Sakhalin, Pogibi to Lazarev ferry?

[stubdetoe]

Five of us are heading out from Japan north across to Sakhalin, then all the way north to Pogibi which is the closest point to mainland Russia at Lazarev so we can avoid Vlad. It is only a 7 km crossing. A tunnel was started in the 50s but never completed. Does anyone know if it can be crossed by ferry or even using a local boat. There are bits of mention of a ferry there but nothing recent.

[Chris of Japan]

The usual ferry route is Kholmsk (Sakhalin) to Vanino (mainland).
Search for these cities on the HUBB and you will find lots of information on the ferry.
The only person I know who has tried the north is Mika Kuhn way back in 2003.
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...0948#post98410
Good Luck!

[stubdetoe]

Thanks Chris, know about the usual route, but want to explore new areas, however don't want to ride 1000 km on poor roads just to find there is no way across!

[colebatch]

My Russian friends Pate & co did it in 2010. There is no ferry as far as I know but they paid a local boat to take them over from Lazarev to Sakhalin

[stubdetoe]

Good to know Colebatch, would there be some way to get in touch with these fellows? Lazarev is a much large place than Pogibi as we would be coming the other way. I can imagine seeing the boat tied up across the way and no way to tell them we are on the other side! I need to know if there are small boats on the Sakhalin side in the area.

[mika]

hello subdetoe, dont worry just go to lazarev and ask your way around, they have radio communication with pogibi ... be prepared for some real bad tracks from pogibi onwards, knee deep mud and swamps, and be aware of the bears ... have fun exploring this part of Russia, the people are fantastic and they will help you out. greetings from Bolivia mika

[stubdetoe]

Thanks Mika

The problem is we are going west from Pogibi, do you think there are boats that can carry us on the Pogibi side, or at least comms to call across, seems like there is not. Uh in Pogibi for what I can see.

Good point on the bears, I carry Bear Bangers from Romania with flares for those guys! Do you have a write up somewhere on your experience coming south on Sakhalin?

Ride safe in Bolivia, fantastic place, but not all that safe in places.

Bill

[lbendel]

Interesting, I thought Sakhalin was pretty much off-limits to foreigners except for the southern tip..?

[stubdetoe]

I understand it used to be a secure military area during the soviet times, but has since opened up, but still very remote and unknown.

[colebatch]

Originally Posted by stubdetoe

Good to know Colebatch, would there be some way to get in touch with these fellows? Lazarev is a much large place than Pogibi as we would be coming the other way. I can imagine seeing the boat tied up across the way and no way to tell them we are on the other side! I need to know if there are small boats on the Sakhalin side in the area.

Have a read of this thread and contact the author directly to get in touch. Pate says in the report there are 5 people living in Pogibi. Obviously they will have contact with people in Lazarev, as it will be their main link to the outside world. I suggest heading to Pogibi and asking the 5 locals to help get you across.

Sakhalin or unfinished the BAM road - ADVrider

[stubdetoe]

Excellent thanks Walter, will contact Pate. Are you living in Russia, maybe we can hook up for a brewskis next summer if in your area! Send me a PM and I will expand on who we are and what we are up to. Have been reading your thread for a few years and it has actually been an inspiration for our trip! Your efforts are appreciated for sure. I am hosting the HU meeting in Ontario, Canada this September 2014 and would love to have you there to give a talk...if you are on this side of the pond!

[Snoah]

I had a good time on Sakhalin last year. No military presence. Lots of gas/oil works on the north side. I wish I could have explored longer then a week. I used the vanino/khomsk ferry.