BC Parks & Marine Parks to Open

[RT Firefly]

This may have been posted already...https://vancouversun.com/news/local...K7DmuOvE_lmN4MddKD7TqMzvtXNIpcg-GW6iTCcI_o-sM

 

[Jeff F]

Eric

Almost 0 chance that you will be credited with any quarantine time before actually crossing the border. Your 14 days will begin at that moment.
BC requires arrivals to have a plan. If no plan, then arrivals are put in a hotel where their Q can be supervised.

Couldn't that plan be isolating on the boat if you're obviously equipped to do so? I have to assume that a returning Canadian on a live-aboard cruiser could enter with a promise to isolate aboard for the quarantine period.

 

[JDCAVE]

As long as you don’t touch land (including anchoring) and keep on going, the inside passage is open to travel. All kinds of commercial fishing vessels and commercial traffic such as tugs with tows, and ferries etc. do this all the time.

But you need the crew to maintain wheel watch 24/7.

Jim

Further to this:

“If you enter Canadian waters, you are not required to present yourself and report your goods to the CBSA if you:

do not land on Canadian soil and do not anchor, moor or make contact with another conveyance while in Canadian waters;
do not embark or disembark people or goods in Canada.”

https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/travel-voyage/pb-pp-eng.html

 

[MurrayM]

Further to this:

“If you enter Canadian waters, you are not required to present yourself and report your goods to the CBSA if you:

do not land on Canadian soil and do not anchor, moor or make contact with another conveyance while in Canadian waters;
do not embark or disembark people or goods in Canada.”

https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/travel-voyage/pb-pp-eng.html

That’s quite the concession considering how many things can go wrong on a non stop run between the Washington and Alaska borders.

 

[rsn48]

If you have Marine Tracker zoom out so you can see all of North America and look at the traffic. Then go over to the Mediterranean and look at the traffic entering the Med and the coast below the Med entrance.

 

[Ventana]

Further to this:

“If you enter Canadian waters, you are not required to present yourself and report your goods to the CBSA if you:

do not land on Canadian soil and do not anchor, moor or make contact with another conveyance while in Canadian waters;
do not embark or disembark people or goods in Canada.”

https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/travel-voyage/pb-pp-eng.html

From the Waggoner web site:

Washington to Alaska Non-stop Pass-through
MARINA/FACILITY/BORDER
Washington to Alaska Non-stop Pass-through
STATUS
Closed
AMENITIES, SERVICES, EVENTS, SPECIALS, & INCENTIVES
Closed to all non-essential vessel traffic. Restrictions remain in place at the Canadian border.

Not sure where they get this information from but it has been on their site for several weeks now.
Lots of commercial boats that fish out of Sitka keep their boats down south for the winter, and the ones I have been in contact with were planning on running up the outside because they were also under the impression that the inside route was not allowed. Alaska considers commercial fishing to be essential, but I’m not sure how it is viewed in Canada.

 

[SteveK]

Further to this:

“If you enter Canadian waters, you are not required to present yourself and report your goods to the CBSA if you:

do not land on Canadian soil and do not anchor, moor or make contact with another conveyance while in Canadian waters;
do not embark or disembark people or goods in Canada.”

https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/travel-voyage/pb-pp-eng.html

The link you provided is how I remember it and it may still be the same into US waters with a non stop trip to a Canadian port, from a Canadian port.
No anchor, no step foot on land and no contact with another boat.

 

[rslifkin]

The link you provided is how I remember it and it may still be the same into US waters with a non stop trip to a Canadian port, from a Canadian port.
No anchor, no step foot on land and no contact with another boat.

As far as I know, that's still the case.

 

[JDCAVE]

Ventura: if that “pass through” is suspended, that would be an issue, for sure. I wouldn’t be assuming a third party source for this information. A call to CBSA would be important. There are a lot of gillnetters and trollers that would be challenged on an offshore passage but do a 24/7 passage with a crew of 2 or more.

This would be judged as essential traffic and would be commercial.

Jim

 

[Spinner]

I am fairly certain that I recently read that BC will NOT allow through transit (not touching land or anchoring) at this time. You should double check before acting on that advice...

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

Further to this:

“If you enter Canadian waters, you are not required to present yourself and report your goods to the CBSA if you:

do not land on Canadian soil and do not anchor, moor or make contact with another conveyance while in Canadian waters;
do not embark or disembark people or goods in Canada.”

https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/travel-voyage/pb-pp-eng.html

That’s quite the concession considering how many things can go wrong on a non stop run between the Washington and Alaska borders.

From the Waggoner web site:

Washington to Alaska Non-stop Pass-through
MARINA/FACILITY/BORDER
Washington to Alaska Non-stop Pass-through
STATUS
Closed
AMENITIES, SERVICES, EVENTS, SPECIALS, & INCENTIVES
Closed to all non-essential vessel traffic. Restrictions remain in place at the Canadian border.

Not sure where they get this information from but it has been on their site for several weeks now.
Lots of commercial boats that fish out of Sitka keep their boats down south for the winter, and the ones I have been in contact with were planning on running up the outside because they were also under the impression that the inside route was not allowed. Alaska considers commercial fishing to be essential, but I’m not sure how it is viewed in Canada.

As far as I know, that's still the case.

I believe the Canadian Border Patrol may see it differently. I would call them first, then call them again with the Victoria Coast Guard before entering Canadian Waters.

Then once you get to Alaska you are subject to a 14-day quarantine.

 

[JDCAVE]

I am fairly certain that I recently read that BC will NOT allow through transit (not touching land or anchoring) at this time. You should double check before acting on that advice...

That’s what I said: “A call to CBSA would be important.”

The need for small vessel fishermen to travel to AK right now for the upcoming salmon season is pretty critical to their livelihood...and that’s just the opinion of a Canadian. ;-)

I’ll bet that’s part of ongoing discussions between the two countries concerning the border right now.

Jim

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

That’s what I said: “A call to CBSA would be important.”

The need for small vessel fishermen to travel to AK right now for the upcoming salmon season is pretty critical to their livelihood...and that’s just the opinion of a Canadian. ;-)

I’ll bet that’s part of ongoing discussions between the two countries concerning the border right now.

Jim

Sorry but the Washington State/Oregon commercial fish can suffer like the rest of us. They can do the long way around VI to Alaska.

 

[rsn48]

I think one or two somewhere in all these posts suggested sneaking in or out of and across the border. You do realize the area is overlaid with radar, more from the American side than the Canadian side, a flea can barely make it in undetected. Also realize if you decide to rent a submarine for your excursion across the border there are listening devices in Juan de Fuca at the bottom. Again to detect any subsurface vessel trying to enter States/Canada.

The same with the Alaska Panhandle looking south, both radar and listening devices. And Canada after centuries added radar further north to detect illegal entry, these were put in just last year I believe. So the sneaking bit won't work out so well.

 

[SteveK]

Sorry but the Washington State/Oregon commercial fish can suffer like the rest of us. They can do the long way around VI to Alaska.

IIRC you have AIS, don't forget to mention it will be turned on so they can watch you.

 

[78puget-trawler]

There is a huge amount of tug and barge traffic that runs the IP pretty much daily. Also small freighters and fish boats heading to AK. I cant imagine they would be shut down for this.
I am hoping the border is open at some point. My daughter and family live in Nanaimo. And while I don't feel any real need to take my boat there, we have a trailer and we parked it at their place last summer then came and went on the ferry. I became a grand dad and I miss my daughter and my grand daughter greatly.
As far as cruising goes, I love the San Juans and there is much there I have not seen and many places I have seen and wish to see again.

 

[78puget-trawler]

I just asked my old boss at Western Towboat. Business as usual for commercial boats, no pleasure.

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

They are ALL tracked VTS and required to report in.

I just asked my old boss at Western Towboat. Business as usual for commercial boats, no pleasure.

 

[koliver]

I just asked my old boss at Western Towboat. Business as usual for commercial boats, no pleasure.

We are seeing way less commercial traffic now than before Covid. Used to see US tugs bringing barges to Crofton several times a week, now only a small number, maybe one a week. Pleasure traffic similarly reduced, though Wallace Marine park, though closed officially, still attracts lots of boats.

Today is the Round Saltspring sailing race. Normally 100 entries. 12 intrepid sailors today. 9 of them wisely anchored at the beginning of the ebb, when they were out front. 2 hours anchored , then a little breeze was enough to overcome the ebb and off they went. Covid rules for this race, no night sailing, so they need to get stopped by sunset, then at sunrise, 05:30, they can go again
The two boats anchored out front turned out to include the one I helped Move to Kitimat last June. They were a little slower pulling their anchor than the red hull closing on them in this picture.

 

[78puget-trawler]

They are ALL tracked VTS and required to report in.

Well of course, but that's not new. When you transit the IP you talk to the traffic system constantly all the way to AK, always have.

 

[markpierce]

Recently updated my will and final directive, just in case.

 

[koliver]

Recently updated my will and final directive, just in case.

Timely, Mark, well done.

 

[Mako]

Is it official that Canada won’t reopen the border for recreation purposes until end of June?

There’s a trawler in Vancouver I’ve been wanting to view, but that’s been on hold for months now.

 

[rsn48]

I will be surprised if the border is opened in June. Most Americans probably aren't aware that the province of Quebec is the 7th worst hit area on the planet. And we won't talk about New York. There are some Canadian military helping out in Quebec and it was just on the news that a few of them have now tested positive. Hope I'm wrong about the border remaining closed.

Below is a chart of each state listing cases per 100,000. The border states of Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota are low. Michigan is higher, I was surprised, higher than Illinois. Wisconsin is low, Ohio is low, Pennsylvania is sort of low, New York is high, Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire are low.

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/04/22/us/coronavirus-death-rates.html

And edited in, always forget Alaska is a border state with us, its very low.

 

[SteveK]

Too early to tell, but i agree it most likely will be closed for the summer.

 

[koliver]

I will be surprised if the border is opened in June. Most Americans probably aren't aware that the province of Quebec is the 7th worst hit area on the planet. And we won't talk about New York. There are some Canadian military helping out in Quebec and it was just on the news that a few of them have now tested positive. Hope I'm wrong about the border remaining closed.

Below is a chart of each state listing cases per 100,000. The border states of Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota are low. Michigan is higher, I was surprised, higher than Illinois. Wisconsin is low, Ohio is low, Pennsylvania is sort of low, New York is high, Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire are low.

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/04/22/us/coronavirus-death-rates.html

And edited in, always forget Alaska is a border state with us, its very low.

The quoted chart is 4 weeks old.

Currently, Washington State is approximately 5 times worse than BC, per capita. Until they get the rate down to something close to our own, I don't expect Horgan or Dr Henry will be opening the borders.

 

[JDCAVE]

Here’s a question to the Canadian Legal Eagles on the forum. BC parks has an anchoring restriction in Desolation Sound. Would it stand a challenge in court?

What Transport Canada says on the subject:

“Understanding anchorages in Canada
From Transport Canada

An anchorage is a suitable area in which to anchor a vessel. The right to anchor a vessel is part of the common law right of navigation.

Vessels are free to anchor temporarily wherever it is safe.”

https://www.tc.gc.ca/en/services/marine/ports-harbours/understanding-anchorages-canada.html

Would a challenge survive maritime law?

Jim

 

[78puget-trawler]

What exactly does BC parks say about it?

 

[JDCAVE]

BC Parks & Marine Parks to Open

“Overnight camping and anchoring is not permitted until after June 1, 2020.”

http://bcparks.ca/explore/parkpgs/desolation/

But according to TC “The right to anchor a vessel is part of the common law right of navigation.”

Jim

 

[koliver]

Edit: I see you answered the Q while I was typing.