Email from Listee Thorstein Midttun forwarded to Idlewild: Ben Gray & crew, Read your last post; that you were held up in the bay. They obviously want money, and therefore practice their regulations to the letter. Try not to give in to corruption by offering money, or paying any silly fine or duty, but ask that they come aboard, give them a happy welcome, get friendly, tell about your journey, and then offer gifts (Canadian vodka, chocolate, prepare some special food for them, or what have you ). Prepare a toast with soda (they may prefer or dislike alcohol (alkogol), so ask first if they want that instead). If you give them money to get in, it is more likely they will claim money when you are to depart. But they might do it anyway. They can hold you for a long time. Try anyway to get as far up to the top in the bureaucracy as possible, without offending any in the chain of command. Ask for the governor; that he is informed of your arrival, that you have travelled a long way, and that you would like to greet him: "gubernator" (pronounced something like: goobernaator). Get a translator. My office assistant is Russian and has lived in Petropavlovsk, and I have experience from the Ukraine. You may call me or send SMS any time, and we can try to offer any advise if the situation worsens.