The Marshall Islands Compendium A Compilation of Guidebook References and Cruising Reports IMPORTANT: USE ALL INFORMATION IN THIS DOCUMENT AT YOUR OWN RISK!! Rev A.3 – February 15 2014 We welcome updates to this guide! (especially for places we have no cruiser information on) Email Soggy Paws at sherry –at- svsoggypaws –dot- com. You can also contact us on Sailmail at WDD5182 The current home of the official copy of this document is http://svsoggypaws.com/files/ If you found it posted elsewhere, there might be an updated copy at svsoggypaws.com. Revision Log Many thanks to all who have contributed over the years!! Rev Date Notes A.0 12-Aug-2013 Initial version, still very rough at this point!! A.1 10-Sep-2013 Updates on Mili and Maloelap A.2 10-Oct-2013 Updates on Majuro, Jaluit, Kwajalein A.3 15-Feb-2014 Minor updates Table of Contents REVISION LOG .......................................................................................................................................... 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................................................................. 3 1 INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................................... 5 1.1 ORGANIZATION OF THE GUIDE ..................................................................................................................... 5 1.2 OVERVIEW OF THE AREA ........................................................................................................................... 5 1.3 TIME ZONE ............................................................................................................................................ 5 1.4 WEATHER IN THIS AREA ........................................................................................................................... 5 1.5 CUSTOMS & IMMIGRATION ....................................................................................................................... 14 1.6 LOCAL INFORMATION AND CUSTOMS ........................................................................................................... 15 1.7 YACHTSMEN’S SERVICES - OVERVIEW ........................................................................................................ 18 1.8 U.S. EMBASSY ..................................................................................................................................... 20 1.9 GETTING VISITORS IN AND OUT ................................................................................................................ 20 1.10 COMMUNICATIONS ................................................................................................................................ 20 1.11 DIVING .............................................................................................................................................. 24 1.12 HAULOUT, STORAGE, AND REPAIR FACILITIES ............................................................................................ 25 1.13 TSUNAMI INFORMATION .......................................................................................................................... 25 1.14 CRUISING INFORMATION SOURCES ........................................................................................................... 25 1.15 PRINTED SOURCES .............................................................................................................................. 27 2 PASSAGE REPORTS ............................................................................................................................ 29 2.1 PASSAGES BETWEEN THE MARSHALL ISLANDS AND OTHER PLACES ................................................................... 29 2.2 PASSAGES UP AND DOWN THE RATAK (EASTERN) CHAIN ............................................................................... 29 2.3 PASSAGES UP AND DOWN THE RALIK (WESTERN) CHAIN ............................................................................... 34 2.4 PASSAGES GOING EAST AND WEST IN THE MARSHALL ISLANDS ....................................................................... 36 3 MAJURO ................................................................................................................................................ 38 3.1 APPROACH, ARRIVAL AND FORMALITIES ...................................................................................................... 38 3.2 CRUISERS SERVICES .............................................................................................................................. 42 3.3 COMMUNICATIONS .................................................................................................................................. 45 3.4 THINGS TO SEE AND DO AROUND MAJURO ATOLL ........................................................................................ 47 3.5 CRUISING MAJURO ATOLL ....................................................................................................................... 52 3.6 CRUISING THE OUTER ISLANDS ................................................................................................................. 53 4 ATOLLS SOUTH AND EAST OF MAJURO .......................................................................................... 55 4.1 MILI ................................................................................................................................................... 55 4.2 JALUIT ................................................................................................................................................ 60 4.3 ARNO ................................................................................................................................................. 64 4.4 EBON ................................................................................................................................................. 64 4.5 NAMORIK ............................................................................................................................................. 64 5 ATOLLS NORTH AND WEST OF MAJURO - RATAK CHAIN ............................................................. 64 5.1 SUGGESTED CRUISING ROUTES ................................................................................................................ 64 5.2 AUR ................................................................................................................................................... 64 5.3 MALOELAP ........................................................................................................................................... 74 5.4 WOTJE ............................................................................................................................................... 87 5.5 ERIKUB ............................................................................................................................................... 89 5.6 LIKIEP ................................................................................................................................................. 90 5.7 MEJIT ................................................................................................................................................. 94 5.8 UTIRIK ................................................................................................................................................ 94 5.9 TOKE/TAKA {UNINHABITED) ...................................................................................................................... 95 5.10 AILUK ............................................................................................................................................... 96 5.11 BIKAR ............................................................................................................................................... 98 6 ATOLLS NORTH AND WEST OF MAJURO - RALIK CHAIN ............................................................... 99 6.1 AILINGLAPALAP ...................................................................................................................................... 99 6.2 NAMU ................................................................................................................................................. 99 6.3 LIB ..................................................................................................................................................... 99 6.4 KWAJALEIN ........................................................................................................................................... 99 6.5 UJAE ................................................................................................................................................ 111 6.6 WOTHO ............................................................................................................................................. 111 6.7 ALINGINAE ......................................................................................................................................... 111 6.8 RONGELAP ......................................................................................................................................... 111 6.9 RONGERIK ......................................................................................................................................... 113 6.10 BIKINI ............................................................................................................................................