Wahoo Search Newsletter #5 - December 15, 2002

Contents

• Winter in Soya, Wakkanai, and Sakhalin
• Conditional Russian Permission
• www.usswahoo.org popularity
• Season's greetings to one and all

Though the project went into "Dry-dock" in August as the weather window closed for the year, much has been going on below deck. So we conclude the year 2002 with Wahoo Newsletter #5.

Winter in Soya, Wakkanai, and Sakhalin.

Though the editor of this newsletter has been an active user of the World Wide Web since its inception in the early 1990's, it never ceases to amaze. When looking for winter photos of Wakkanai, a quick Google search yielded dozens. And when the temperatures were required, a few dozen keystrokes later, and they were there to see. The photos included in this edition were taken by Frank Bergin in the early 1960's. Mr. Bergin was stationed at Wakkanai with the USAF's 6986th RSM - a cold place to be during the cold war. After his recent retirement, he spends some of his time working on the web site from whence I obtained these photos (http://6986thrsm.homestead.com/Photo3pg4.html).

The average January temperature in Wakkanai is -5.5 °C (22 °F). The maximum snowfall during this time averages 73 cm (28 inches). Across the strait, the southern tip of Sakhalin is similar (we don't even want to think about how cold it is in the northern section of the island).

Conditional Russian Permission!

The Wahoo Project Team is pleased to report that the Government of the Russian Federation has officially and positively responded to our request for permission to search in their waters. But there are some requirements that the Russians are asking of us. The Wahoo lies in a sensitive area of the world and we will honor all diplomatic requirements asked of us. The Russian Government clearly understands that this is not a routine project and is just as concerned as we are about a successful and safe execution. We will keep you up to date as this progresses.

Hit count

If the web sites at www.usswahoo.org are any indication, there remains a continued interest in the Wahoo. Since January 1, 2002, there have been about 4800 visits to the web pages here. That works about to about 13 people per day. Not enough to knock the socks off an e-commerce site but respectable nonetheless.

Season's greetings to one and all

Fifty-nine years since the Wahoo and the Russian L-19 were lost, the winter waters of the Soya Strait are cold, dark and swift as 2002 draws to a close. In spite of the uncertainties with us today, we are mindful of the better world for which men from all sides sacrificed their lives six decades ago. We wish one and all the Season's greetings and a prosperous and happy new year.

Be sure to stay informed by visiting www.mackinnon.org/numa.