Navigation question,why are Baltic charts still from the cold war?

[trouville]

Last year i i wanted to visit Latvia,but saw on the chart i would have to cross Russian waters,as i dident really have time i left the Russian question

Now wanting to spend some more time in Poland i find that Russia or "Rosja"(which i suppose still means Russia? Is still on all the maps and charts??

According to the charts half the bay of Gdanska is Russian?? Zatoka Gdanska surly the charts should have been updated by now??

Imagin sailing accross the bay of Gdansk and being arrested by a Russian gun boat!!!

Why do the charts still show Poland as being part Russian im sure cant be correct?

 

[Poignard]

Perhaps it depends on who produced the charts?

How is Gibraltar shown on a Spanish chart? Or the Falklands on an Argentinian chart.

 

[Guest]

No russian contril exists outside of Kaliningrad Territorial Waters and then round in Gulf Of Finland .... app's to St. Petersburg etc.

Latvia and the other Baltic States patrol their own waters .... actually rarely done as the maritime contingent here is pretty sparse !!!!

All you need to know - is don't stray into Kaliningrad or Gulf of Finland Russian waters ....

 

[Guest]

The bay of Gdansk - maybe you're thinking of Kalinigrad, which is most definitely Russian, and is a military base. There are probably patches of water outside which it has been agreed the Russians can use for military exercices, which they do frequently, according to Navtex.

 

[trouville]

Yes thats it. The largest town in "Rosja" is Kaliningrad.

Dose it meen that to go from Gdansk to Latvia i have to make a 50mile deviation not to enter Russian waters?

I wonder just how long the current Polish government will allow Russia to keep that part of Poland? As far as i can see the bit of land in which "Kaliningrad" is is is land locked? dose that meen that the Russians have a ferry service to mainland Russia?

I really better be very carful with my navigation!! When i get to Gdansk im going to look at the Russian bit but by bike or foot!!

It seems Poland has a long spit of land on the outside the "Zilew Wislanv" which is then Russian? Imagin ending up sailing into Baltijsk rather than past Hel!!

Could be arrested as a spy or shot at???

 

[Guest]

I don't have my charts with me here, but I think it's possible to sail a fairly straightish line from Gdansk to Latvia without passing either through Russian territorial waters or the Russian excercise area. I kind of doubt that Poland are planning to invade Russia just at this moment, though don't have a direct line to the Polish foreign ministry, so who knows?

If you're planning to go to Kaliningrad on bike or foot then don't forget you'll need a visa. These are a major pain to get (I'm applying for one at the moment), so start applying a month in advance, and it'll cost you about £100 (you have to pay for an invitation as well as a visa! Ridiculous, but that's Russia for you.)

 

[DFB]

This area has always had this sort of issue. Kaliningrad was renamed after WWII from Königsberg, which as we all know along with Gdansk or Danzig was part of the 'Polish Corridor' problem.

 

[trouville]

When i say to visit i meen just to the frontier have a look at the guards and landscape beyond. Then i can say ive been as far as the Russian boarder and seen a real live Russian!

This then is not something "left over" but a political situation thats existed for some time.

At the moment i plan to allow 2 weeks in Gdansk befor going on

 

[Talbot]

The population of kaliningrad is primarily russian, and there is a lot of military still there. Dont stray over the border, there is definitely still a lack of a sense of humour.

 

[gunnarsilins]

Kaliningrad

If someone would have the right to claim the Kaliningrad (former Königsberg) region it would be Germany, the area was former East-Preussia.
Anyway, Avoid straying into Russian waters, keep at least 12 nm from the coast and there shouldn´t be any problems. Watch out for naval exercises, they are announced on Navtex. On the way to Latvia, go into Klaipeda in Lithuania. The town itself isn´t much to see, but you can sail south (max draught approx 2 m) into Kurskij Zaliv (former Kurisches Haff), a most fascinating, shallow area divided from the sea by a narrow strip of sand. Really beautiful.
About Latvian ports: Liepaja isn´t much to see, big commercial port and quite ugly town. Pavilosta, small fishing harbour, nice place with shops and restaurants. Ventspils, well worth a visit, nicely renovated town. Roja, my Latvian favourite, a lovely place. Mersrags and Engure, small fishing harbours, not much to see. Riga is a must with its remarkable medevial old town surrounded by hundreds of jugend style houses.
Finally, don´t miss Ruhnu, the tiny Estonian island in the middle of the Riga bay. A place where the time has stood still since the 50-ties
Gunnar
Stockholm

 

[Guest]

Re: Kaliningrad

Mmmm - A Russian enclave isolated from Russia by Poland and Lithuania.
In the past I have been involved in food parcels to Kaliningrad - when Russia "forgets" them ... anyway - a sinister place that holds no real welcome to anyone ....

Now just up the coast - yes there is Klaipeda .... Main Port town of Lithuania and actually not bad place ... it has reasonable restaurants and hotels with a good atmosphere. The people are friendly and I have spent many happy times there.
Just up the coast - bordering Klaipeda is the resort town of Palanga, but it has no harbour facility - so its anchor off or via Klaipeda.
Next north is Liepaja - which was built to be another Venice ... but the canals became roads and fell into disrepair .... it was a closed City - as it was home to Russian Navy .... with a magnificent Academy - sadly been torn down in the anti-russian fever. This was the home of many sailors etc. that sailed round to their death for the Russo - Japanese war ....
Liepaja is improving all the time as it increases its port trade and earns money. Still strong influences from "persons" outside the law .....
Then there is Pavilosta .... this is an older "port" than Liepaja and was actually the landing point for most building materials etc. for construction of Liepaja. It has declined since the failure of fishing to survive the independence ... the Fish Factory and other associated now on limited work. The Town took a resurgence when various "Foreign Latvians" returned to "Ancestors roots" .... but it was only minor and little real development there ... EU put a spot of cash there, I was involved in possible Marina Development ... but didn't happen. I see another talks about shops and restaurants there ... yes there are - but not what I would say is recc'd!!
Onto Ventpils - the biggest earner that Latvia has in terms of Port ... has accounted for 40% of GDP and overall Latvian revenue for years ... Like most of this part of Baltic has serious visual evidence of its past Hanseatic League links ... I live in Ventpils on the river and I can honestly say - it is the quietest, most law-abiding town in Latvia. It is clean and friendly. You will not find international cuisine though - despite the town drive for tourism etc. The Fishing Harbour has excellent Yacht facilities.
After Venstpils - you then proceed north to Kolka and round into Riga Bay ... A choice then awaits you .... East north East to Estonian islands, or south to Riga ....
Riga is bustling, crowded and IMHO not friendly - its a small London in effect with everyone only interested in their small world ... BUT the buildings and Old Town - again Hanseatic are worth the visit ....

Within Riga bay are the small Fishing village Ports of Roja, Engure, Mersrags and Salacgriva for Latvia and then Parnuu etc. for Estonia. Little is there apart from expensive beautiful islands from Parnuu onwards ... till you get around the corner and to Tallinn .... This is the Yacht Mecca of the Baltic. It is the home of the 1980 Moscow Olympics Sailing venue .... still with Flame vessel standing. The old score board has been taken down - which was falling apart and getting dangerous.

There are various factors about the Baltic and especially ports around my area :

1) There is barely any tide - maximum rise / fall about 20cms. In fact weather can have greater effect on the tidal levels. But the ports and havens shouldn't present any problem to average yachts ... being in deep water.
2) The western Baltic such as around Liepaja through Ventspils etc. do not have cruising grounds to make day-sailing or just weekends interesting .... but Tallinn bay is like a small Solent and has plenty of oportunity to islands etc.

I had 2 boats in Baltic ... 8m race job in Tallinn - marvelous as you could any day without care for tide etc. decide to go for a sail ... I often used to go down to her at an evening and have a few hours out in the bay .... The other boat is at my house on the river in Ventspils .... 40kms of deep wide river to play in ... again evenings etc. when weather is nice etc. and a couple bottles of wine etc.

If anyone does plan a trip tp Ventspils - the let me know - I'll assist as much as I can ... I am well known around here !!! Not many of us Brits left here now ... in fact I'm about the last ...

 

[cnh]

I'm intending to go that way this summer, as I'm buying a Huzar 30 and collecting it in Gdansk. My first cruise will be Latvia/Lithuania way. Anyone who's interested in a Trapper 500 - read this month's Sailing Today!

Nicholas Hill

www.channelpilot.info