Note: Mike provides the following update, however the email system he is using caused significant editing challenges. My apologies if it doesnt read correctly, scott) >From Capt. Mike We may move up to Kurshiro, Hokkaido 230 miles, in the next day or so. Weather is tricky from here to the Aleutians. Tip;get an IMO number xxx if you are going to Japan. Make sure you can prove you have insurance, P&I. The Japanese are real hot on spills. It takes a lot of hands to pump any fuel. The Garbage is all sorted into innumerable bins, you cant just dump it in any nearby garbage dumpster. There is lots of fishing inside of 3 miles. Dont go near the coast. If you have to go near shore because of weather, be sure to call the Coast Guard. Dont expect to enter Japan without giving them 24 hours notice. Paperwork is pretty slow and we have been using an agent, the cost is about $750 US. But the fuel price is excellent. Took 2 1000 gallon tankers and about 3 hours to fuel up. They are really not used to yachts, I dont think there is anything malicious in the slowness. We are the object of a LOT of curiosity. Notice that I am not using any apostrophes. I cant find the key. We are using Furuno AIS, it is great. Keeps the bullies away. Not the fishermen. They fish for squid with 10 million?? watts of lights warming the night sky. It may not keep the sky warm, it sure keeps our eyes warm. I have my first souvenir. A real Japanese Coast Guard cap. I die a happy man. The ship chandler has no stock, but he can order anything you can wait for. Dont go to Japan to find hydraulic parts, or South Korea. I would type something in Japanese, but it would look like garbage and I have to retype everything several times, trying to keep it from staying Japanese. This is a lot of work. If we get caught out in a storm on the 1600 miles way to Rat Island in the Aleutians, there will be a lot more work. In the meantime you can see if you find RAT island, that ought to keep you busy. Can I type this in an Irish Pub, drinking ginger ale and watching Nippon Forumula car racing? What follows is the Japanese equivalent of this sentence. You have been warned. テク地価　原リリ ラてと二と各位町 背地味いといい棚 に日地理か三井ら は各二と戸井未開 観磯いるんら菜口 非違故意意味てち すみいしる Our Iridium data link is not working worth the powder to blow it to hell. The system is supplied by Stratos. I dont know what to make of that. Hakodate, pronounced HAKE OH DAT HEH, is a city of about 300k, spread out around the bay here. It is very like Portland or Seattle. Which means not much sun shine. Lots of clouds and fog. Beats the humidity of Hong Kong or Korea. The cost of things is generally out of sight. Time to sign off. I will try to have little to report next time. Fat chance. Mike Capt. Mike Maurice Beaverton(Portland), Oregon.