A week ago we completed another, our 12th Explorers' Cruise
(check it out - there are lots of photos on our profile: facebook.com/FundacjaRejsOdkrywcow/)
The port that ended our sea adventure this year was Dutch Den Helder. It was there that we participated in the gathering of the largest sailing ships.

Our cruise took place on Pogoria, a Polish training sailing ship (sail area - 1000 m2;
crew – 53 people). The cruise was attended by 33 of our Foundation's participants, including those from the Youth and Educational Center on Barska Street, the Polish High School, and the Children's Home in Chotomów.

Near our Pogoria was moored the sailing ship Shabab Oman II ("Youth of Oman"), a training sailing ship of the Omani Navy built in 2014 (sail area – 2630 m2; crew – 90 people).

Our crews quickly became friends, which resulted in the Omanis' proposal to play a soccer match.
That's what our boys love!
After several days on a swaying deck, they were more than eager to get onto the field.

We were a bit surprised seeing the Omani players. Excellently prepared, in professional outfits, they had already won many matches (some of them had played for the national team) and... were much older than our boys.

For our team, it was their first match in this lineup...
But our team rushed into battle!

It wasn't easy and the Omanis scored several goals against us.
To be honest - 10 goals.
However, our boys didn't give up, and in the second half we scored our long-awaited goal!

The score of 10:1 might seem... well, it doesn't really matter. Everyone who saw the match knows that we played devotedly, bravely, and fiercely.
What impressed me most was the atmosphere before, during, and after the match.
It was pure joy, energy, and genuine sporting emotion. Exactly how it should be.

We've encountered Oman's sailing ship in our previous cruises, and we'll probably meet again – and then it will be time for a rematch.
Crew of Shabab Oman II - be ready!