Crew Available: California to China Friendship Voyage

[Statistical]

Originally Posted by Shrew

It's naïve to think that you're going to get the attention of Xi Jinping, or that the local municipal government of the port your visiting cares about your visit or your non-ambassador status.

There is a much higher likelihood of being detained and questioned. There are US travel advisories due to wrongful detentions and arbitrary enforcement of local laws.

With the number of US/PRC military 'close calls' lately as they assert their sovereignty in the South China Seas, there is a possibility that your approach and visit could be misconstrued. Every small municipal government agent would love to serve a 'big fish' up to 'the people'.

I think people really don't get the concept of jurisdiction, sovereignty, and the limits on US power.

Ask all the American in recent years who went to Russia, got arrested as a stunt on trumped up charges and spent months or years in prison.

There are Americans in Chinese prisons right now on trumped up charges. They will remain there until such time of China gets bored of them. If they feel like it they will remain in prison until they die there. The US can not do anything beyond negotiate and if China feels it is more valuable as a message/token to keep you in prison for 40 years for something you didn't do they will. No delta force is going to make some daring midnight raid to bust you out of prison.

Combine all the fun of being in prison, with being the outsider, without even understanding the language of the people beating this crap out of you. Now imagine that is your life for the indefinite future.

I seriously have zero understanding why people travel to countries which are overt advesaries of the US. It doesn't require you to actually be a spy to be arrested on trumped up espionage charges.

[the stargazer]

^^^ Good points. Show up with your multivitamins and end up getting charged like Britney Griner in Russia. I would love to go to China someday, but sailing there sounds dangerous and visiting right now in general doesn't sound appealing to me as an American who can get into trouble in even the safest places.

[bgallinger]

tfliveright, If you're looking for financial support, why not contact the PRC directly? I'm sure they will welcome you with open arms if you promise to say nice things!

[Statistical]

Originally Posted by the stargazer

^^^ Good points. Show up with your multivitamins and end up getting charged like Britney Griner in Russia. I would love to go to China someday, but sailing there sounds dangerous and visiting right now in general doesn't sound appealing to me as an American who can get into trouble in even the safest places.

Indeed. Lets see what state department says about travel to China.

Reconsider travel to the People’s Republic of China (PRC), including the Special Administrative Regions (SARs) of Hong Kong and Macau due to arbitrary enforcement of local laws. See specific risks and conditions in each jurisdiction below. Commercial transportation options for international departure and arrival are available. Exercise increased caution in the PRC due to wrongful detentions.

Country Summary: The PRC government arbitrarily enforces local laws, including issuing exit bans on U.S. citizens and citizens of other countries without fair and transparent process under the law.

The Department has determined the risk of wrongful detention of U.S. nationals by the PRC government exists in mainland China.

U.S. citizens traveling or residing in the PRC, including the Hong Kong SAR and the Macau SAR, may be detained without access to U.S. consular services or information about their alleged crime. U.S. citizens in the PRC may be subjected to prolonged interrogations and extended detention without due process of law.

Foreigners in the PRC and the Hong Kong SAR, including but not limited to businesspeople, former foreign government personnel, and journalists have been unjustly interrogated and detained by PRC officials for alleged violations of PRC national security laws. The PRC has also interrogated, detained, and expelled U.S. citizens living and working in the PRC.

Security personnel may detain and/or deport U.S. citizens for sending private electronic messages critical of the PRC, Hong Kong SAR, or Macau SAR governments.

In addition, the PRC government has used restrictions on travel or departure from the PRC, or so-called exit bans, to:

compel individuals to participate in PRC government investigations,
pressure family members of the restricted individual to return to the PRC from abroad, resolve civil disputes in favor of PRC citizens, and
gain bargaining leverage over foreign governments.

In most cases, U.S. citizens only become aware of an exit ban when they attempt to depart the PRC, and there is no reliable mechanism or legal process to find out how long the ban might continue or to contest it in a court of law. Relatives, including minor children, of those under investigation in the PRC may become subject to an exit ban.

https://travel.state.gov/content/tra...-advisory.html

There are very few countries which are category 3 or 4 travel advisory. It is usually a big deal for the US to classify a country as level 3 or 4 because there are political and economic implications. It complicates future US relations and negotiations. So if anything the state department is a bit too slow to elevate risk categories.

I won't live long enough to visit all the friendly/neutral countries in the world so I see zero reason to end up in a Chinese prison. Even if you don't end up in prison imagine the stress/fear involved when you try to leave and they advise you that you are subject to an indefinite "exit ban". You will leave when the Chinese State decides to grant you permission to leave and not a second before that. It could be hours or weeks or never.

[the stargazer]

I guess you could always escape to safety across the border to North Korea.

Seriously though, I would love to visit China, especially the Sichuan region. I could spend months there just eating. Oh well. Maybe down the line.

[P3sailor]

Can't imagine with all that's going on with that communist country why anyone would even consider going there, but whatever floats your boat. The authorities would probably arrest you as a u.s. spy, not serious of course, but it's a possibility.

[Nicholson58]

Originally Posted by Sand crab

Have you done any homework? China is not cruiser friendly. Sailing here and there is simply not done. Many ports are set up for large shipping so you have to pay for a pilot to get in and get out. Etc.

Yes, Pilot/full time on board minder plus expenses including his transportation home. Your itinerary will not be made by you. You will not choose the venues or timing. This means you may be made to travel when you should stay safe. The “cruising permit “ is several thousands. You will be a political pawn. China is notoriously unfriendly to yachts from anywhere.

[Siberian Sea]

So if I understand this correctly...... you don’t have a vessel, you don’t have the finances, your not overly aware of the situation in regards to cruising vessels entering China, you don’t speak Chinese, not aware of the Visa requirements or what ports of entry if any for a private vessel to clear in/out, and maybe your have never been there. However you desire individuals provide the needed resources to sail across the Pacific Ocean and show the communist Chinese government and people we are nice and wish to be friends.
Well sounds more idealistic then practical at this point in the plan. It might behoove you to first study and prepare a bit more before you present your idea seeking support. Also putting up some of your own money is not a bad idea so folks believe your serious and committed to the venture.

[Nicholson58]

Troll? Maybe just very naive?

[keithhe]

Lol. This might be one of the most naive things I’ve ever read on this forum. Reminds me quite a bit of the Canadian/American couple who decided to go hiking in Afghanistan and were captured by the Taliban. Evidently North Korea was booked up.
Established business people there are harassed daily of late and the government answers to nobody. It’s a foolish thing to even contemplate, in MHO.
But if you ever get any money, a boat, and others as naive please start a YouTube channel so we can follow the folly.

[NaClyDog]

Naive?? What's wrong with you people... this is how you get a free boat and a free crew for it to take you where you want to go for free.

[FL_Tony]

Best for you to just move there and live for a few years first. Then you will be able to work out the logistics for that end of the trip.

The Chinese Communist Party will be the biggest obstacle. Likely they will hijack any effort for propaganda value. If you make true contact with anyone that the CCP did not arrange, they and their family will end up in a reeducation camp.

[Siberian Sea]

Originally Posted by tfliveright

No's to both your question. In essence, I hope to find folks who share the underlying wish to improve relations with China and are willing to put in the work to raise funds for the venture. If it starts to gel, I could imagine that 4 to 6 sailors with some savings could make it happen. I do know some groups who share my philosophy. One of them Code Pink has numerous connections and has raised funds for several flotillas, ones to Palestine for example.
But, in my hope that this idea is of interest and you are willing to join me in brain storming and knocking on the right doors, I hope to hear back. Perhaps we would benefit from a telephone chat. I look forward to your response.

Unfortunately the so called “flotilla to Palestine” was not welcomed by the Israeli Government as they attempted to circumnavigate proper clearance and visa procedures. Given the tensions and weapons importation problems the Israeli government faces each day with Gaza it was a poor decision to do such a stunt. Many like myself whom served in the IDF viewed this flotilla to Palestine as nothing more then an anti Semitic propaganda stunt. Nothing good came from this, and now in your fruitless ideological thinking you want to reproduce something of the sort with the fun folks in communist China. Oh yes, it’s for friendship I forgot. Call your friend Bernie Sanders, he has a lot of cash maybe he can bankroll your Chinese cruise.

[dannc]

There are plenty of experiences getting into China via a sailboat on noonsite. It is not easy, pretty, fun or cheap. All I have read have had some not nice, if not down right dangerous situations that could have gone bad quickly.

[JPA Cate]

Over the years, I have seen many well intentioned efforts fail miserably due to unforeseen consequences. These have been mostly white male notions of help without asking the people what they want first.

In this case, we have the OP who wants to go where he knows he will be unwelcome, and I have to ask, how can this project possibly have a favorable outcome? His best option would be to get his own boat and visas as required, and go there on his own, if he chooses to try and do it at all. The project seems ill fated to me.

Ann