Legendary Danube boatman Ladislav Cigánek devoted more than half a century to the river. From a boy in a small village where the water was “only knee-deep for frogs,” he became a captain who learned to read the Danube like an open book. For him, the river was not just a workplace, but a destiny.
His journey began after completing compulsory military service in 1967. He was deciding between the air and the water, but in the end the Danube won. He started from the lowest positions and gradually worked his way up to captain. “I would never have imagined that one day I would command a large vessel,” he recalls. Behind the romantic image of a boatman’s life, however, lies a harsh reality. Long months away from home meant that caring for the family fell largely on his wife. Despite that, they have been together for more than 54 years. In his view, the Danube is beautiful, but at the same time unpredictable and unforgiving. The greatest risk is inattention and underestimating its power. During his career, he also witnessed tragedies – he remembers colleagues who never returned from their voyages. Today, he regrets that boatmen leave behind so little lasting legacy. That is why he contributed to saving the historic vessel Šturec from 1937, which is now part of the Museum of Water Transport. He believes the profession deserves greater recognition and support. To young people, he sends a message that although the path to working on a vessel is more demanding today, it is still worthwhile. “It is a beautiful job,” he says. And he adds a sentence that captures his entire life: “You do not go to sea for a year, but for a lifetime.”
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