The invasion of BC has begun

[soin2la]

Dozens of US pleasure boats have already crossed the border this morning.
After all we've been told about no marine borders opening, this cannot be a coincidence.

You might as well all head up now.

 

[Rebel112r]

I am on my way.

 

[w8n4sun]

Are you being serious? Anyone have personal experience with BC crossings?

 

[soin2la]

Are you being serious?

All before noon...

Theory
Phoenix
Yacht Knot Too
De Novo
Banchovy
Cest Le Bon
Malolo
Merganser
Green Time
Daylight Comet
Knot On Call
Grand Adventure
Bingo
Corps Of Discovery
Morning Star

That's only the ones displaying AIS.

More boats this morning that we saw in May, when the those AK bound came through.

Looks like at least a couple didn't know what they were doing, because they tried to clear at Bedwell Harbour, then Canoe Cove, before ending up at VanIsle.

 

[DDW]

How do you clear? There are no instructions about how this works on the Ca website. The main problem would be the arrival Covid test.

 

[AlaskaProf]

<sigh> Just arrived back in Tacoma.

 

[soin2la]

How do you clear? There are no instructions about how this works on the Ca website. The main problem would be the arrival Covid test.

Best you contact CBSA for details.

 

[localboy]

Last I heard marine entry, even via cruise ship, was still closed. Did I miss something?

 

[Crossroads]

One minor hiccup reported to me by one of the listed boats is that there is a new version of the accessCan app, released today, that must be used.

Also, vessels are required to phone 1800canpass prior to entry to verify that credentials were successfully uploaded uploaded.

I'm on marginal phone service and have not independently verified this info, but it comes from a high quality source.

 

[AusCan]

From the Govt of Canada website:

Fully vaccinated U.S. citizens and permanent residents and French citizens and permanent residents of Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon (SPM) are eligible to enter Canada by boat for discretionary purposes and can come on land, anchor, moor, or come alongside another vessel in Canada. However, they must:

1) be asymptomatic;
2) have a valid pre-arrival COVID-19 molecular test result taken in the U.S. for U.S. boaters, or in SPM for SPM boaters (antigen tests are not accepted)
3) submit their mandatory information via ArriveCAN, including proof of vaccination in English or French (both vaccination doses, if applicable), and a quarantine plan; and,
3) be admissible under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.
Fully vaccinated U.S. citizens and permanent residents must also:

reside in the U.S.
be travelling from the U.S.


Important: All boaters who land on Canadian soil, anchor, moor or come alongside another boat in Canadian waters must report to the CBSA and are subject to all of Canada’s entry requirements.

 

[dhays]

Well, that in encouraging. I had resigned myself to not going to BC. I'll have to talk it over with my wife and see. I'd love to get up to Desolation this year. We are still two weeks out however.


I've also been trying to figure out the logistics of getting a COVID test 72 hours before entering CA. We have a slow boat so I might need to get one in Northern Puget Sound instead of at home.


If it looks like there will be too much of a US invasion of BC, I still might reluctantly hold off this year.

 

[soin2la]

They are into the second wave now and all I can say is, I hope there is room for everyone; 74 Canadian boats in Squirrel Cove last night, including TFer Phoenix Hunter. The Broughtons should be overrun by the weekend.

For those here now and those coming, Georgia Strait is jammed with hard to see humpback whales, more so than previous years.

I also hope the locals are respected, as many have been opposed to the border opening.

 

[Crossroads]

ArriveCAN app......my mistake.

Your vessel can qualify as your quarantine plan, but you must provide an actual address, ie, marina.

 

[psneeld]

That's how Florida feels every winter

 

[Crossroads]

I've not located a pcr provider in SJC nor Anacortes. There may be a Walgreens in Bellingham and a Rite aid in Mt Vernon that will test asymptomatic people and provide results in 24 hrs. I'd appreciate names of any other providers in the area who will administer pcrs for travel purposes.

 

[NWSeadog]

Just went through this. Check this site for a location: https://www.doh.wa.gov/Emergencies/COVID19/TestingforCOVID19/TestingLocations

The results will get emailed to you in 24 to 48 hours.

 

[Crossroads]

Thank you.

 

[NWSeadog]

You might want to see if an "ID Now" test will work for Canada as well. My understanding is that it is also a molecular test like a PCR test.

 

[soin2la]

Accepted tests:
https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/t...ovid-19-testing-travellers-coming-into-canada

Accepted vaccines:
https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/travel-restrictions/covid-vaccinated-travellers-entering-canada

 

[Alaskaflyer]

You might want to see if an "ID Now" test will work for Canada as well. My understanding is that it is also a molecular test like a PCR test.

The ID NOW instrument is a nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT) which is listed by Canada as an accepted molecular test. The sample is obtained by nasal swabs which are then inserted into the machine located locally vs having to be sent off to a laboratory.

 

[NWSeadog]

Thanks soin21a.

The way I read the accepted tests info it appears that ID Now would meet Canada's requirements. It is a isothermal nucleic acid amplification testing process that only takes minutes to get the results. It looks like you might have to go to the Seattle area though in order to find a location.

 

[soin2la]

What I don’t understand, is how upwards of 100 non-TF member US vessels, were all lined up with 72 hour tests in hand, ready to run the gate first thing this morning and no one here knew of it.

Not even the all-knowing ASD.

 

[SteveK]

Looks like fully vaccinated are welcome by water
https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/travel-voyage/pb-pp-eng.html#s05

 

[DDW]

When I looked this morning, that info wasn't published anywhere I could find. So progress is being made. Too bad about the crowd control problem though.

 

[soin2la]

When I looked this morning, that info wasn't published anywhere I could find. So progress is being made. Too bad about the crowd control problem though.

Perhaps doing it quietly was intended to not overwhelm the CBSA marine stations and the associated marinas.

The Peace Arch land border had 7 hour waits, today.

 

[SteveK]

Perhaps doing it quietly was intended to not overwhelm the CBSA marine stations and the associated marinas.

The Peace Arch land border had 7 hour waits, today.

Have you told Tom, he was on here wondering if he could stop on way back.

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

Have you told Tom, he was on here wondering if he could stop on way back.

Basically the same rules when heading north. If anything the new rules are a little more relaxed for Transient Thru.

 

[soin2la]

Basically the same rules when heading north. If anything the new rules are a little more relaxed for Transient Thru.

This is not so.

Marine crossings are now little different from land crossings.

The pertinent bits:
Fully vaccinated U.S. citizens and permanent residents (edit) are eligible to enter Canada by boat for discretionary purposes and can come on land, anchor, moor, or come alongside another vessel in Canada. However, they must:
• 1) be asymptomatic;
• 2) have a valid pre-arrival COVID-19 molecular test result taken in the U.S. for U.S. (edit) (antigen tests are not accepted)
• 3) submit their mandatory information via ArriveCAN, including proof of vaccination in English or French (both vaccination doses, if applicable), and a quarantine plan. (edit).

 

[DDW]

There does seem to be one material difference, no need for an arrival PCR test is mentioned. This would have been problematic at the small marine ports of entry so I'm glad to see that relaxed. I checked this morning for any place within 100 miles of Anacortes to get the pre-entry test, and it is nearly impossible to schedule. Either "not accepting asymptomatic patients" or "no appointments available". In addition, most are quoting 1 - 3 days for result, 3 days would be a big problem.

 

[SteveK]

There does seem to be one material difference, no need for an arrival PCR test is mentioned. This would have been problematic at the small marine ports of entry so I'm glad to see that relaxed. I checked this morning for any place within 100 miles of Anacortes to get the pre-entry test, and it is nearly impossible to schedule. Either "not accepting asymptomatic patients" or "no appointments available". In addition, most are quoting 1 - 3 days for result, 3 days would be a big problem.

read post 28