29 août 1907
It was like any other day...
''Mama!! Look!!! There is our little island!!'' I said squealing, and jumping up and down trying to catch glimpses of the Finnish lands near by our Shtandart. The Shtandart... She was the top-of-the-line sailing yacht, and she was ours. The little escort boats ferried around us and sailed on by making sure the waters were very safe for us to travel...
The skies were beautiful, and open and I could see the seagulls flying over-head as our beloved Shtandart plowed speedily through the Finnish waters... Mama and Ania were sitting there by the table, it was just after our Luncheon...
I was watching Mashka twirl her fingers around an empty tea saucer when there was a very loud and violent BOOM! It was deafening to the ears and the whole room shook greatly!! The floor went up ever so quickly and came crashing back down, all the glass shattering about us and the tea glasses and china pieces falling over the table smashing to the floor...
I watched in-front of me as a tea glass rolled backwards spilling all over the place and felt the deck tilting steeply and nearly fell out of my chair but Mama had caught me before any damage was dealt to me... She stood me on the floor which was very much like a toboggan hill when you can go sledging in the winter-time! We left the room and a silence fell upon us... a stagnate, knawing silence...
Everyone was very quiet looking about themselves, around the room and then the loud bells began to clanged and everyone excitedly ran about without their heads! I saw everything being tossed over the rail and watched inquisitively as the barrels, and rope wheels began to splash into the dark water below...
I heard frantic cries, and Mama scooped me up in her arms hugging me so much and kissing my cheeks and hands. I saw everything from my new height, and Dina was racing towards me arms outstretched stumbling on the tilted deck...
Papa was so calm, and had everything in order so there would be no panic...
I saw broken glass everywhere, and crunching beneath running feet...
The bells kept on clanging, as the escort boats assisted...
Shtandart had run aground, how could this be?
My beloved Shtandart... come back to me...
Aleksey.