US / Canada border restrictions predictions...

[Rol1964]

Originally Posted by Buddy_Y

For what it's worth.... About a month back in the Toronto Star (or was it the CBC site?), they interviewed an epidemiologist about when the border would open. The interviewer asked about opening up in Jan 2021. The epidemiologist's reply, as I recall, was to the effect: "That would be nice, but that would involve a miraculously fast vaccine advent. People need to understand that, given the US situation, even a fast vaccine arrival means opening the border up deep into 2021. And without a stroke of luck in the vaccine research, Canadians need to appreciate that there might not be an opening of the border in 2021 at all."

As a Canadian, I'm with everyone who is hoping hard for the vaccine, but is dead set against opening the border without one.

Late 2021....could conceivably stretch to 2022.....

[Stewie12]

The problem is with flair ups. Look at Spain. Massive lock down for months brought corona under control. Then the restrictions were eased and people immediately started partying . Now it once again has the highest rate of the virus in Europe and everyone is wearing masks in all public places.

[SV-Viento]

Popcorn is on

[ikebartlett]

I’m headed to the US now, I left Montreal a week ago, taking the Nova Scotia Cape Cod route. I called USA CBP before leaving, I will need a recent negative COVID test record or be quarantined on the boat for 14 days (days from last port of departure included).

[Mainstreet]

I’ve read some but not all posts to this thread. I concur with most in saying that the border will be closed until there is widespread willingness to open on the part of Canadians. We are far from that point at present. Until the U.S. sets up a cogent national plan to prevent this virus from spreading, the border will remain closed. November will be a watershed moment in this regard no matter who wins.

Because I live in that part of Canada directly across from Detroit Michigan, I have a stronger and more sympathetic understanding of how this problem is affecting Michigan Vessel owners. Because of exchange, proximity and quality of service, a number of Michiganders store their boats in yards in Ontario. Unfortunately they cannot access their boats to bring them back to the US and probably won’t be able to for the season or foreseeable future.

[grube]

The US COVID numbers are starting (finally) to go down. If the USA chucks Mr Orange and the numbers continue to decline and it appears that govts (all of them including state govts) follow science instead of right-wing blogs — the pandemic will ease off quickly. Hopefully the vaccines will be distributed by NLT Jan/Feb. This would make border easing more possibly by Spring and if not then, by summer.
(Remember back in March when we all thought that this would over by June...?). As a Cdn boater I look forward to seeing the San Juan’s and Puget Sound again. As a Cdn boater I don’t have a big problem with American boaters returning when all is safe because we feel lonely without your guiding presence ;>). Seriously though, many marinas and other tourist outposts in coastal BC will simply collapse without you.

[taxwizz]

Originally Posted by fahtcha

I'm glad to see that somebody has a good public health plan. The U.S. doesn't have the patience to follow through on anything.

It's pressure from the wealthy health insurance companies and their super wealthy owners.

I believe that the USA is the only one of the G8 countries without universal, free, public health care.

[abuzman]

Just curious - They were Canadians returning their Canadian registered boat to St. Johns or US citizens taking a US registered boat to? Thanks - AJ

[taxwizz]

Originally Posted by kmacdonald

Assistance? Are you kidding me? If you didn't earn it you won't get it. I guess you want assistance for a new car, house, boat, plane, etc. The world owes it to you doesn't it? Please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Must be an American.
And a Trump supporter?
Just guessing.............

[Exctyengr]

More a lament than a response. We Arizonans have very close elderly friends in BC that we miss. Would love to see them (esp. before we lose them). Moreover, BC is our favorite cruising grounds and we will go the entire year w/o our cruising fix. So I hope we Yankees get our s--t together soon so our Canadian cousins will let us visit.
All that said, Canada would be nuts to let us in now.

[Bloodhound]

Originally Posted by hpeer

Well damn, I would love to get to our home in Canada. But can’t for various reasons. Perhaps if I pushed the issue I could make it, as my wife is USA citizen that complicates matters.

I would also like to have spent the season in the Eastern Caribbean, but the various and sundry rules and restrictions down there make that a sketchy proposition. Can’t bet you would be allowed into Trinidad in event of hurricane, never know if/when next lockdown is coming.

So we will spend the fall and winter in North Carolina awaiting sanity to return to the world in general. Sort of a relaxed lock down with coffee shops and restaurants.

I had fully expected this event to have passed on by now, by June for Christ’s sake. Yet it lingers, exacerbated by all the politics spin. I’ve quit prognosticating, no use, nothing makes much sense.

Luckily I’m in retirement. Being a lifelong Type A I find my major employment now is learning how to chill out. Including how to not freak out and mouth off at Internet forum posts. I’ve my hands full. LOL

Patience, patience, patience. Practice, practice, practice.

If you are a Canadian citizen you can enter Canada any time you like. Your wife can accompany you. But be sure to bring along your marriage certificate to prove the fact; otherwise, a decent chance of being turned around -- depends on the border official.

[Sail Away 3]

I would say you will see a desire to open to our American friends when you see a downward trend on Covid past the point (lower) at which we closed the border to visitors across all 50 states.
The infection rates in the United States are continuing to rise, soar is a descriptive term. Can you see any country going through the pain of trying to control and reign in this virus wanting to invite outsiders to come visit and spread the virus when they are not making a maximum effort to control it at home???
I would very much like to be able to visit my American friends and invite them to come visit us but that won't happen anytime soon with what is happening.
Please, please, please take this virus seriously

What it looks like to outsiders is that you want everyone, all 300+ million people to catch it with the resulting death rate.

[pointbob]

Sorry for new question but I cannot seem to get a definitive answer.

I'm a Canadian Vancouver BC - my wife and I want to tandem kayak to camp on one of the San Juan isles (USA). We have friends and family there.

Are we allowed to kayak to the US? If so what are the procedures.

THANKS

[exMaggieDrum]

I'm going to be guilty of remembering something about this wrong but here goes anyway.


From what I have read several places, it is OK for US citizens (and other citizens from other countries in the US?) to travel through Canada by car/truck to get to Alaska via the roads. Travelers taking advantage of this are not supposed to stop at hotels or inns and stay and they are supposed to limited other interactions, i.e. no restaurants. This must be fairly difficult since it is such a long distance.


Specifically, Americans are not to deviate from the most direct and quickest route to Alaska (and I presume going south too).


Yesterday there was a news article about an American (who they said was from Arkansas but would not specifically identify) who was caught in the Banffs (I believe) just enjoying the area and not on his way to Alaska. The article said that he was ticketed and fined there. I think $750. This was several days ago. I am sure he was told to go back to the States asap.


However, a few days later he was caught in a different tourist/mountain area and had obviously not left the country. The article said that he is now in jail and is facing a $750,000 fine and six months in jail (the maximum evidently). I suspect he will be fined considerably more than the original $750 for the second offense.


As far as boats traveling north out of Washington waters, I thought that they had to follow similar rules, i.e. the most direct and fastest route with minimal stops for fuel and groceries. But no dilly dallying going from anchorage to anchorage or marina to marina. When you get north of the Broughtons it definitely gets more remote so I guess the chance of getting caught would be less. I doubt that the penalties would be much less though. Most charter boats (thousands of visitors each year) coming from the US have a limit to Desolation Sound or south.



If you are up there you will need fuel at some point (unless on a megayacht) and food (and certainly booze, beer, wine). Unless you check in at the border checkin spots you are not supposed to stop at all and get off the boat regardless of the virus restrictions.



Lots of people don't bother to stop at stop signs these days. And most don't get caught. But the ones that do get nasty fines. I think the mentality is the same with the boaters who may be flagrantly ignoring the traversing rules. I suspect the penalties of getting caught will be somewhere along the lines of the fellow from Arkansas. I also suspect you might have your boat impounded for some indefinite time.


And boats are leaving their AIS on when doing illegal things? Doesn't pass the smell test.

[rbk]

Originally Posted by taxwizz

Must be an American.
And a Trump supporter?
Just guessing.............

Why because he’s sick of seeing people living off tax payers dollars who don’t want to earn their way? I’m not a Trump supporter but the majority of people on social assistance don’t need to be there period; and there is a big difference between need and want.