During the summer of 1999, a 26-foot Glacier Bay Catamaran escorted two, personal watercraft across the Bering Strait from the United States to Russia to claim the record for the smallest boats to make this dangerous passage. Armed with twin,140 hp Suzuki engines, the Glacier Bay 2680 served as safety/support vessel to the Sea-Doos that would run from Alaska’s Little Diomede Island to Siberia’s Big Diomede Island.These islands are located two miles apart in the midst of the 48-mile wide Bering Strait about 50 miles south of the Arctic Circle.

Departing Nome on the first day of the spring thaw, Graf carefully navigated the 26-footer through a huge maze of ice islands. Loaded with full tanks plus 180 gallons of extra fuel for the Sea-Doos, six people, television gear as well as provisions, electronics and safety equipment, Graf steered the Coastal Runner into a surreal sea.

In less than two-days’ span, the brawny cat would cover more than 420 miles round trip. During the 130 mile run from Nome to meet three Sea-Doos in Teller, the crew searched with binoculars for the main passage through a gyrating maze of ice and bergy bits. After their rendezvous, the quartet pushed another 60 miles to Little Diomede.

Just a mile off Little Diomede, the intrepid boaters on two Sea-Doos and one 26-foot catamaran moved from international into Russian waters. At this point, they also straddled two continents (Asia/America, two countries (Russia/USA and two days (across the dateline).Upon the approach to Big Diomede, the Glacier Bay hailed the Russians on the VHF, but received no reply. However, as the Sea-Doos nudged closer, a party of ragged, 19-year-old soldiers, armed with AK-47’s, motioned to the riders to pull the Sea-Doos ashore. The Coastal Runner stood by off the island. After a meeting, the sour-looking soldiers returned to the beach with smiles on their faces. It seemed that a few "presents" cleared the diplomatic air. After circumnavigating the Russian island, the Sea-Doos headed straight back to Teller.

Back in Seattle, when the ice scratched and scraped Coastal Runner was hauled, the inspection showed only chips to the gelcoat, no damage to the fiberglass. "It was a great opportunity to once again demonstrate Glacier Bay’s toughness, stability, range and load carrying capacity," said Graf. "But, what is more, I love doing the unusual with the boats. I love doing things that no one has done before!”

This crossing was the crown jewel of two Alaska trips that began in Seattle, 2,700 miles away.