BRAMA, July 9, 2000, 5:00pm EDT

See who came to greet the Ukrainian Tall Ship
-- Photos ©BRAMA, Inc.

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New York - No fanfare, no band, no crowds waving flags, just three people patiently waited as the vessels participating in OpSail 2000 passed by Pier 84 on Manhattan's west side. Kateryna Birioukovych-Kellogg, the Captain's daughter, her husband, Roy Kellog (foto, right), and crewman Vasyl' Shvab (left), who chose to watch the Parade from land, sat quietly, albeit nervously, and waited for the Tall Ship to pull into the pier for the week-long festivities ahead. Roy was pacing back and forth, concerned that no OpSail representatives were in sight to confirm that Pier 84 was indeed available.

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By the time the "Batkivshchyna" finally arrived and prepared to dock, a fairly large crowd had gathered behind the fences. Even before the Bat'kivshchyna was secured, people were racing down the ramp anxious to board the "little boat that almost didn't make it." Captain Birioukovych skillfully ignored the mayhem, and after safely completing his tasks, joined the visitors who warmly welcomed him and his ship to New York City.

Although the crowd was very mixed, we were able to pick out a number of Ukrainian and Ukrainian American visitors that braved the hot and muggy July 4th weather in order to greet the ship and its crew. CLICK on the photos below to enlarge them.

A.K. (BRAMA)

The schooner "Bat'kivshchyna" at Pier 84 on July 4, 2000 - OpSail 2000.
	Plastun (Ukrainian scout) Myron Radovych was all smiles as he toured the boat.
	"C.J." Swet boarded the Bat'kivhshchyna in Baltimore, and continued north to New York on the schooner. He was impressed with the Captain's skill and his capable crew.
	The captain's daughter, Kateryna posing with her son, prudently chose to fly from Ukraine rather than make the ocean voyage.
	"Kozak" Petro Vashchyk gives a dancing lesson to a group of American scouts.
	"Is this that poor ship that was written up in the New York Times?" asks one visitor.
	(l-r) Lyuda Lopukh, husband Vasyl, and daughter Ivanka. The Lopukh family moved to the US from Ternopil', Ukraine, after winning the Green Card Lottery.
	Chornomortsi!
	Vitaly Bohaievsky, former Consul General Yurij Bohaievsky's son, poses with everyone's favorite Kozak.
	Brama's Webmaster, Hanya Krill, can't be convinced to do a Hopak with Kozak Petro (at least not while carrying all that equipment!). Standing on the right with his back to the camera is Roman Woronowycz, Kyiv reporter for the The Ukrainian Weekly.
	Captain Dmytro Birioukovych takes a moment to talk to ship's visitor Maria Pendzola. Maria is a frequent traveler to Ukraine because her daughter who is married to a Kyievan lives there.
	Mark McGarrity (left) and Noah Addis (right) of the Star Ledger are sending their photos and commentaries to the office from the ship electronically during the parade.
	Everyone is interested in the trinkets and things for sale.
	Onlookers are entertained by "Kozak" Petro Vashchyk.

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