Three weeks in the ocean
David Margaryan is 26 years old and originally from Tomsk, Russia. Seven years ago, he moved to Moscow to study acting. For three years, he worked at the Yermolova Theatre as the assistant to the artistic director, Oleg Menshikov, before deciding to pursue a career in music.
In the summer of 2024, the sailing community "Power of the Wind" announced an open call to find the main protagonist for a documentary about their first transatlantic voyage. Out of 408 applicants, aged between 14 and 70, David was selected as the hero. In November, he joined a team of fellow adventurers, led by Captain Maria Mamaeva, and embarked on a six-week sailing journey. We spoke with him about his impressions of the trip and the advice he would offer to those preparing to take on the challenge of crossing an ocean.
"Before this journey, my entire sailing experience amounted to one week on a yacht in Greece with my father back in 2013. My dad, by the way, crossed the Atlantic Ocean via the northern route in 2011. He travelled from Tomsk to see me off on this adventure, sharing his experience and providing me with all the gear I needed for the crossing. My parents, grandparents, girlfriend, and friends all supported my decision to go on this journey, and for that, I’m incredibly grateful.
In the three months leading up to the trip, I tried not to overthink what lay ahead. I simply wanted everything that happened to be amazing—and it was. The more expectations you have, the easier it is to be disappointed. It’s funny to say that about the ocean, though. Now, with some experience, I can confidently say it’s impossible to be disappointed in the ocean. If not on the first day, by the second, you’ll be overwhelmed by its scale and infinity. And if not by the second day, then definitely by the second week!"
What should you bring for an Atlantic crossing?
"I won’t go into details about visas, insurance, warm clothes, or waterproof gear—you can easily find more comprehensive guides online. Instead, I’ll share a few things that can make your journey more engaging, fulfilling, and fun:
Bring one or two notebooks and keep a journal. A journal helps you capture the emotions and experiences you’ll accumulate over three weeks—so much so that you’re bound to forget some of them once you’re back home. Writing things down allows you to live the journey more fully. All eight members of our crew kept journals. Some sketched vivid moments, others described the events of the day, while some focused on their personal reflections.
Bring books. How many is up to you? On our boat, we had about 12 physical books and 4 e-books. During watches or free time, half the crew regularly read. Some books we even read together and later discussed. There’s a lot of downtime on the boat, so you’ll appreciate planning ahead on how to keep yourself occupied. For example, I read six books in a month for the first time in my life—and I want to maintain this habit back in the city!"
Three weeks in the open ocean—how challenging is it?
"The journey wasn’t physically or mentally exhausting. During the first week, Kostya (the documentary’s cameraman and a full-fledged crew member) suggested we do daily workouts. For the first week, the whole team was doing push-ups, squats, and crunches. By the second week, I gave it up, but the guys—Kostya, Dima, Vova, and Vitya—kept at it, working out every day for almost the entire trip.
Additionally, we had Starlink, two satellite phones, and a Garmin device onboard, which Maria used to keep a travel journal for those tracking our route.
We were very lucky with each other as a team and started having deep conversations from the first week. Even before setting sail, we began building trust. By the end of the journey, as we neared the Caribbean, some of the guys would joke, ‘I’ve rested enough. I want to work! When I get back, I’ll earn so much money!’ But no one went crazy, no one fought, and no one threatened to walk across the ocean to the nearest airport. I think each of us deeply appreciated what we were experiencing in the moment.
Whether or not you know your teammates beforehand, be prepared to be a kind and attentive crew member. Caring for each other and offering help is the key to a great journey. During the first week, someone would occasionally say, ‘We’ll definitely argue at some point!’ But throughout the trip, there wasn’t a single major conflict. On days when the team was tired, everyone just focused on their own tasks. And if something was bothering someone, we’d share our feelings, and talking it out always brought relief."
What should you be prepared for in the ocean?
"I’m a fairly sporty person and know how to exercise. I fit in well with the team and can tell when someone needs space. But seasickness doesn’t care how good you are at listening or helping to set sails. For one day, I was completely out of commission—just lying in the cockpit, waking up, succumbing to seasickness, and falling back asleep. Thankfully, by the second day, I adapted and felt much better.
On rare occasions, when the wind picked up and the boat rocked more than usual, I’d take a motion sickness pill just to be safe. We experienced a storm one night that lasted about five hours. But thanks to our captain, Maria Mamaeva, we weren’t worried about anything bad happening. Instead, we sat in the saloon at 2 a.m., laughing and marvelling at how kitchen drawers flew open and how we were tossed from one end of the boat to the other. We also encountered a thunderstorm, which wasn’t so scary as it was breathtakingly beautiful.
Maria often said something like, ‘There are people who talk about storms and want to experience one. But after you’ve been through a storm, you won’t want to be in one again.’ I completely agree with her. The ocean gave us the chance to enjoy this journey to the fullest."
