Russia
From CruisersWiki
Russia Cruising Guide
An online cruising guide for yachts sailing along the coasts of Russia.
| Russia | |
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| Capital: | Moscow |
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| Language: | Russian |
| Currency: | Legal tender in Russia is the Rubel which is divided into 100 Kopeks. |
| More notes about the country | |
Background
Russia has two Baltic coasts; one is the Kaliningrad enclave and the other is to be found at the head of the Gulf of Finland in the St. Petersburg area
Climate & Weather
- Kaliningrad's climate reflects its geographical position and can be deemed to be between maritime and continental i.e. wettish, with moderate winters and summers.
- Ice in the Baltic can be a hinder to shipping although the southern Baltic has been ice free this past 15 or so winters.
Weather information for the Baltic is readily available from Danish, German, Finnish and Swedish meteorological offices.
- The Swedish Shipping Forecast is available here
- The Danish Meteorological Institute has a good forecasting site
Yachts navigating in the Baltic area will find fitting a receiver for weather forecasts via radioteletype (RTTY) from the German National Weather Agency (DWD) a great advantage.
- The Russian Hydrographic Service produces excellent charts.
- British Admiralty charts covering the Russian Baltic coasts are listed below:
- Kaliningrad area:
- BA 259 - The Baltic Sea
- BA 2278 - Baltiysk and Kaliningrad
- BA 2816 - The Baltic Sea, Southern Sheet
- Kaliningrad area:
- The Kalingrad enclave is covered by Admiralty Sailing Directions No. 19
- St. Petersburg Area:
- BA 259 - The Baltic Sea
- BA 2241 - Entrance to the Gulf of Finland
- BA 2817 - The Baltic Sea, Northern Sheet and Gulf of Finland
- BA 2248 - Gulf of Finland, Western Part
- BA 2264 - Gulf of Finland, Eastern Part
- BA 2395 - St. Petersburg and approaches
- St. Petersburg Area:
- The Gulf of Finland is covered by Admiralty Sailing Directions No. 20
Any navigation notes here.
Local Radio Nets
Also see World Cruiser's Nets
Submit details of Cruiser's Nets and VHF operating/calling channels here.
Arrival/Departure procedures
Details?
Immigration & Customs
Details?
Immigration and Visas
Submit details about customs and immigration procedures here.
Customs
Details?
Health & Security
Submit any health warnings/information and any security details here.
Ports & Popular Stops
Baltic
Black Sea
Offshore Islands
Other Information
Date and Time
- Time zone GMT +2 hrs; summer time, GMT + 3 hrs.
Shopping Hours
Electrical supply
- The Russian grid supplies electricity at 220v/50Hz. Plugs are of the standard western European type, i.e. those in use in Scandinavia, Germany, the Netherlands etc.
Telephones
- The International Dialing Code for Russia is +07
Amber - a word of warning:
Kaliningrad is known for its amber. Amber is much sought after and is used in the making of jewellery. It is simply the fossilized resin from trees. Baltic amber comes from trees which grew in the tropical or sub-tropical conditions which existed in southern Scandinavia about 1 million years ago. Unlike the resin which remained on land, that which was carried by rivers into the Baltic did not decompose but hardened or fossilized. Sometimes, but rarely, the fossilized resin is found to contain an insect.
Generally thought to be amber-coloured, amber can, in fact, also be blue, black, green, red, violet or opaque. The variations appear to be endless, although most are in fact, amber! Colour variations depend upon the weathering of the amber or the content of iron sulphide or plant residue.
Cruisers considering purchasing amber should beware of buying it from a “babushka” wearing Wellington boots and a long woollen coat and sitting on an upturned bucket. Go to a reputable store instead and pay a little more for the real thing.
False “amber” is usually made from plastic, glass or sugar. Lick it! If it is sweet, don’t buy it unless your sweet tooth gets the better of you. If it smells like a nylon rope which you have heated in order to avoid putting on a sail-maker's whipping, don’t buy it!
Real amber smells like, well, resin. Anyone familiar with a sauna will know the smell and probably will also have seen resin oozing from the sauna’s pinewood walls as it is heated.
Now for the word of warning! Amber can be collected along the sea shore as it is washed up by the action of the waves. There is not a lot of it but you could be lucky and find some. Beware though for mustard gas! “Is this serious?” you may ask. It is DEADLY SERIOUS. Germany produced and stockpiled mustard gas which was it used as a weapon. Mustard gas, when heated, is a toxic gas which claimed the lives of many soldiers during the First World War. When at temperatures of under 14 degrees Celsius it becomes a yellowish, jelly-like semi-solid and a hard crust forms around it. Tons of mustard gas was dumped in the Baltic where, as long as it remains there, it presents no danger. However, lumps of mustard gas occasionally wash up on the beaches of the Baltic States where they remain on all but warm days and can be mistaken for amber. If this is then picked up and put, for example, into a warm pocket it becomes lethal. Beware! Serious burns and even deaths have resulted from inappropriate handling of mustard gas, If you believe you have come in contact with mustard gas, help and advice can be obtained by contacting the duty officer at the Swedish Coast Guard on +46 455 35 35 00.
Cruiser's Friends
Submit details/contacts of cruiser's "friends" that can be contacted in advance or on arrival - who can offer information and assistance to our cruising "family".
Links to Forum Discussions
List links to discussion threads on partnering forums. (see link for requirements)
External Links
Personal Notes
Personal experiences
References & Publications
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| | HOMEPAGE | Wiki Contents | North Sea | Baltic | Black Sea | Russia | |
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