Navigator's Day

January 25, the day of the founding of the Navigation Service of the Russian NavyEarlier, Navigator’s Day of the Navy was celebrated on the spring (21.03) and autumn (23.09) equinoxes. It is these days that you can accurately and without tools determine the cardinal directions - the Sun at any point rises strictly in the east, and sets, respectively, in the west. But since 1997, in accordance with the order of the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy, Navigator Day of the Navy is celebrated on January 25, the day of the founding of the Navigation Service of the Russian Navy.

The need to train domestic captains and navigators arose with the beginning of the construction of the Russian Navy. The implementation of this idea was the creation in Moscow of the School of Mathematical and Navigation Sciences in the Sukharev Tower. In the decree of Peter the Great of January 25, 1701 it was said: "To be mathematical and navigable, that is, nautical arts cunning teaching." This day is the official date of the founding of the navigator service of the Russian fleet.

It should be added that the same Peter was issued the Charter, according to which "Navigators in the taverns not to let, for they, the boorish, do not hesitate to get drunk and argue." Navigators during the battle on the upper deck not to let, because they their vile appearance, the whole battle upset. Here are the articles in the charter of Peter the Great. But it is, by the way, not for the holiday.

Many well-known naval commanders began their military service as the navigator of the ship. Among them are the admirals who laid the foundation of the modern fleet of Russia - S. Gorshkov, V. Mikhailin, A. Mikhailovsky, and many others. In the history of great geographical discoveries, the names of navigators are on a par with the commanders of ships and admirals. Only in Primorsky Krai the names of navigators of the Russian fleet are immortalized in the names of 64 capes, 12 islands, 3 peninsulas, 9 bays.

The profession of a ship and flagship navigator is considered especially difficult and responsible, and, as recorded in the Rules of the organization of navigation service on Navy ships, "the work of the navigator in the campaign is creative." And today we are talking about the navigator service not only of the Navy, but also of the entire fleet of Russia.

The Navy celebrated the professional holiday for the first time in its history on January 25, 1997, in accordance with the order of the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy, and in 2001 the navigator service of the Russian Navy celebrated its 300th anniversary.