Date/time: June 17, 2006, 12:00 local (z-9) Position at noon: 52D57'N 160D38'E 00:20 to noon: 88 nm Avg. speed: 7.2 kts Miles to go: 456 miles to Attu Course bearing: 085D Sea state: Swells 2', thick fog Wx: Wind SE 5 to 10 kts Water temp: 8.5DC Crew: Ben, Brad, Kevin, & Kurt Remarks: When we got outside the harbor we were reminded of Martin Luther King saying, "Thank God, we're free, free at last." We were scheduled to leave, but couldn't reach Commanders Weather by phone, or email for a weather update; although we had sent a request several days before, and heard there was a low coming. We wanted to stay until the next day, but immigration said we couldn't do that even at anchor where we would all stay on the boat. They said that would be breaking the law again, and require more investigation, and fines. So, finally at 11:20 PM, we got permission and instructions to leave directly out. Half-way out, the navy called to say come back, and anchor. I said we had permission to leave from port control, customs and immigration. They said turn around immediately, and come back to where we had anchored before, and anchor. I stressed we had permission to go, but with their insistence, we turned, and started back. After 5-minutes they said, just wait, and we may get you clearance to go. We waited, and soon our navy capture ship #648 caught up, and waited near us. After 20- minutes they got clearance for us to go, and wished us good luck. This sounds worse than we feel in retrospect. We like the people, the city, the countryside, and their wilderness which is so like ours. It is always easy to find fault, and forget why we are there. We are glad we went, and would like to go again. For anyone who wants to take their own boat, make sure you have good communication with the person who is going to act as your agent before you leave your previous port, and make sure you have good communication with the navy, or port control before the 12-mile limit. They may send- out a pilot. The women are beautiful, and sensuous. The men are friendly, and very helpful, but the bureaucrats are insecure, distrustful, unhelpful, and arrogant. The navy people were good, capable, and nice. Our 3-day visa from June 14 to 17, effectively gave us 4-days because we arrived at 07:00 June 14. We had an excellent helper in Alex, and his 2-friends Alexei, and Eugene; but it still took us over 2 and a half-days to handle the paper work. We broke the law by not reporting in 12-miles out because this is a sensitive nuclear sub harbor. We were unable to reach our contact because of a wrong number so we tried to call port control when part way into the harbor. In spite of the sensitivity, and us giving our lat, long to the port captain, it still took the navy 40-minutes to "find" us in the inner harbor, where we were just waiting by this time. The navy came and passed us ropes to tie onto them and they anchored. Next, an investigator came with an interpreter, and consumed the rest of the day. It was then too late for customs, and immigration, so they made us anchor all night, and a navy boat stood guard near us. Next day at 10:00, they sent out a pilot to bring us to the wharf; where the customs, and immigration people were waiting with our very capable helper Alex, who was a life saver. We had a bit more than 1-day to send some pictures, but not time for all, to get food, and souvenirs. Alex drove us around the countryside, and to some hot springs for a swim, etc. This is a very beautiful area with trees, and climate like home, and lots of snow covered volcanoes. Eugene had very kindly driven us around town, and for groceries June 15. We had a party on the boat 2-nights, and on the second night, Eugene brought some traditional Russian food. Their national TV came for an interview and asked if we were frightened when we were captured? Did the navy have guns, and board our ship? We said no, they were very nice. The previous local news had made quite a BS about how we were captured. They were embarrassed about us getting to the inner-harbor without being noticed, and put the shoe on the other foot by implying we were like criminals wandering around and will be fined. I fail to see where an $80 fine will prevent a foreign warship from entering. We gave no money to any officials, except for our fine, pilot, and pilot boat, and moorage; but paid our agent although he didn't ask for money. He and Eugene particularly, did a lot of work from when they first heard about us, and drove us, and interpreted, and went to various offices, etc. Eugene had first heard of us from a port control report in his Gov't office. He had sailed to Costa Rica, Hawaii, and many other places, and he immediately called Alex who has a sailboat too, and plans for long sailing, and said these are fellow sailors, and we must do what we can to help them as other people do for us in their port. Sincerest thanks to Alex, Eugene, and all others who made our stay so memorable, you belong to a very select group of people. -- Ben Gray Idlewild Custom Buehler 55 powered by a 55-hp Kubota Home port: Dunvegan, Alberta http://www.idlewildexpedition.ca http://dieselducks.com/Idelwild.html http://www.trawlersandtrawlering.com To follow Idlewild with Google Earth: http://tinyurl.com/ksnhg For the Trawler M/V JPEG version: http://tinyurl.com/ovdt7