There is nothing quite like looking out your office window and seeing land after 7 days or more of gazing out the same window and seeing nothing but tossing white caps and rolling swells. This is a tender port, which means we\u2019re still drifting around somewhat, as we lack the stability of being actually tied up to the dock \u2013 but the sea is at least calm, and the harbor is sheltered. It\u2019s lovely to have the floor stable underneath us for a change!<\/p>\n
In an event I\u2019m told is very unusual for well \u2013 Siberia \u2013 the sun is out, and since my windows are on the starboard side rather than the port, my view isn\u2019t cluttered by the actual city. Nothing but mountains and water and a troller making its slow progress past us. Honestly? It looks for all the world like Alaska\u2026<\/p>\n
As for the port itself, I can\u2019t really say much. Crew shore leave was denied in this port. Alas, after seven days at sea we\u2019re allowed to see <\/em>land but not actually set foot on it. Not because of anything we\u2019ve done<\/em> \u2013 it\u2019s not as if the Russian authorities decided to punish us just for being crew \u2013 no, it\u2019s to do with time. Between the fact that this is a tender port, and the fact that Russian immigration is insanely strict and complicated (they do a face-to-passport check both coming AND going from the vessel AND they check to the manifest for each individual) \u2013 it was difficult enough to get all the passengers<\/em> off the ship, let alone trying to deal with us, so the Captain was forced to confine us all to the ship\u2026for another three days.<\/p>\n Sigh<\/strong> so close and yet so far.<\/p>\n I think we\u2019ll all be kissing land in the next port\u2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" There is nothing quite like looking out your office window and seeing land after 7 days or more of gazing out the same window and seeing nothing but tossing white caps and rolling swells. This is a tender port, which … Continue reading