They are always attracted by the horizon line, an endless strip that goes into the distance. Them faithful friends- ribbons of roads leading to the unknown, mysterious and mysterious. They were the first to push the boundaries, opening up new lands to humanity and the amazing beauty of metrics. These people are the most famous travelers.
Travelers who made the most important discoveries
Christopher Columbus. He was a red-haired guy with a strong build and slightly above average height. From childhood he was smart, practical, very proud. He had a dream - to go on a journey and find a treasure of gold coins. And he made his dreams come true. He found a treasure - a huge mainland - America.Three-quarters of Columbus' life was spent sailing. He traveled on Portuguese ships, managed to live in Lisbon and the British Isles. Stopping briefly in a foreign land, he constantly painted geographic Maps, made new travel plans.
It still remains a mystery how he managed to plan the shortest route from Europe to India. His calculations were based on the discoveries of the 15th century and on the fact that the Earth is spherical.
Gathering 90 volunteers in 1492-1493, on three ships he set off on a journey across the Atlantic Ocean. He became the discoverer of the central part of the Bahamas, the Greater and Lesser Antilles. He owns the discovery of the northeast coast of Cuba.
The second expedition, which lasted from 1493 to 1496, already consisted of 17 ships and 2.5 thousand people. He discovered the islands of Dominica, the Lesser Antilles, the island of Puerto Rico. After 40 days of sailing, having arrived in Castile, he notified the government of the opening of a new route to Asia.
After 3 years, having collected 6 ships, he led an expedition across the Atlantic. In Haiti, because of the denunciation of the envious of his successes, Columbus was arrested and shackled. He received liberation, but he kept the chains all his life, as a symbol of betrayal.
He was the discoverer of America. Until the end of his life, he mistakenly believed that it was connected to Asia by a thin isthmus. He believed that it was he who opened the sea route to India, although history later showed the fallacy of his delusions.
Vasco da Gama. He was lucky to live in the era of the great geographical discoveries. Perhaps that is why he dreamed of traveling and dreamed of becoming a discoverer of uncharted lands.
He was a nobleman. The family was not the most noble, but had ancient roots. As a young man, he became interested in mathematics, navigation and astronomy. Since childhood, he hated secular society, playing the piano and French, which noble nobles tried to "shine".
Decisiveness and organizational skills made Vasco da Gama close to Emperor Charles VIII, who, having decided to create an expedition to open a sea route to India, appointed him the main one.
At his disposal were provided 4 new ships specially built for the voyage. Vasco da Gama was supplied with the latest navigational instruments and provided naval artillery.
A year later, the expedition reached the shores of India, stopping in the first city of Calicut (Kozhikode). Despite the cold meeting of the natives and even military clashes, the goal was achieved. Vasco da Gama became the discoverer of the sea route to India.
They discovered the mountainous and desert regions of Asia, made bold expeditions to the Far North, they "wrote" history, glorifying the Russian land.
Great Russian travelers
Miklouho-Maclay was born into a noble family, but experienced poverty at the age of 11, when his father died. He has always been a rebel. At the age of 15, he was arrested for participating in a student demonstration and imprisoned for three days in Peter and Paul Fortress. For participation in student unrest, he was expelled from the gymnasium with a further ban on admission to any higher institution. After leaving for Germany, he received his education there. 
The famous naturalist Ernst Haeckel became interested in the 19-year-old guy, inviting him to his expedition to study marine fauna.
In 1869, having returned to St. Petersburg, he enlisted the support of the Russian Geographic Society goes to study New Guinea. It took a year to prepare the expedition. He sailed to the shore of the Coral Sea, and when he stepped on the ground he did not even guess that the descendants of this place would call his name.
Having lived for more than a year in New Guinea, he not only discovered new lands, but also taught the natives how to grow corn, pumpkin, beans and fruit trees. He studied the life of the natives in Java, the Louisiades and the Solomon Islands. He spent 3 years in Australia.
He died at 42. Doctors diagnosed him with severe deterioration of the body.
Afanasy Nikitin is the first Russian traveler to visit India and Persia. Returning back, he visited Somalia, Turkey and Muscat. His notes "Journey Beyond Three Seas" have become valuable historical and literary aids. He simply and truthfully outlined medieval India in his notes.
A native of a peasant family proved that even a poor person can make a trip to India. The main thing is to set a goal.
The world has not revealed all its secrets to man. Until now, there are people who dream of opening the veil of unknown worlds.
Notable modern travelers
He is 60, but his soul is still full of thirst for new adventures. At the age of 58, he climbed to the top of Everest, conquered the 7 greatest peaks together with climbers. He is fearless, purposeful, open to the unknown. His name - Fedor Konyukhov.And let the era of great discoveries be long behind us. It doesn't matter that the Earth has been photographed thousands of times from space. Let travelers and discoverers discover all the places of the globe. He, like a child, believes that there is still a lot of unknown things in the world.
He has 40 expeditions and ascents to his credit. He crossed the seas and oceans, was at the North and South Poles, made 4 round-the-world voyages, crossed the Atlantic 15 times. Of these, once on a rowboat. He made most of his travels alone.
Everyone knows his name. His programs had millions of viewers. He is the one great person who gave this world the unusual beauty of nature, hidden from view in the bottomless depths. Fedor Konyukhov visited different places on our planet, including in the hottest place in Russia, which is located in Kalmykia. The site has Jacques-Yves Cousteau, perhaps the most famous traveler in the world
Even during the war, he continued his experiments and studies of the underwater world. He decided to devote the first film to sunken ships. And the Germans, who occupied France, allowed him to engage in research activities and filming.
He dreamed of a ship that would be equipped modern technology for filming and observation. He was helped by a complete stranger who gave Cousteau a small military minesweeper. After repair work, it turned into the famous ship "Calypso".
The crew of the ship were researchers: a journalist, a navigator, a geologist, a volcanologist. His assistant and companion was his wife. Later, 2 of his sons also took part in all expeditions.
Cousteau is recognized as the best specialist in underwater research. He received an offer to head the famous Oceanographic Museum in Monaco. He not only studied undersea world, but also engaged in activities to protect the marine and oceanic habitats.
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Thanks to the most complex mathematical algorithm, supplemented by fortune-telling on the hair of a newt and throwing bones, the American Sailing Association was able to identify the coolest sailors who have become celebrities in other areas of life: science, art, cinema and literature. The itBoat editors have added a few more names to the list, without which it seemed incomplete to us.
10. Bob Seeger
After writing and performing his classic rock ballads "Night moves" and "Like a Rock", superstar Bob Seeger must have caught the "seafaring virus". In the 90s, the legendary rock artist began to go on a yacht, and then participate in races. Seeger became a serious racing driver. He repeatedly took pride of place in the famous Mackinac Race on board the boat. Santa Cruz 52.
"I really fell in love with sailing," he told the Chicago Tribune. - What attracts me most in this sport is the lack of noise. Without a motor, the yacht moves so quietly through the water.”
9. Stephen Colbert
Another real navigator is the famous comedian Stephen Colbert, a follower of David Letterman and his Late Show. After Colbert took part in the regatta Charleston to Bermuda Race, a thing about "the world's most famous sailor" appeared in his arsenal. Joking aside, this race is an impressive 777 miles long. Colbert has competed in the Charleston to Bermuda Race several times, and although he sails in a fairly large boat, long-distance racing is not an easy thing. So it's safe to say: in the sailing sport, the comedian has thrown all the jokes aside.
8 Humphrey Bogart
Bogart is a typical TV movie star, with a somewhat aloof look, a cigarette in his fingers and a feeling dignity. As a navigator, Humphrey Bogart is exactly the same "classic". His legendary 55ft yacht Santana designed by the architectural bureau Sparkman & Stephens, is a model of grace and elegance.
According to Cruising World magazine, in his will, Bogart insisted that his ashes be placed in a small model yacht Santana encased in a glass bowl instead of the traditional urn.
Yes, this “guy” was serious about yachting.
7. John Lennon
In 1975, the famous band member Beatles found himself in a creative crisis: he could no longer write songs. The love for yachting brought the musician out of the creative impasse. In 1980, Lennon's yacht Megan Jaye and went on a journey to Bermuda. It so happened that in a storm, an inexperienced ex-Beatle had to take the helm of Megan Jaye to replace the exhausted captain. Lennon came out of the storm a different person.
“You can’t imagine what it’s like when there is only sky and water around. At the same moment you are alone, and you touch something omnipotent. An overwhelming feeling of freedom,” he recalled.
During the 7 weeks of travel to Bermuda, the musician wrote almost all of his latest songs.
6. Albert Einstein
Few people know that Albert Einstein loved sailing.
Legend has it that the outstanding scientific genius was one of the "worst" navigators of all time. He constantly ran his yacht aground or crashed into something.
He had a small sailboat called Tinef("Useless" in German). For his 50th birthday, friends gave Einstein a bigger ship. Einstein named this yacht Tummler("Harbour porpoise"). The famous scientist loved to ride a yacht without any purpose, and if he managed to land at least on some pier, he was happy.
5. Morgan Freeman
Everyone knows that he can speak with the "voice of God", but few people know that famous actor also an inveterate cruiser. He discovered his main passion in a landlocked town Stowe, state Vermont, on board a 6-meter pleasure boat.
“At that moment, I was not just fascinated,” he admitted. "I've been obsessed with this for the rest of my life."
Since then, Freeman has traveled thousands of miles on the high seas, mostly aboard his yacht. Shannon 43 sea water colors. Rumor has it that Freeman's favorite thing is to explore the region. Caribbean.
4. David Crosby
Folk rock star David Crosby could have been drugged to the nines at a party and committed many other rash acts, but he stepped aboard his favorite schooner Mayan, he .
“I have always been a very careful yachtsman. Me and caution, sounds kind of ridiculous, right? And yet, when I went to sea, I took it seriously, - recalls the musician. - Mayan was not designed for parties. She was above it all."
The hits "Wooden Ships", "The Lee Shore" and "Carry Me" are dedicated to Mayan. For 45 years, this vintage wooden yacht has been David Crosby's muse, and god knows how hard it was for him to part ways.
3. Ted Turner
Billionaire and great media mogul, creator of CNN and owner of other television channels, Ted Turner has always found time for his passion: yachting. Turner is known for his participation in America's Cup in 1977, when the American team managed to snatch victory from the Australians. Even earlier, in the 1960s, he participated in the Olympic qualifying competitions on a small racing dinghy. His portrait hangs in the Sailing Hall of Fame. Once Ted Turner admitted that his personal achievements in the field of sailing meant more to him than the victories of the baseball club. Atlanta Braves which he owned.
“It was a sport that I was directly involved in,” he said in an interview with ESPN. - It was very nice to win in the World Series of Baseball, but there I was just a spectator. In sailing, I was part of the process. It's completely different life experience and I am very proud that I got to experience it.”
2. Ernest Hemingway
The creator of the book "The Old Man and the Sea" knew about fishing and the sea firsthand. Ernest Hemingway went on many yachts, caught tons of fish and survived more than one storm. But the quintessence of his love for yachting was Pilar- custom "lobster", built in the 1930s at the shipyard Wheeler. The writer ordered not just another fishing boat, he personally made several changes to its design that no one had thought of before: he installed a wooden roller on the cockpit, which made it easier to lift the fish on board, a remote bait bracket, moved the control post to the flybridge.
During World War II, the restless Hemingway equipped his boat with bombs and machine guns and went to patrol the coast of Cuba in search of Nazi submarines.
Luckily for himself, he didn't come across any.
1. John Kennedy
Photographs of a smiling John F. Kennedy sailing the oceans on a luxury yacht Manitou, projected by the architectural bureau Sparkman & Stephens, are the most vivid embodiment yachting glamour. The thirty-fifth American president was a lifelong sailor. In 1938, he even set a record in Makinovsky high-speed competitions(Mackinac Race). It is for this lifelong interest in yachting, combined with political fame, that John F. Kennedy was ranked number one.
Everything that we now know was once discovered by people - pioneers. Some crossed the ocean for the first time and found a new land, someone became the discoverer of space, someone was the first to dive in a bathyscaphe into the world's deepest cavity. Thanks to the ten pioneers below, today we know the world for what it really is.
- Leif Eriksson/Leifur Eiriksson is the first European of Icelandic origin who, according to some scholars, was the first to visit the continent of North America. Around the 11th century, this Scandinavian sailor lost his course and landed on some coast, which he later called "Vinland". Documentary, of course, there is no evidence of exactly in which part of North America he moored. Some archaeologists claim that they managed to discover Viking settlements in Newfoundland, Canada.
- Sacajawea, or Sacagawea / Sakakawea, Sacajawea is a girl of Indian origin, on whom Maryweather Lewis and his partner William Clark completely relied on during their expedition, the path of which ran through the entire American continent. The girl walked with these researchers more than 6473 kilometers. On top of that, the girl had a newborn baby in her arms. During this journey in 1805, Sacagawea found her lost brother. The girl is mentioned in the movie "Night at the Museum" and "Night at the Museum 2".
- Christopher Columbus / Christopher Columbus - a navigator of Spanish origin who discovered America, but due to the fact that he and his expedition were looking for a sea route to India, Christopher believed that the lands he had discovered were Indian. In 1492, his expedition discovered the Bahamas, Cuba and a number of other islands in the Caribbean. Christopher set sail for the first time at the age of 13.
- Amerigo Vespucci is the man after whom the continent America was named. Although, in fact, Columbus made this discovery, it was American Vespucci who documented the “find”. In 1502 he surveyed the coast South America, and it was then that the well-deserved glory and honor came to him.
- James Cook / James Cook - a captain who managed to sail much further into southern waters than any of his contemporaries. Cook owns a proven fact about the falsity of the northern route through the Arctic from the Atlantic to the Pacific. It is known that Captain James Cook made 2 round-the-world expeditions, mapped the islands in the Pacific Ocean, as well as Australia, for which he was later eaten by the natives. That's how gratitude is.
- William Beebe is a 20th century naturalist explorer. In 1934, he descended 922 meters on a bathysphere and told people that "the world under water is no less strange than on another planet." Although how does he know how to live on other planets?
- Chuck Yeager is a general in the US Air Force. In 1947, the first one broke the sound barrier. In 1952, Chuck flew at twice the speed of sound. Chuck Yeager, in addition to setting speed records, was a trainer for pilots of such space programs as Apollo, Gemini and Mercury.
- Louise Arne Boyd/Louise Boyd known to the world also under the nickname "Ice Woman". She got this nickname thanks to her explorations of Greenland. In 1955 she flew over north pole and was the first woman to do so on an airplane. She also has the discovery of an underwater mountain range in the Arctic Ocean.
- Yuri Gagarin / Yuri Gagarin - April 12, 1961, the first of all people living on our planet, was in space. His first flight lasted as much as 108 minutes. It was a real achievement in astronautics.
- Anousheh Ansari is the first female space tourist. She made her flight in September 2006. To her achievements, one can add the fact that she was the first of all those who have been in orbit to blog on the Internet from space.
