Is a passport required for an overnight anchorage in Canada?

[deblen]

Originally Posted by reed1v

Well something is cross wired: Friend was sailing up the inland passage last month to Alaska when stopped by Canadian folks. Was required to put into port to register. No ifs ands or buts. Sternly told next time boat would be seized. All transient boats entering Canadian waters regardless of reasons must go through customs first. No right of passage, zero.

Inside (East of)Vancouver Island would be completely Canadian waters.
I doubt if those waters would be subject to "Right of Innocent passage",since you could go West (outside) of VI. Could be wrong.

[deblen]

Innocent Passage Note the last requirement-kinda broad

Innocent Passage Definition

[Tetepare]

Hopefully the question is now answered: as of today, YES you have to check in, even to be transiting or sitting in Canadian waters. If you want to know what's being proposed, go back to page 1 and read the link from the Syracuse news.

It's all quite silly really, but it does keep people employed.

I for one would like to see a kayak race in the Thousand Islands between Canadian Endymion and US Grindstone islands- how many times two hundred kayaks can cross an international border in one hour. Perhaps that would demonstrate the stupidity of all this border enforcement.

[deblen]

Beware of these guys!!

[deblen]

Originally Posted by Dave Lochner

Last summer my wife and I got our Nexus cards. We did not have to submit our passports, however, you do have to appear at a designated border crossing and be cleared by both the US and Canadian Border Patrols. They will inspect your passport.

The US BP will take electronic fingerprints and the Canadians will take iris scans or at least try to take iris scans. My irises don't scan well.

I've yet to use it when traveling by boat to Canada, but by car it is much easier and shorter lines. That and the Pre-check lines at the airport are shorter and you don't have mess with body scans, removing shoes, etc.

A Can-Pass may be the Canadian version of a Nexus Card.

Also, the link I sent earlier was for a commercial service to complete the forms. Here's the link to the USCBP site:

https://www.cbp.gov/travel/trusted-t...programs/nexus

The forms aren't that hard to complete.

The Nexus office in Ivy Lea at the 1000 Bridge has both Canadian and US Officials in the same office. In Niagara Falls you have to cross the border to go to both offices. They are conveniently located at opposite ends of a Nexus only bridge.

Thanks for this info Dave!

[Dave Lochner]

Originally Posted by reed1v

Well something is cross wired: Friend was sailing up the inland passage last month to Alaska when stopped by Canadian folks. Was required to put into port to register. No ifs ands or buts. Sternly told next time boat would be seized. All transient boats entering Canadian waters regardless of reasons must go through customs first. No right of passage, zero.

If you have Canadian land to port, Canadian land to starboard, Canadian land forward and aft, then it would seem that you are clearly in Canadian waters. While your intention might be to simply transit the waters, on a long trip up the inland passage how are the Canadian authorities to know that you will not stop?

In matters of crossing international boundaries it is usually better to report and comply than not.

[deblen]

Originally Posted by jackdale

On another note. I was on a Canadian registered boat that is moored at Point Roberts WA. After we cleared back into the US after a sail up to Desolation Sound and back, the CBP retained the ships registration papers. They said they would be returned when the vessel cleared out of Point Roberts.

Anyone aware of this policy / procedure?

Point Roberts & Campobello Is. are "special" situations.
The only land route is thru the other nation.
I suspect that may be the answer-not sure.

[Dave Lochner]

Originally Posted by Tetepare

I for one would like to see a kayak race in the Thousand Islands between Canadian Endymion and US Grindstone islands- how many times two hundred kayaks can cross an international border in one hour. Perhaps that would demonstrate the stupidity of all this border enforcement.

A short dingy ride from Endymion is Canoe Point State Park in NY on Grindstone Island. The park is the nearest place to buy ice. I've heard rumors that sometimes people cross over the border to buy ice without reporting.

I was once boarded by the USCG in that channel. They politely instructed me to stay in the middle to south side of the channel, in US waters.

[Schooner Chandlery]

Originally Posted by deblen

Inside (East of)Vancouver Island would be completely Canadian waters.
I doubt if those waters would be subject to "Right of Innocent passage",since you could go West (outside) of VI. Could be wrong.

When we sailed from Neah Bay WA to Ketchikan AK we just got a transit permit from the Canadians. That meant we couldn't anchor except for emergency. It was early spring before the border stations on the west side of Vancouver island were open otherwise we would have checked in the normal way. It would have taken an extra week round trip to go all the way into a place (thinking it was over by Victoria) where we could actually check in.

Our planned passage was outside VI and then up Hecate Strait and across the Dixon Entrance. It should have taken about 8 days max with no anchoring. Ha!

Wx looked ok but our motor sail up the west coast of the island was painfully slow (2kts for about 30 hrs) with currents and winds contrary to our goals. Wx changes fast up there only 24 hrs into our passage a full storm was forecast to hit in 48 hrs. We considered going back to Neah Bay but decided we would just duck into a tight anchorage, Bottleneck Cove, in Sydney Inlet. We sat there anchored for 48 hrs cosy while the weather buoy outside the inlet recorded 60 kt winds and 5-6 meter seas.

On our way again with no plans to stop again until AK we were pounded by nasty gales so bad that we couldn't get in to anchor if we'd wanted to anyway. Finally though after 7 more days sailing we were about 3/4 the way up Hecate Strait when another full storm was forecast. We turned and ran backtracking 8 hrs downwind and to the east to duck into a sheltered anchorage. The winds raged outside and even inside the anchorage we were at 30-40 kts. 9 days stuck there. 3 due to the storm and 6 because the entrance to the anchorage was a narrow rocky tidal rapids and it took that long before the daylight, depth, and current direction lined up so we could safely exit. Geese.

All on a transit permit. We didn't want to stop nor intend to but had to. Didn't see a soul the whole time until close to the Dixon Entrance. When we returned to the lower 48 we easily checked in at Prince Rupert and anchored every night save one on the way back down.

The Canadians seem more practical about the whole checkin thing than the USA is IMO.


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Tetepare

Hopefully the question is now answered: as of today, YES you have to check in, even to be transiting or sitting in Canadian waters. If you want to know what's being proposed, go back to page 1 and read the link from the Syracuse news.

Again, and I don't want to belabour the point, but the answer is NO, you don't necessarily have to clear in through customs if you are transiting Canadian, American or any other nations' waters. If you are transiting through on an "Innocent Passage" (thanks deblen ) you are not obligated to clear into the country.

But "Innocent Passage" is vague, like all international law, so sometimes common sense must prevail. I like Dave L's definition. Seems a sensible view .

The other approach is to simply err on the side of caution, and clear in. When travelling in, or even through another nation's waters, you are a guest. You have few rights b/c you're not a citizen. If there is any question, just clear in. No big deal.

[adlib2]

Technically speaking Canada does not require Americans to show a passport to enter our country. Other official id will still suffice. However, the USA demands that everyone have a passport to enter ... even its own citizens. So you can come here without your passport. You just can't go back home.


We're so nice!!

Originally Posted by deblen

We're so nice!!

It's Americans that complain our Borders are not adequately secure? They even want our Customs and Immigration, and Coast Guard to carry guns for christ sake~~
Europe is completely open because they know border control only keeps out the innocent desirables and the undesirables will find a way of entry.

[Tetepare]

Originally Posted by Dave Lochner

I've heard rumors that sometimes people cross over the border to buy ice without reporting. .

Oh the horrors! Say it isn't so!

[Dave Lochner]

Originally Posted by Tetepare

Oh the horrors! Say it isn't so!

I can neither confirm nor deny those rumors.

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by reed1v

This was the Alaskan passage. Do not think you can do Alaska from Lake Michigan, yet. They were taking their ct54 non stop to Alaska from Seattle.

.

I must have really messed up as I mentioned whale watching on Lake Michigan...oops, no I never mentioned whale watching on Lake Michigan and knew exactly what we were talking about.

Incidental crossing of the border is no big deal I an guarantee they did something else to draw attention.

PS: Canada has no shoreline along Lake Michigan.

[reed1v]

Originally Posted by valhalla360

I must have really messed up as I mentioned whale watching on Lake Michigan...oops, no I never mentioned whale watching on Lake Michigan and knew exactly what we were talking about.

Incidental crossing of the border is no big deal I an guarantee they did something else to draw attention.

PS: Canada has no shoreline along Lake Michigan.

A ct54 with a bunch of old geezers from CalTech?? Nope, think it was the flag and the recent tit-for-tat going on between the two nations. You are correct, furthermore Syria has no shoreline along Lake Michigan.