“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” – Mark Twain
We are Igor Shkvorets and Iryna Troshyna — a couple of retired Oceanologists who have been sailing through life together since our university days. We both graduated from the Odesa Hydrometeorological Institute (Ukraine, USSR) with degrees in Engineer-Oceanologist. Soon after, we married and settled in Sevastopol, Crimea, Ukraine, where we began our scientific careers: Igor at the Marine Hydrophysical Institute, and Iryna at the Institute of Biology of the Southern Seas. There, we measured and scaled the physics and biogeochemistry of the ocean — and discovered our shared fascination with its endless horizons for study and exploration.
At the turn of the century, we decided to change course completely and move to Canada. We were fortunate to join RBR Ltd., a company that designs and builds oceanographic instruments. Under the guidance of Dr. Frank Johnson — a brilliant scientist, engineer, innovator, mentor, and dear friend — we took part in developing, calibrating, and testing advanced high-accuracy oceanographic measuring systems. Igor’s main area of expertise is ocean salinity measurements, calibration and testing of СTD measuring systems, and salinometers. His personal website www.salinometry.com is an informative resource, based on his professional interests, and you can also find his biography, expeditions, and publications there.
Over the years, we realized that our professional paths and personal passions were deeply intertwined. Despite our different temperaments, we share the same curiosity, ideals, and above all, a love of adventure.
After two decades in Canada, we came to another turning point. Life, we realized, is finite — and some dreams should not wait. So, we traded the comfort of home for the freedom of the open sea, embarking on a new voyage aboard SV Oceanolog.
The question was how to leave behind a beloved profession, stay useful, and remain free.
The answer came naturally: Sail for Science!