Dispatch #3a from the far Eastern Med It is 0615 hrs, the sun has just come up and we are completing an overnight passage along the coast of Israel. We have traveled mostly at night during the past 5 weeks so we have more daytime in port for land exploration. A lot of people in these parts travel only at night for more nefarious reasons. The military activity along the coasts definitely increases after dark. We can't see much of what is going on - even our radar doesn't pick it all up but we hear stuff - gunboats, surveillance vessels, smuggling ops., low flying aircraft, etc. Simon and Garfunkel were in this part of the world when they did their 'troubled waters' gig We are now in Israeli waters and feel a little better having spent the previous weeks in Syria and Lebanon both of which were tense but fascinating. We visited multiple ports and traveled thousands of kilometers deep inside each country - a lot of camels and desert but also saw the big cities Damascus, Beirut, etc. All was interesting and historic but with an uneasy military/authoritarian presence. More to follow with Tina's report. Last evening we were in Jounieh, Lebanon, and the Assistant Chief of Mission from the American Embassy (#2 to the Ambassador) came to our dock. He had a report there were a couple of Americans on boats in country. He had trouble locating us because most of the boats we are traveling with are from Western Europe, us few from the USA hide in this crowd. We talked with the Chief about where we had been and he reminded us about the State Dept. travel advisories, particularly for Syria. It was good we met him on the last night in Lebanon. When moving to Israel we were told by the Israeli navy to sail THEIR given course, NOT to stray, and to NOT enter Israeli waters until after dawn. At dawn we were greeted by several fast gunboats, PT 109 types but with a lot more guns all manned and pointed at GP. They made multiple approaches and frequent radio checks. These guys are serious. They approach head on at a high rate of speed, pick the passing side and roar by with guns trained broadside on the target - us. Or, they sneak up from behind and scare the beejesus out of you with the overtake at 75 yards passing GP's beam. We are told Israel is easier on the entry formalities than Turkey, Syria or Lebanon. In Turkey they made you wait and wanted money. In Syria they really made you wait, no money but kept the passports. In Lebanon long wait, some money, lots of paper work and kept the passports. You only get the passports returned when you are leaving the dock... an official (lots of uniforms here) hands them to you from the pier as you are underway and LEAVING their country! - an unfounded phobia about people wanting to extend their stay??? Go figure! Oops, now approaching Haifa harbor and here come the PT boats welcoming party. Better go and make sure they know I am a 'friendly'. You cant' make this stuff up. Braun and Tina Braun and Tina Jones Grey Pearl Nordhavn 62