PROGRESS REPORT NO.3
August 14th
SUNDAY IN KHATANGA.
For two weeks now the wind has been blowing from the northeast, pulling the sea-ice down onto the Laptev Sea along the Taimyr peninsula, exactly where we want to go.
So here we are, ready to boogie, and sitting tight -no point in leaving the ( relative ) comfort of Khatanga until there is prospect of at least some clear water.
However impatient we may be, we can't but feel for the crew of the ship anchored out in the river, the 'Toliati'. She came in last Summer, discharged her cargo but needed her propeller repaired, and is only now ready to go back round Cape Chelyuskin, her crew aboard since last year.
The fortnight before we left Dublin, on Sunday August 7th a week ago, was as frustrating as to make you 'burst out cryin', as each morning we waited for the documents from Moscow so as to get our Russian 3-month visas. When eventually they did come, they were incorrectly dated. Only with the help of the Dept. of Foreign Affairs in Dublin did the visas come right, with five minutes to Russian Embassy 'closing time'.
Our check-in time at Dublin airport was 4.30 am, so packed bags were left in our car boot, and, you've guessed it, the boot was broken into. Stolen were our Satellite Phone and two computers, one for chart back- up and one for communications, pretty fundamental kit, a heavy hit.
The flight to Moscow , via Warsaw, was uneventful. Our Partner met us with a minibus and painlessly conveyed us to a high grade hotel. They knew the Irish! 400 soccer supporters had stayed there and were well remembered!
The phone and email began to hum as Rory Casey and Brendan Minish , back in Castlebar, did Trojan work on information transfer. We bought a new phone and a lap-top and 'cybered' all the lost / stolen data into it. Now we're all 'info'd up again, thanks to Brendan and Rory's ability to 'walk the cyber-walk'.
The Northern Sea Route Permit was yet another exercise in heroics and last-minute bureaucratics despite months of preparation. On Monday afternoon Colm went, with our Partner, to collect the Permit--- not a hope! Much changing of documents, to be re-provided, and even on Tuesday the issuing of this vital document was far from straightforward. Fair play to Colm Brogan for his Herculean work.
Three time-zones east of Moscow, in the Siberian Republic of Khrasnoyarski, the tundra rose to meet us, green among the lakes, as we flew in low under the cloud. As we touched down, so did some of the planes ceiling. Khatanga airport and hotel were as ever.
We brought Northabout in from anchor where our friend Vladimir had minded her since Tom and Jarlaths visit in June. Alongside, Jarlath and myself choose to vacate the hotel in favour of the comfort of the boat, an unusual twist; at least the toilet in the boat has water!
It's about 8 degrees and raining. The night dulls for about three hours, not yet darkening. We're diesel-ed up, sails bent on, food stores topped up and ready to go. The wind is due to change to the south in about 3 days time, then we'll be down the river and away-we hope!
Northabout In Khatanga
