I agree wtih rsn48. I'll expand on that. As more people bend the rules it's going to be more important to show authorities you intend to follow the rules.
Here's what I'd do:
Contact both Canada border patrol and US border patrol.
To Canada border patrol present a plan that shows:
- Place, date and time you estimate crossing into Canada
- A realistic estimated speed of advance
- Planned route and anchorages
- Places where you may need to hole up due to weather, tides etc
- Any required fuel and potable water stops
- You carry enough provisions to not need to go shopping until you exit Canadian waters
Get approval for your plan in writing. Then follow your "flight plan". Don't go ashore and wander through town, out to dinner etc. A fuel and potable water stop only needs to be at the dock long enough to fill the tanks and be gone.
To US boder patrol:
- Ask for formal clearance outbound. They won't want to give it to you for a recreational boat but if pressed will do so and the paper work though confusing is not burdensome.
For you:
- Leave your AIS on.
- Leave tracking on your plotter on.
- Keep a meticulous written log of daily movements and nightly anchorages.
Yes, this seems overkill. But when boarded by authorities it will be easy to show you've done it in a responsible and respectful manner. Even if you get stuck a week waiting to round Cape Caution.
And one more thing. Respect the small communities, they have limited or no medical facilities. Often much of the population is native decent who are much more susceptible to viral and bacterial infections. Plan to do your provisioning and refueling at the major ports such as Ketchikan.
It won't be as much fun as prior years free range cruising. But it's the way things are for the time being. If you're a dock hopper going from village to village maybe it's best to stay home till Covid-19 blows over.
Quote:
Originally Posted by rsn48
My suggestions is ignore everyone and contact border folks and get the info from them. I know there has been some clamping down due to Americans lying about their Alaska destination when transiting by car. Some reported in Banff Alberta who claimed they were going to Alaska.
|