Russia

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WorldCentral AsiaEastern EuropeNorth SeaBalticBlack SeaRussia
Russia
57°19.591'N, 092°27.656'E Chart icon.png
Russia-CIA WFB Map.png
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Map
Rs-lgflag.gif
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Flag
Capital Moscow
Language Russian
Currency Rouble (RUB)
Time zone UTC+2 to UTC+12 (no DST observed)
Calling code +7

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

Charts

The Russian Hydrographic Service produces excellent charts.
British Admiralty charts covering the Russian Baltic coasts are listed below
Kaliningrad area
BA259 - The Baltic Sea
BA2278 - Baltiysk and Kaliningrad
BA2816 - The Baltic Sea, Southern Sheet
The Kalingrad enclave is covered by Admiralty Sailing Directions No. 19
St. Petersburg Area
BA259 - The Baltic Sea
BA2241 - Entrance to the Gulf of Finland
BA2817 - The Baltic Sea, Northern Sheet and Gulf of Finland
BA2248 - Gulf of Finland, Western Part
BA2264 - Gulf of Finland, Eastern Part
BA2395 - St. Petersburg and approaches
The Gulf of Finland is covered by Admiralty Sailing Directions No. 20
Black Sea area
See Black Sea

Weather

Baltic area

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.

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.

Passages

List popular passages/routes, timing, etc.

Communication

Add here VHF channel for coastguard, harbor masters. etc.

Also see Cruiser's Nets

Navigation

Any navigation notes here. If this section does not apply remove it.

Entrance

Arrival

Details?

Departure

Details?

Customs and Immigration

Customs

Details?

Immigration

Details?

Fees and Charges

Restrictions

Health and Security

Health

Submit any health warnings/information. Remove any of these sections do not apply to this particular country.

Security

Details?

Regions

Key to symbols: |Port of entry icon – port of entry |Harbour icon – harbour |Marina icon – marina |Anchorage icon – anchorage |Needs data icon – needs data ||
Baltic Black Sea
Baltic port1Baltic port1/wiki/P1 Needs data icon – needs data |
Baltic port2Baltic port2/wiki/P2 Needs data icon – needs data |
Rostov-on-Don Rostov-on-Don /wiki/Rostov-on-Don Harbour icon – harbour |Needs data icon – needs data |
Gelincik Gelincik /wiki/Gelincik Harbour icon – harbour |Anchorage icon – anchorage |
Novorossiysk Novorossiysk /wiki/Novorossiysk Port of entry icon – port of entry |Harbour icon – harbour |
Sochi Sochi /wiki/Sochi Port of entry icon – port of entry |Harbour icon – harbour |Marina icon – marina |
Tuapse Tuapse /wiki/Tuapse Port of entry icon – port of entry |Harbour icon – harbour |

Transportation

List transportation to other countries, etc.

Other Information

Date and Time

  • Timezone: Moscow Time (MSK) is UTC+3 (no DST)

Shopping Hours

Electrical supply

  • The Russian grid supplies electricity at 240v/50Hz (albeit many sockets installed are still rated as 220v/50Hz). Recently installed sockets are of the standard European Schuko type, i.e. those in use in Scandinavia, Germany, the Netherlands etc. While there are still quite a number of sockets of an older type which accept 4.0 mm (instead of 4.8 mm) diameter pin plug, rated to 6 A (instead of 16 A) and do not contain an earthing contact.

Telephones

  • The International Dialing Code for Russia is +7

Amber; 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 it was 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.

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".

Forums

List links to discussion threads on partnering forums. (see link for requirements)

Links

  • Russia at the Wikipedia
  • Russia at the Wikivoyage
  • Russia - Noonsite
  • Tainui's Travels - John Vallentine's blog posts on his remarkable crossing of the central Russia from North to South on SY Tainui in 2013

References

Books, Guides, etc. Use the Reference template or not at your discretion. For example:

{{Reference|Rod Heikel|Greek Waters Pilot Imray||Laurie and Wilson, Cambridgeshire|9780852889718}}, expands to
Rod Heikell, Greek Waters Pilot Imray, Laurie and Wilson, Cambridgeshire, ISBN 9780852889718
  • Author, Title, Publisher, ISBN ISBN number
  • Author, Title, Publisher, ISBN ISBN number

See also Black Sea.

Comments

We welcome users' contributions to the Wiki. Please click on Comments to view other users' comments, add your own personal experiences or recommend any changes to this page following your visit.

  • Siberia is sometimes regarded as being part of Central Asia. The remainder of Russia is known as North Asia but the term is rarely used. --Haiqu 03:02, 30 May 2011 (BST)
  • FIXME: This page only covers the Baltic Coast.

See also Black Sea.

Verified by

Date of member's last visit to Russia and this page's details validated:


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SailorSmiley.gifContributors to this page

Names: Nausikaa, Lighthouse, TaoJones, Haiqu, Vadp


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