Clearing Canadian Customs

[Sean Engle]

Regarding the clearing of Canadian Customs - has anyone here gone up there since 9/11? I've never cleared by boat - and would like to do so at Roach Harbor before crossing over (I've heard this is possible)?

Any comments - suggestions?

Thanks,
//sse

 

[Gord Bell]

The info that I have states that all boats entering Canada by water must arrive at a designated marina.(source 2002 boating services by pacific yachting) For places in the gulf islands/sidney area you can go to Anglers Anchorage Marina, Conoe Cove Marina, Port Sidney Marina,Van Isle Marina,South Pender Island-Bedwell Harbour(May 1-Sept 30). Hope this is some help for you and may see you in the gulf islands in Sept.

 

[Sean Engle]

Excellent! Thanks very much, Gord - appreciate it. We'll be up there in three weeks! I'm meeting a J40 up there somewhere - and would enjoy meeting some of you 'North of the Border' types as well!

//sse

 

[andy beach]

Canadian Customs

Living in Friday Harbor we have made several trips into Canada recently.Our favorite place to check in is Bedwell Harbor especially in the shoulder seasons there is virtually no waiting and the process is very casual.August can be a bit more crowded and you may have to circle for dock space but there is plenty of room to maneuver.Since 9/11 passports are expected but I've never seen anybody turned away without them.Our regulations for what you can take into Canada as far as alcohol,fruits and vegetables are on the boat that I could e-mail to you if you are interested.From memory potatoes and fruits with pitts,corn are all no no's.I hope this helps you out.Canada has a customs web site but it is hard to navigate through to find what you want.


Andy and Sharon Beach
E-34
Friday Harbor,Wa.

 

[Sean Engle]

Hey Andy -

Thanks very much - you can email it to:

ssengle@worldnet.att.net

I'll scan them and upload them to the site when I get them!

Thanks again -

//sse

 

[Sean Engle]

UPDATE: US Passports Now Required

Just as an update to anyone who's reading this later on:

Due to the new US Customs laws - if you're going into Canada you MUST have a valid US Passport with you. They used to let us locals in and out with our driver's license.... Well, no more!

Sorry!

//sse

 

[mark reed]

check U.S. Customs requirements

I've taken my boat from the U.S. into Canada for the past 3 summers, and in my experience, checking into Canada is easy and trouble-free. Usually a phone call from a designated port of entry will suffice. The Canadian officials that I have dealt with have all been friendly, courteous, and helpful. Usually I am questioned as to firearms (I never carry any onboard), tobacco (likewise), and liquor (limit is roughly a half-rack of beer OR 2 bottles of wine OR a liter of hard stuff per person). More details on Canadian import restrictions at: http://gocanada.about.com/cs/bordercrossing/a/importing.htm

I wish I could say the same about the return trip. Getting back into the U.S., however, is usually a hassle. I have been grilled extensively about whether I purchased any pharmaceuticals, my reasons for vacationing in Canada, and have even had my boat "sniffed" with a radiation detector. I guess that is the price for "homeland security".

Entry by boat into the U.S. is due to become more difficult this season. For a thorough discussion of current regulations and trends, I recommend that you check Bob Hale's web site: http://www.waggonerguide.com/uscust_up.html#qa

and the RBAW site: http://www.rbaw.org/2005/0305_ReportingChanges.shtml

Note that currently the best option (in Hale's opinion) is to clear in person at Friday Harbor.

 

[hodo]

borders

I'm about to find out about crossing the border next week. We are doing the Swiftsure race, and we decided to try the I-68 process.Take 3 passport sized pictures,passport or birth cert. and drivers lic. + $15 and go to customs @ Boeing Field. We are doing it tues AM. This way it's a call-in clearance. I'll let you know how it works. Cheers, Hodo. Oh, we are racing a X 119.

 

[hodo]

Borders

Well, the crossing into Victoria was painless, with a passport, and one person had a birth certificate and driver license.The return would have been easier if everyone had an I-68. We could have cleared by phone, but had to show his passport at Shilshole when we docked.It actually was a very easy transition. It seems Customs,Immigration and Dept of Agriculture inspections are all under the Homeland Security umbrella. See you in Port Townsend, HODO

 

[footrope]

Update for 2007 Canadian-US border crossing by boat

Ellen and I have enrolled in the NEXUS program, which we completed this spring, when we were interviewed and photographed and index-fingerprinted at Boeing Field in Seattle. It can be used for land, air and boating when re-entering the US from Canada. All persons in the vehicle must be individually enrolled in these programs, or the regular rules apply. The joint program with Canadian Customs is good for 5 years and costs about $50 US each, for the application. The program will allow us to phone in to US Customs from the boat after we enter US waters.

Last year we used the US I-68 program, but it is good for only a year.

Entering Canada by boat still requires a stop at an entry port for a phone call as the NEXUS program isn't used for entering Canada. The CANPASS Private Boat program requires enrollment and fees just like NEXUS, and is also good for 5 years. It is a phone-in program but does not require the stop at a designated port, from what I can tell. We have elected to do the phone in from our landing port, which will likely be South Pender Island - at Bedwell Harbour.

We drove to Vancouver BC at the end of July for our anniversary and had a very pleasant crossing, saving much time, particularly when returning to the US. The NEXUS lane saved us about 2 hours. We had a great weekend in Vancouver, visiting the city and Stanley Park. We saw Astraea, the E41 at the RVYC dock, but no one was aboard. Maybe next time.

We're heading out for our two-week cruise about September 1st. We'll be going to the San Juans and the Gulf Islands again this year.

Cheers,

 

[sleather]

Border Woes - Land crossing

I was scheduled to go on a fishing/hunting trip OCT.2006, a friend of mine who'd set up the trip had just returned from a photo shoot "updere" and told me to CHECK INTO THIS!!! While he was @ customs, returning, THEY turned away a guy for an old DUI. He was the driver & the boat owner, had to let his buddies continue on w/o him, his wife drove up from Illinois to pick him up. Would have been interesting to hear what he had to say while he was waiting, oh his poor wife. HEMONGEOUS BUMMER!!!!, as I was going to be the driver.

I started calling around & found out that the CANOOKS take these things (DUI's) very seriously (WE ALL DO, long story) and their system IS. No admittance to Canada for Five Years, 5-10 years requires a"rehabilitation form" that costs $200?? to process over say 6 months to a year. After 10 years you're a human being again!!!! and I'm only going on 8.

Chances of getting nabbed ???????? All I know is that it pissed me off enough that I cancelled out. They had unbelievably bad weather, few fish, no birds! Footnote, I did find out, too late, that the Resort Owner can sponsor one such as myself, they do want our $$$$$$.

I'll dig around in my old e-mails and see if i can come up w/ a LINK & add it later, until then
ANY GHOSTS IN YOUR CLOSET???

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/apply-who.asp

scroll down to "criminal inadmissibility" and scroll down to related links----- "criminal convictions"------#9

It's pretty well camouflaged, took ME awhile to find it again.

 

[Erich]

The one thing that I want to add to the discussion is that if you are crossing the Canada - US border (either way) with a child other than your own, and without either of their parents, you should have a letter from one of their parents authorizing you to be "in custody" of the minor. I suppose this also holds true if you are non-custodial parent. Our experience was that both Canada and US customs check this out. If we weren't prepared, it would have ruined our holidays.
We have "Dessert First" in Pt Roberts, Washington and cruise in both Canadian & US waters. We do have Nexus and Canpass. With Canpass, you do have to go to a designated port but there are many in the southern Gulf Islands. If the Canada Customs boat is not there at the designated time, you are free to carry on. We also have "BR" numbers from the PT Roberts US Customs. It is their quick reference that pulls up all of your pertinent information. It saves a lot of time on the cell phone - sort of like Nexus Express.
Regards,