World War. But it is the site of the Romanov's summer home (used for the Conference) and that should be of interest. It is in a province of the Ukraine and has the Ukraine's only communist government. Surprisingly, 70% of the population of the entire country is Russian.

From the sea it is a lovely town, small streets and buildings, a large walkway along the dock with a lot of people.