Pitufa.at

The Federated States of Micronesia aren’t overly federated, but rather separated with different supply ships for the different areas and you even have to clear in and out of each of the territories and get your passport stamped each time…
Important tip: You have to get a cruising permit from FSM BEFORE sailing there. The process takes about 2 weeks, not months (as it says on noonsite). Send Forms, ship’s papers, crew list and passport scans to
eugenemarquez82@yahoo.com
You can find the form here https://visit-micronesia.fm/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/permit.pdf

As advised on Noforeignland we wrote emails to immigration, customs and biosecurity a day before our arrival in Chuuk and WhatsApped port control (VHF 16 isn’t monitored), but got no answers. Once in Weno, we anchored off the Truk-Stop Hotel (just outside the dock with a little pavillion, they let you use the dock if you ask nicely at the restaurant) and finally got a Whatsapp answer from port control. We explained that we were tired and wanted to wait with the clearance until the next morning–no problem we were told.

The next morning it was gusty and squally, so we asked whether we could just take the dinghy in, instead of going alongside on the commercial pier with Pitufa–no reply. So we prepared Pitufa, removed the solar panel on the side, got the fenders out, searched for long lines, etc. Just as we had the boat ready, we got a message “You can dinghy in”. So we got the dinghy into the water, put the outboard on–and got an email from immigration that we had to go alongside after all as officials would want to board and inspect the vessel. Right.
Once more we got the panel down and fenders out and went alongside the dock with Pitufa. The officials came by car, looked dubiously from the high dock down to the deck and decided not to climb down, Christian climbed up instead and did the paperwork in 3 different cars…

To clear out we wrote once again emails to all offices, whatsapped–again nothing. So we walked to the port and found the office of Port Control: most people were already on Xmas holidays, but Marcus, the assistant of the harbour master (thanks a lot!!!) took us with his car up to finance (to pay our fees, 25 USD check in, 25 USD anchorage fee for the first 2 days and 10 USD for each following day), on to immigration (where the lady stamped the passport with a smile and a merry Christmas) and on to Customs. The lady there acts like she’s just been on a training week in LAX (the world’s unfriendliest airport, where you get yelled at by security guards who think they work in a high-security prison ).
“What time are you leaving?”
“Well, in the afternoon, after we’ve finished with all the paperwork.”
“What time?”
“Hm, 4 o’clock?”
“Then come back at 3!”
(It’s 12 and we’ve already been waiting around various places since 10…) “Okay, then we leave at 2.”
“Then you must come back at 1!!”
(Going back by car and walk once more to the office would take an hour…). “Alright, then we leave at 1, that’s in an hour.”
Suspicion creeping into her face: “Why do you keep changing your departure time?”
(Because you make me, BITCH) “Because we will leave as soon as we are done with the paperwork, so the sooner you give us the clearance, the sooner we will leave.”
We finally walked out with the clearance and a lingering threat that she would come to inspect the boat, which she didn’t in the end…

So here are all the currently relevant email addresses, good luck if you’re going there
philbisalen.20@gmail.com, pbisalen@gmail.com, dot.chuuk@gmail.com, mailocathy93@gmail.com, chuukimmigration.doj@gmail.com, chuukquarantine04@gmail.com, lowrainray@gmail.com

Finding our way to the office of Port Control: through the workshop, when you reach the rubbish dump, turn left