A family of Russian castaways will risk their lives to sail back to Nova Scotia during the worst hurricane season since records began.

The Bondarenko family hit the headlines in both Bermuda and Canada when they arrived at Convict Bay in their boat the two months ago.

Seeking refuge from both the ferocious sea and political forces when they arrived on the Island on June 15 from Nova Scotia they were caught in a catch-22, as Bermudian Immigration said their Russian passports would not allow them to get ordinary tourist visas to allow them to be officially landed in Bermuda.

?If I got the paperwork next week I would take the risk and sail to Nova Scotia,? Vitaly Bondarenko said yesterday. ?I am very, very upset the paperwork has taken so long.

?We are depressed to be stuck here. Our depression gets deeper and deeper. We had two tropical storms here already and another one approaching for Tuesday. Now we have to go in the hurricane season. I don?t know how we are going to sail out of Bermuda now.?

?I don?t know when we will leave the Island. It means it is very dangerous to leave right now. But if I got the paperwork today, I would leave today,? he said.

Chief Immigration Officer Martin Brewer said yesterday the family?s presence in Bermuda was being tolerated but not encouraged.

?They haven?t been landed. They are here on sufferance. They are going to get to stay until their boat is fixed and they get their Canadian papers.?

Mr. Brewer made it clear the fact the Russians were still here was an exception, not the rule.

Immigration has been talking to Canadian immigration official ?keeping an eye on the situation? Mr. Brewer said, however, he was unable to discuss individual cases.

Their only hope is to wait out the decision by Canadian immigration authorities who will decide whether they can reside there.

Since 2003 it has been a requirement in Bermuda law for anyone from Russia and other non-EU countries to have a visa before entering the Island.

Although visiting yachts and their crews who arrive during hurricane season may be given permission to stay in Bermuda for up to five months so as to provide a safe haven, this is not an option for the Russians as they officially are not here.

But life in limbo here is tolerable, Mr. Bondarenko said.

?Everything is okay with us,? he said. ?Immigration let us stay until the paperwork be done. We are allowed to go shopping for food. We are allowed to go on the Island.?

They have been island-hopping for the last 14 years, the whole time his sons Ivan and Vasily have been alive.

Mother Marina teaches oldest son Ivan for three hours every day but his little brother Vasily gets only half as much class time.

?The little boy has school but not so much as my old son,? he said in his thick Russian accent. ?I have plenty things to do with the boat. I installed a rudder. There are many things that need to be fixed,? he said. ?It is our home. We like to keep it up. Sometimes we got to the beach by row boat.?

However, it might not be all doom and gloom for the family, as Mr. Bondarenko said his Canadian human-rights lawyer Lee Cohen was expecting an update next week.

?Our lawyer said it may be very soon,? he said.

Mr. Cohen could not be contacted yesterday but a reporter for the Halifax Chronicle newspaper said this week that the Bondarenkos had been accepted into a employment programme for the province of Nova Scotia, meaning they can apply for immigration status.

However, Mr. Bondarenko said this was not the good news he was waiting for.

Bermudians had been responding to their plight with boxes of food and money, but the proud Russian will not take the gifts.

?We are okay for money right now,? he said. ?We hope the paperwork will be done soon.?