How Slava Kurilov swam 100 km in 3 days, jumping off the liner “Soviet Union”

Have you ever thought about what you can do for your own freedom? When I found out what Glory Kurilov had done for this, I was shocked. In the Soviet Union, he was known as an oceanologist and writer.



Instagram / @muzeigoroda However, he stood out too much from the rest. And when you are not like all the other Soviet people, sooner or later you have to make a choice. Until, of course, they did it for you. Glory to the Kurils. And he chose to escape!

The incredible story of escape from the USSR is preceded by an equally interesting story of the life of Slava Kurilov. The first word he uttered as a child was water. I don't just mention that fact. With the water of this unusual man connects literally everything that happened to him.

Kurilov learned to swim on his own. At the age of 10, he easily crossed the Irtysh River. When the boy turned 15, he escaped from his parents' home. Glory went to St. Petersburg (then Leningrad) to become a young man. Of course, he was not taken to the Baltic Fleet. But Kurilov did not give up his dream so easily.



Instagram / @lou_lyubasha_777 Attempt to enter the Leningrad Navigation School was unsuccessful. Fame was blind. Then he decided to become an oceanographer. Young and promising specialist became a member of the underwater research laboratory "Chernomor".

Together with his colleagues, Kurilov learned to survive at sea. And, judging by his record of scuba diving, he spent more time under water than on land. Just think about these numbers: it's over 2,000 hours!



Instagram / @lou_lyubasha_777 To withstand such tests, you need to have a remarkable physical training. While still a student, Slava was seriously interested in yoga. And so much so that he could do it for 12 hours a day. This helped him become not only a very strong, but also a hardy person.

The activity of Chernomor was so successful that soon the French researcher Jacques Cousteau learned about the laboratory. He invited his colleagues to go on a joint expedition. At first it looked like Kurilov was about to fulfill his dream. He will sail across the Pacific to the shores of Tunisia and see the world.

However, the Soviet authorities did not like this development. Glory was preparing for the expedition for 3 years. But the Chernomor team already stood out too much from the rest. And the joint activity with Cousteau seemed unthinkable. As a result, it all ended up with Kurilov not going anywhere.



Instagram / @lou_lyubasha_777 Moreover, the work of the underwater research laboratory "Chernomor" was banned. But Slava's dream lived on. He regularly applied to get a visa and travel abroad. But he was rejected every time.

Fame withered before my eyes. His civil wife saw that he needed help, some kind of emotional relaxation. Fortunately, she saw an interesting ad in the newspaper. For 350 rubles on a cruise liner you could sail to the equator across the Pacific Ocean and tropical seas.



Instagram / @lou_lyubasha_777 Money is unimaginable, but Jeanne managed to get it. Kurilov’s wife begged him not to throw out another trick. She knew she could expect anything from her husband. But Slava didn't listen to her.

In the book “Alone in the ocean” the writer told in detail how he managed to escape from the USSR. He did this by swimming, jumping off a cruise ship into the open ocean. He had no map, no compass. Studying the route was simply impossible. He expected that the island of the Philippines will have to swim about 17 kilometers.

However, in fact, Slava Kurilov sailed for 3 nights and 2 days, covering about 100 kilometers in the open ocean. The man was prepared for not surviving. But freedom was more important to him. And he took a chance. On the island of Siargao began a new chapter of his life.

Glory had neither money nor documents with him. The fugitive was found and sent to prison. At first, the authorities were convinced that Kurilov was a Soviet spy. However, long interrogations with one lieutenant colonel helped the fugitive reveal who he really was.

Kurilov became friends with this lieutenant colonel. And so much so that thanks to him, Glory managed to get out of prison. At that time in Canada lived his sister, at one time married an Indian. She paid her brother bail, and he went to her.

A new life began in which Glory was nothing. He took on any job: worked in a pizzeria, bakery and port. For a long time, Kurilov earned pennies, but soon he managed to get a job in his specialty.



Instagram / @t__irina In 1985, Glory was in Israel. The Air Force wanted to make a whole movie about Kurilov. But the film did not come out, but the man found his true love. Because of Elena, he moved to Israel. He immediately began working at the Institute of Oceanography in Haifa.

Kurilov became a partially office worker. But occasionally he managed to go swimming. The water gave him strength. She took them from him. Glory died during diving work on Lake Tiberias. Shortly before that, he was in a critical situation. Then he realized it was an omen.



Instagram / @chas_maistriv The movie about Kurilov is still out. It's called, like the book, "Alone in the Ocean." It was also published after his death. His wife found a large number of manuscripts and notes in his apartment. She decided to put them together. Thus was born the only, but such an important book of Glory Kurilov. And I sincerely advise you to read it.

Glory Kurilov went down in history, although he never considered himself a hero. But he knew the price of his escape. The price he paid to finally get his freedom.