Quote:
Originally Posted by japarker11
Jd1,
If its a test you want, it will be a test you will get if you choose Roche Harbor and clear back through your homeland at Bedwell!
It seems these two stations are in a contest to be the most insulting, boot jack tough bunch on the US-Canada border. One seems bent on retaliating against the other for the gall of the Americans for requiring passports for border crossings. From personal experience of the last two years, each crossing involving each of these entry ports has been four hours of accusation and innuendo filled interrogations.
In the same time frame clearances at Victoria, Sydney and Friday Harbor were a breeze.
In the case of Roche, I am completely dumbfound as the personnel is largely the same as FHA.
Let us know your experiences.
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My experience is far more dated than yours but my experience, particularly at Bedwell Hbr was exactly the oposite. I was checking into
Canada with my Canadian passport with a South African, an Australian and a Brit which I thought would give the C&I in
Canada a fit.
The guy in front of me, An American, was asked where he was headed to which he replied,'Alaska'. When asked if he had any firearms aboard, he said he had a 30.06, a shotgun and a .45 ACP 1911. The C&I officer said...'gee, I'm sorry Sir but handguns are not permitted in Canada to which the American sailor replied that he would not be going ashore in Canada, just passing through. When informed he was not allow to have a handgun in Canadian waters he got a bit belligerent but the Canadian C&I officer said, "look... I could confiscate the pistol and your
boat right now but what I suggest is you return to Roche or Friday Harbor, mail the handdgun to yourself c/o General
Delivery in your first
Alaska port of call and pick it up there. They are used to this so don't worry, they'll take care of your pistol'.
Given the way the Officer could have handled it. the American sailor got off pretty easy I would say!
When I presented our 4 different passports, he said,' What have we here? the United Nations?' I was really impressed with his calm and friendly demeanor no matter he was faced with! Phil