The Aleutians Islands, Russia, and China?

[ben2go]

I've heard of people cruising the PNW and Inside passage, but I have never hear or seen any threads about cruising the Aleutians over to Russia and down through China to South Asia. Everyone seems to either stop in Hawaii or head straight to Japan, Taiwan, or the Philippines. I know these are high lats but surely not a big deal in mid to late summer. Yeah, I get that there could be some ice. I didn't think any significant bits made it south of the islands. By significant I mean the size of a small automobile. When I start cruising, I would like to travel to some areas that are off the overly beaten path.

[fxykty]

Originally Posted by ben2go

I've heard of people cruising the PNW and Inside passage, but I have never hear or seen any threads about cruising the Aleutians over to Russia and down through China to South Asia. Everyone seems to either stop in Hawaii or head straight to Japan, Taiwan, or the Philippines. I know these are high lats but surely not a big deal in mid to late summer. Yeah, I get that there could be some ice. I didn't think any significant bits made it south of the islands. By significant I mean the size of a small automobile. When I start cruising, I would like to travel to some areas that are off the overly beaten path.

The reason you don’t is because both the winds and the current go west to east - sailing from Aleutians to Japan would be miserable. The problem isn’t ice - that’s found north of the Aleutians.

Sail to Hawaii, then to Japan - that route has reasonable wind directions.

China and Russia are definitely off the beaten track - China has no cruising facilities nor visas and Russia has a very restrictive and expensive visa system. There is an active local sailing scene in Vladivostok.

[nwdiver]

Japan to Alaska is reasonably easy, very tough the other way around. I don’t think you can get a cruising permit for Russia and know it is very difficult for China......

Those may be the reasons.

[ben2go]

Originally Posted by fxykty

The reason you don’t is because both the winds and the current go west to east - sailing from Aleutians to Japan would be miserable. The problem isn’t ice - that’s found north of the Aleutians.

Sail to Hawaii, then to Japan - that route has reasonable wind directions.

China and Russia are definitely off the beaten track - China has no cruising facilities nor visas and Russia has a very restrictive and expensive visa system. There is an active local sailing scene in Vladivostok.

Originally Posted by nwdiver

Japan to Alaska is reasonably easy, very tough the other way around. I don’t think you can get a cruising permit for Russia and know it is very difficult for China......

Those may be the reasons.

Thanks to you both. That clears up a lot of questions.

[captmikem]

After the inside passage and Kodiak, I sailed down the Aleutians, stopping at each one that had a harbor or anchorage. It was a great time, a lot of history and some islands had shipwrecks, weapons and shell casings from the Japanese when they occupied the islands during the war. lots of plastic fishing floats on many islands. Great hikes and things to see on these islands. I stopped in Adak for fuel at the navy base, they sold me fuel but wanted me to leave asap.

Attu was a different story, the USCG has a few men and women there (and no boats) to maintain the Loran station. They were very welcoming and showed us a good time. Beautiful Island.

Then sailed to Petropavlovsk in Russia, that was interesting. Took a land trip up to see the hot springs, beautiful country. Then up to Bering Island which was very interesting (had to take a useless guide with me from Petropavlovsk). I was sitting in the grass next to the graves of the crew thinking had they eaten the very grass I was sitting on the would have survived.

It was a really great cruise, well worth the time. A bit of bad wx, lots of rain and fog but I am happy I did it.

M

[MJH]

Originally Posted by ben2go

I've heard of people cruising the PNW and Inside passage, but I have never hear or seen any threads about cruising the Aleutians over to Russia and down through China to South Asia. Everyone seems to either stop in Hawaii or head straight to Japan, Taiwan, or the Philippines. I know these are high lats but surely not a big deal in mid to late summer. Yeah, I get that there could be some ice. I didn't think any significant bits made it south of the islands. By significant I mean the size of a small automobile. When I start cruising, I would like to travel to some areas that are off the overly beaten path.

There are many places off the beaten path.

Get yourself a copy of World Cruising Routes by Jimmy Cornell from the library or buy via Amazon...it will answer all the questions you haven't asked yet. Ya gotta go with the flow and the season if your smart.

~ ~ _/) ~ ~ MJH

[anthea]

I did it in 2017 the opposite way. Korea,Vladivostok Japan,Sakhalin, Kuril ,Kamchatka, Petropavlovsk, Aleutian,Kodiak. Prince William Sound and down the inside passage. I stop in Vladivostok, Korsakov, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk + plus different isolated island.

You can look to my web site for more detail.( google translate should help you)
https://www.voilieranthea.com/l_b_vers_le_nord.html
I have also been in Shanghai with a racing boat ( it was complicated but not impossible)
I hope it can help.

[petermck]

Anthea, from your website, it must have been an amazing trip.
Provides a good overview of what to expect doing a similar trip.

[ben2go]

Originally Posted by captmikem

After the inside passage and Kodiak, I sailed down the Aleutians, stopping at each one that had a harbor or anchorage. It was a great time, a lot of history and some islands had shipwrecks, weapons and shell casings from the Japanese when they occupied the islands during the war. lots of plastic fishing floats on many islands. Great hikes and things to see on these islands. I stopped in Adak for fuel at the navy base, they sold me fuel but wanted me to leave asap.

Attu was a different story, the USCG has a few men and women there (and no boats) to maintain the Loran station. They were very welcoming and showed us a good time. Beautiful Island.

Then sailed to Petropavlovsk in Russia, that was interesting. Took a land trip up to see the hot springs, beautiful country. Then up to Bering Island which was very interesting (had to take a useless guide with me from Petropavlovsk). I was sitting in the grass next to the graves of the crew thinking had they eaten the very grass I was sitting on the would have survived.

It was a really great cruise, well worth the time. A bit of bad wx, lots of rain and fog but I am happy I did it.

M

That sounds like a really good adventure. Something that I would like to get into.

Originally Posted by MJH

There are many places off the beaten path.

Get yourself a copy of World Cruising Routes by Jimmy Cornell from the library or buy via Amazon...it will answer all the questions you haven't asked yet. Ya gotta go with the flow and the season if your smart.

~ ~ _/) ~ ~ MJH

They tore down my town library 2 years ago and Covid stopped the rebuild in spring 2020. Now it's up in the air. The county library was done away with totally. I'll have to buy it on Amazon. Thanks for the recommendation.

Originally Posted by anthea

I did it in 2017 the opposite way. Korea,Vladivostok Japan,Sakhalin, Kuril ,Kamchatka, Petropavlovsk, Aleutian,Kodiak. Prince William Sound and down the inside passage. I stop in Vladivostok, Korsakov, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk + plus different isolated island.

You can look to my web site for more detail.( google translate should help you)
https://www.voilieranthea.com/l_b_vers_le_nord.html
I have also been in Shanghai with a racing boat ( it was complicated but not impossible)
I hope it can help.

Thanks, I will check that out.

[grantmc]

I never knew, until the post above, that the US islands of Attu and Kiska in the Aleutians were invaded and occupied for over 12 months by the Japanese during WWII. And the soldiers fighting the battles to push out the invaders paid a high price.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aleutian_Islands_campaign

[GWilly]

There’s a great book on the war in the Aleutians. A little-known part of WWII.

https://www.amazon.com/Thousand-Mile.../dp/0912006838

[redneckrob]

Originally Posted by captmikem

After the inside passage and Kodiak, I sailed down the Aleutians, stopping at each one that had a harbor or anchorage. It was a great time, a lot of history and some islands had shipwrecks, weapons and shell casings from the Japanese when they occupied the islands during the war. lots of plastic fishing floats on many islands. Great hikes and things to see on these islands. I stopped in Adak for fuel at the navy base, they sold me fuel but wanted me to leave asap.

Attu was a different story, the USCG has a few men and women there (and no boats) to maintain the Loran station. They were very welcoming and showed us a good time. Beautiful Island.

Then sailed to Petropavlovsk in Russia, that was interesting. Took a land trip up to see the hot springs, beautiful country. Then up to Bering Island which was very interesting (had to take a useless guide with me from Petropavlovsk). I was sitting in the grass next to the graves of the crew thinking had they eaten the very grass I was sitting on the would have survived.

It was a really great cruise, well worth the time. A bit of bad wx, lots of rain and fog but I am happy I did it.

M

Sounds like a great trip. For those following in your footsteps it's worth noting that the Naval Air Station on Adak (and the Navy Base at Dutch Harbor) are now long closed down but the good news is you can easily get fuel in both locations. Unfortunately the LORAN station at Attu is also now closed.

[jmh2002]

Originally Posted by anthea

I did it in 2017 the opposite way. Korea,Vladivostok Japan,Sakhalin, Kuril ,Kamchatka, Petropavlovsk, Aleutian,Kodiak. Prince William Sound and down the inside passage. I stop in Vladivostok, Korsakov, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk + plus different isolated island.

You can look to my web site for more detail.( google translate should help you)
https://www.voilieranthea.com/l_b_vers_le_nord.html
I have also been in Shanghai with a racing boat ( it was complicated but not impossible)
I hope it can help.

Wow, some amazing cruising on your website, chapeau!

[anthea]

Thank you. We travel around the world the opposite way ( the wrong way ) by accident. We met nice people everywhere, it was a nice experience for 15 years.

[Jud]

Originally Posted by ben2go

I've heard of people cruising the PNW and Inside passage, but I have never hear or seen any threads about cruising the Aleutians over to Russia and down through China to South Asia. Everyone seems to either stop in Hawaii or head straight to Japan, Taiwan, or the Philippines. I know these are high lats but surely not a big deal in mid to late summer..

Here ya go, a description of crossing to Russia after sailing north from Seattle and then out the Aleutians (this is on an 88’ composite custom expedition sailing yacht):

“Attu, the last of the Aleutians, is only 580 miles from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy (PK), our check-in point in Kamchatka. But to get there, we had to cross shallows formed by an ocean ridge that generated some of the most turbulent and chaotic seas that Shaman has ever traversed. We slogged toward PK in huge waves and 25- to 35-knot headwinds. In the midst of the storm we passed the Komandorskiy (Commander) Islands where the great nautical explorer Vitus Bering is buried. But until we cleared into Russia, we were not allowed to duck into these islands.”
See: https://www.yachtingmagazine.com/back-ussr-0/