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Old 07-06-2018, 12:37 PM   #41
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In 1994 when I bought my first boat, a used 16' Smoker craft with 70hp Mercury, I was fishing away with friends and my then GF and future wife. Now this boat was low tech, had 1 instrument in the dash, a tachometer. Even more low tech than the boat, was the boat driver, who was me. I knew so little about boating then it is scary when I think back. Crossed the imaginary line to the south of Vancouver island, and got boarded by the US Coast guard. More so for fishing in the USA without a license than anything. With no clue that I was not still in Canada, and nobody onboard had a fishing license for the USA, we were asked to reel in the two lines we had out. A very friendly chat, a quick look for anything illegal, nothing found, I was politely asked to make my way north back to Canada was all. It was drama free, friendly and professional. Pretty sure they were thinking to themselves those sure are six dumb Canadians, but they didn't say it. In today's climate I'm not sure what the outcome would be if the same thing happened. No I wasn't near land, but we were fishing, and I had incomplete safety equipment on the boat. We all had a lifejacket on, and that was about it except for beer, water, and snacks.
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Old 07-06-2018, 01:22 PM   #42
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The agencies patrolling the Washington side of the border, often work together. Recently inspected by San Juan County sheriff. There was also a homeland security officer traveling with them. All armed, homeland officer also had magazine for some kind of rifle on his belt, weapon must have been stowed aboard. Have seen fisheries traveling with CG. You might get lucky and get all of them. I think Tutt got a raw deal. If he was given a # and told he was good to go. I have only been boarded once on the water, but have been approached and talked to 10 times or more. Never in Canada.
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Old 07-06-2018, 01:33 PM   #43
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Originally Posted by Tuttouomo View Post
I guess that it was my bad. Good to go was mis interpreted by us Bill
I’d guess the Canadian guys had you spotted and were waiting before you reached Bedwell.

A few months ago we were crossing into US from BC Canada and cleared customs by phone. The US Customs guy asked for coordinates which we provided. He then said “OK I’ve gotcha, what is your next port of call?” We went there within 30 minutes.

The rules are not complicated, don’t mess with them though. Lest we forget, these guys are trying to prevent the next 911 or worse.
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Old 07-13-2018, 01:14 PM   #44
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Unfortubate misunderstanding: reporting into CA custom using Nexus offers no particular advantage — you must always provide ETA to the designated port of entry,, then sit at the dock for 10-20 minutes. If no customs officers arrive, you are free to depart. That is the correct entry routine, even withNexus. Returning to USA is easier...just call the 800 # answer questions and you are usually cleared to proceed. Btw, to qualify for Nexus reentry — Every Person on the vessel (not just skipper) must have their own Nexus card.
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Old 07-13-2018, 04:35 PM   #45
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Many administrations ago

I was fishing outside the Golden Gate up above Duxbury with two 10 year old boys and another friend on a second boat with us.
One of the kids got seasick so I radioed my friend and told him I was going back inside the gate where it wasn’t so rough. A few minutes later my friend radioed back he had hit something with his outdrive and could only idle back inside
I told him I would wait in the Bay for him and if he ran into trouble call me and I would tow him back in. This was before Sea Tow etc.
I went over to the bait barge and got a small scoop of live bait to do something while waiting for my friend.
20 minutes later I had two Coast Guard boats, one RIB alongside and another 100 feet away with Swat gear coming aboard and a 50 caliber on the bow of the other.
Full inspection etc.
They thought I had gone offshore to a “mothership” to return with drugs etc.
They were very business like but inspected every nook and locker even with two small boys aboard.
I was in the Coast Guard in 1966 -72 so I was talking with them and they lightened up.
So it’s not just recent nor this administration that has been on alert.
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Old 07-13-2018, 04:53 PM   #46
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Nothing gray about it. Maritime law allows for free transient passage. But as soon as you go to shore or drop anchor, you have entered the country and need to go through the entry process. So you could run from WA to AK without checking into Canada provided you run non-stop.
Please cite that "maritime law".
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Old 07-14-2018, 07:13 AM   #47
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There is definitely a change in the mood/behaviour of the CBP at the Niagara land crossings.



If you want no trouble, best to get one's socks pulled up, many have relied too heavily on friendly officer discretion for way too long.



Fervent enforcement has arrived, just follow the rules. Beware the officer who encourages the old status quo, to lessen the workload, it's his enthusiastic buddy that is going to nail you.
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Old 07-14-2018, 08:00 AM   #48
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News is not always reported accurately. The French girl was not jogging down some nice sandy beach that just happened to cross the boarder with no signs. You can’t get to we’re she was easily. There is a fence and signs but at lower low water you can easily find a 100’ of beach but you are only 500’ from the boarder station. She could see all the cars lined up going through customs, she knew she was close to the border and yet she jogged into the US by accident. Of course the boarder patrol picked her up, she just illegally entered the country (even if she was a US citizen it was an illeagle entry). Now they have a person with no ID claiming to be French and claiming it was an accidental crossing (isn’t that exactly what some one sneaking across the boarder would claim). Then it took 3 days to get here travel papers to the US and 11 more for both Canada and the US to figure out were to send her. It’s very possible Canada didn’t want here back after all she is not Canadian and worse she is guilty of immigration violations.

Thank you for a very plausible 'the rest of the story". Much news reporting is based on bias, sensationalism and omission. Apparently CBC is not immune.
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Old 07-14-2018, 08:18 AM   #49
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Heads up to those Canadians crossing into the US who have invested in legal pot companies, even legal US companies:

https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/why-in...rder-1.4011813

A further complication may be if you buy pot at a legal Canadian store this fall with your credit card, the US could use that information at the border...then you're in a catch 22...admit to pot use and get banned, or get banned for lying.

Now for the boat specific part...if you are already in a US port with your boat, will you be allowed to leave with your boat or could it be confiscated?
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Old 07-14-2018, 04:09 PM   #50
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The minute you think pot is legal in Washington state you have made a mistake. Washington State law does make allowances for pot. Federal law makes no allowances. Washington State won’t enforce federal pot laws. The Feds(customs, immigrations, border patrol, homeland security, coast guard) do enforce federal law.

I also suspect there is more to this story. It’s very likely the feds have been watching this individual for other crimes and this was the only one they could prove. Thousands of Canadians cross the border daily and never get questioned beyond, were are you going, how long are you staying, do you have anything to declare. How did this guy get pulled over and interviewed for 4 hours. Something triggered the pull over.
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Old 07-14-2018, 08:24 PM   #51
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Thank you for a very plausible 'the rest of the story". Much news reporting is based on bias, sensationalism and omission. Apparently CBC is not immune.
Not immune ! They invented bias and omission.
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Old 07-14-2018, 09:41 PM   #52
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Unfortubate misunderstanding: reporting into CA custom using Nexus offers no particular advantage — you must always provide ETA to the designated port of entry,, then sit at the dock for 10-20 minutes. If no customs officers arrive, you are free to depart. That is the correct entry routine, even withNexus. Returning to USA is easier...just call the 800 # answer questions and you are usually cleared to proceed. Btw, to qualify for Nexus reentry — Every Person on the vessel (not just skipper) must have their own Nexus card.
I was told by Canadian Customs that if there are no officers on the dock at your ETA, then you are free to depart. We always arrive 5 minutes before our stated ETA.
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Old 07-14-2018, 09:45 PM   #53
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Heads up to those Canadians crossing into the US who have invested in legal pot companies, even legal US companies:

https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/why-in...rder-1.4011813

A further complication may be if you buy pot at a legal Canadian store this fall with your credit card, the US could use that information at the border...then you're in a catch 22...admit to pot use and get banned, or get banned for lying.

Now for the boat specific part...if you are already in a US port with your boat, will you be allowed to leave with your boat or could it be confiscated?
Mis-stated. Pot may be legal in the State of Washington, HOWEVER as soon as you let your lines go on the dock and you have pot on board, you are now in violation of federal law.
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Old 07-14-2018, 10:46 PM   #54
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We just had a somewhat unpleasant experience clearing into Canada at Prince Rupert.

We (two boats, all aboard have (or maybe had) NEXUS) called in and cleared into Prince Rupert. Neither of us told the Customs officer on the phone where specifically we were going in Prince Rupert, and they didn't ask. The officers on the phone gave us clearance numbers like usual, we posted them, and thought we were told we were good to go. Since we arrived at 11:15 p.m. (our reported ETA), after the marina staff had gone home for the night and we didn't have slip assignments, we anchored for the night in Pillsbury Cove, in Prince Rupert Harbor.

The next day we dinghied to town to get all the items we couldn't bring across the border...produce, booze, etc. Then we headed south.

A few hours later, VTS called us and said we needed to call customs in Rupert. We called...the the officer that answered asked if we cleared, we gave clearance numbers. They seemed confused. Then we got transferred to someone else, who said we did everything wrong. He said you can't clear by NEXUS by phone, but need to call from the phone at the Customs dock (clearly not the actual policy). He seemed confused and frustrated that someone gave us clearance numbers without confirming that we were supposed to go to a specific place in Prince Rupert. Since we had clearance numbers, he didn't make us go three hours back to Rupert, but he said we'd have a mark on our file and should allow extra time for future border crossings.

BTW, they seem to be tracking boats on AIS.

After more research, we're both kind of wrong and kind of right. There are six docks listed for NEXUS clearance in Prince Rupert. Why didn't the officer who gave us clearance numbers ask which one we were going to? Or indicate we'd need to go to one of them? We simply said we were arriving in Prince Rupert and we thought we were cleared into Prince Rupert.

As NEXUS holders, we apparently should have been more proactive about knowing the specific clearance locations. BUT, down south, there is a lot of ambiguity. Ganges Harbour, for instance, is listed as a port of entry, with no details on where you're supposed to wait for a customs officer...

We apologized profusely, thanked the officers for allowing us to continue, and will allow extra time at the border in the future. And we'll confirm with the officer on the phone the specific time and place they want us to wait for an officer to inspect the boat and at what point, if we see no officer, we can continue our voyage.
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Old 07-14-2018, 11:53 PM   #55
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Many of you are abusing your nexus privlages and you are going to loose them. Canada has a list of nexus ports and each port calls out a specific dock. As a nexus holder you have already signed an agreement with both governments that you know the rules and will abide by them. As for Ganges it calls out the public dock used by the sea planes. This eliminates Ganges marina, Salt Spring marina, the port of Ganges and the second public dock.
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Old 07-15-2018, 12:08 AM   #56
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Many of you are abusing your nexus privlages and you are going to loose them. Canada has a list of nexus ports and each port calls out a specific dock. As a nexus holder you have already signed an agreement with both governments that you know the rules and will abide by them. As for Ganges it calls out the public dock used by the sea planes. This eliminates Ganges marina, Salt Spring marina, the port of Ganges and the second public dock.
Here's the list: https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/do-rb/se...itime-eng.html

Incidentally, it's pretty clear in Prince Rupert, where we screwed up. I just wish when I'd said "Prince Rupert" on the phone the officer would have clarified where I could/should go. They deal with this every day and I thought they'd be explicit if they wanted me to go to a specific dock in a city with dozens of docks (six of which are NEXUS clearance locations). Next time I'll ask...or just go to the lighering dock and clear the normal way.

The dock you're supposed to go to in Ganges is not at all clear from this website: https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/do-rb/of.../1244-eng.html

It doesn't help that the map function on their website seems to be broken.

From my own experience, the people at the call center are no more knowledgable than the website. I've asked several times what dock I'm supposed to visit in Ganges and they've never known. Who told you it's the floatplane dock?
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Old 07-15-2018, 12:38 AM   #57
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I agree, their site is broken. It used to give a discription of the dock. Now they have switched to a map and clearly the map does not work.
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Old 07-15-2018, 06:51 AM   #58
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Originally Posted by MurrayM View Post
Heads up to those Canadians crossing into the US who have invested in legal pot companies, even legal US companies:

https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/why-in...rder-1.4011813

A further complication may be if you buy pot at a legal Canadian store this fall with your credit card, the US could use that information at the border...then you're in a catch 22...admit to pot use and get banned, or get banned for lying.

Now for the boat specific part...if you are already in a US port with your boat, will you be allowed to leave with your boat or could it be confiscated?
The sky is falling in! The sky is falling in! The referenced ctv news piece does not once mention credit cards. Do you believe your credit card statements will be available at border crossings? Alarmist or sarcastic.
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Old 07-15-2018, 10:44 AM   #59
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When reporting into PR (Nexis) we always use the Lightering Dock for customs.
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Old 07-16-2018, 02:24 PM   #60
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The minute you think pot is legal in Washington state you have made a mistake. Washington State law does make allowances for pot. Federal law makes no allowances. Washington State won’t enforce federal pot laws. The Feds(customs, immigrations, border patrol, homeland security, coast guard) do enforce federal law.

I also suspect there is more to this story. It’s very likely the feds have been watching this individual for other crimes and this was the only one they could prove. Thousands of Canadians cross the border daily and never get questioned beyond, were are you going, how long are you staying, do you have anything to declare. How did this guy get pulled over and interviewed for 4 hours. Something triggered the pull over.
True.
I cross the border a minimum of 5 times a year, and that would be a slow year. Drove down a week ago to Seattle with my daughter, and questioned for maybe 20 seconds between the two of us.
Longest ever was told to park once and car inspection and us questioned took at most 10 minutes
Said we were a random search.
I've driven down I would say well over 200 times in total the last 30 years. After my wife passed away, it would sometimes take a minute or two as they checked to be sure I wasn't kidnapping my young daughter.
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