pos 33:56.73N 131:14.61E
Ube

Our plan for Thursday the 24/3 was to have a leisurely breakfast and then head out ar about 10.00 for the passage through Kanmon Kaiko. The passage between Kyusho and Honshu is narrow with very strong currents, on top of that about 1400 ships pass through daily! As the current can reach 13 knots it is important to get it right when you do the passage. We did not, when we reached the outer harbour we could see on a big signboard that the current was running 8 knots against us. We had to anchor among several small ships waiting for less current. After about 2 hours it had got down to 3 knots against so we headed into the passage.
I tried to keep well out off the way of all the ships, but suddenly we had a big coast guard cutter up our bum screaming something in their loudhailers. I think they wanted us to keep even closer to land? Everyrhing went well and when we reached the narrowest bit the current had turned and we had 2 knots with us.

We reached Ube in the afternoon and only had a short walk around the center before the cold made us retire to the warm cabin.

Friday morning the 25th as we were having breakfast we got another visit from the coast guard, the third in 2 days. After all the paperwork I asked them where I could find the office of "General Affairs and Maritime Transport Division", they just scratched their head's and called the boss. No such office in Ube was the answer.
The thing was that you have to get a permission from this office to visit any port that is not an open port (only the biggist towns). They threaten with two years imprisonment if you fail to do so.
Having failed in this we left for a small Island 30 NM away called Himeshima.
All is well,
Lars and crew.

Skickat från min Xperia™-surfplatta