Right of Return

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AlaskaProf

AlaskaProf

Guru
Joined
Jun 26, 2016
Messages
2,235
Location
US of A
Vessel Name
boatless, ex: Seeadler
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RAWSON 41
Just as I was preparing to depart Friday Harbor this morning, a CBP officer strolled by my boat. Seizing the moment, I asked her what guidance they had received re returnees when the Canadians open their border.

"Same as always, only essential travellers. (wait for it...). All US Citizens and documented permanent residents are essential travellers."
 
AlaskaProf said:
Just as I was preparing to depart Friday Harbor this morning, a CBP officer strolled by my boat. Seizing the moment, I asked her what guidance they had received re returnees when the Canadians open their border.

"Same as always, only essential travellers. (wait for it...). All US Citizens and documented permanent residents are essential travellers."
Click to expand...


Hm... that is actually encouraging. How does it look for you getting into Canada at this point? There still seems to be the confusion over requiring that vaccination documents get uploaded to there app, but they won't take them for folks entering via water....
 
I'm confused. Who is returning from where to where?
 
High Wire said:
I'm confused. Who is returning from where to where?
Click to expand...

The question I asked the CBP pertained to my potential return from a hypothetical trip to Canada after August 9.
 
dhays said:
Hm... that is actually encouraging. How does it look for you getting into Canada at this point? There still seems to be the confusion over requiring that vaccination documents get uploaded to there app, but they won't take them for folks entering via water....
Click to expand...

Yeah, I haven't attacked that end at all. I think I'm waiting for their next announcement.
 
dhays said:
Hm... that is actually encouraging. ...
Click to expand...

Funny, I knew the answer all along, just didn't think it out. I once misplaced my passport and called CBP for advice. The guy on the phone said, "It will be simpler if you know your number (as I did), but in the end, we cannot deny a citizen entry to his own country".
 
Greetings,
Mr. HW. "Who is returning...". Nope...


iu
 
AlaskaProf said:
I think I'm waiting for their next announcement.
Click to expand...
As will many others, including the MV Coho.
Black Ball is waiting on an answer, for why a RORO car ferry travelling between Port Angeles and Victoria, should be treated differently than 500 cars lined up and allowed access to Canada, at the Peace Arch crossing.
 
From the previous posts, it seems I’m not totally current on the news. Is it the case - as DHays’ post suggests - that there is still some question about whether vaccinated US boaters will be allowed into Canada? I’ve often wondered if there was some marine-specific news about the August 9 opening, but I’ve never seen anything along those lines.

I transited Canada to Alaska in 7 days in the spring, and was hoping to take a nice leisurely cruise down the BC coast to return. I know that the “don’t touch ground” transit through Canada will still be available to US boaters transitting south from Alaska to WA or beyond. But it would sure be nice to have a positive confirmation that we will be welcomed into Canada at Prince Rupert with an invitation to enjoy ourselves (responsibly) on the way south.

Anyone?
 
Kawini said:
From the previous posts, it seems I’m not totally current on the news. Is it the case - as DHays’ post suggests - that there is still some question about whether vaccinated US boaters will be allowed into Canada? I’ve often wondered if there was some marine-specific news about the August 9 opening, but I’ve never seen anything along those lines.

I transited Canada to Alaska in 7 days in the spring, and was hoping to take a nice leisurely cruise down the BC coast to return. I know that the “don’t touch ground” transit through Canada will still be available to US boaters transitting south from Alaska to WA or beyond. But it would sure be nice to have a positive confirmation that we will be welcomed into Canada at Prince Rupert with an invitation to enjoy ourselves (responsibly) on the way south.

Anyone?
Click to expand...


https://www.trawlerforum.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1022440&postcount=168
 
I have to admit the scope is a little difficult to follow. You were in Friday Harbor (Washington, United States) and a CBP (Canadian Border Patrol) walks by???

OK, so you ask "what guidance they had received re[garding] returnees when the Canadians open their border."

If you are in the US and are a US citizen, you're not a returnee.

If you are Canada and are a a Canadian citizen, you're not a returnee.

If you are in the US and are a Canadian citizen, you are a returnee to Canada

If you are Canada and are a US citizen, you are a returnee to the US

The context of the OP is not clear.
 
Shrew said:
I have to admit the scope is a little difficult to follow. You were in Friday Harbor (Washington, United States) and a CBP (Canadian Border Patrol) walks by???


The context of the OP is not clear.
Click to expand...

Sorry to have written such an opaque post. CBP is a widely used abbreviation for Customs & Border Patrol here in the States where I would be unlikely to en counter a Canadian officer of the law walking the docks.

If you look at my second and third posts it seems clear to me that the discussion is about potential restrictions on a US citizen returning to the US from Canada.

The answer: there are none.

Let me know if I can be of further assistance.
 
Shrew said:
You were in Friday Harbor (Washington, United States) and a CBP (Canadian Border Patrol) walks by???
Click to expand...

Nothing unusual there. LEOs from BC and WA have a Ship Rider program, where they join up (usually involving lunch) on either side of the border and it is no surprise to see CBSA (Canada Border Services Agency), not CBP (Customs and Border Protection), on a US dock and vice versa.

The rest? Well, best to refer you up the page, to post 7
 
Because there is absolutely no available moorage in Port Renfrew, I will be staying in Sekiu in a couple of weeks. I am wondering if the reciprocity agreement allowing US citizens to enter and fish Canadian waters (after registering daily to the WA Fish & Game) will go back into effect. This permissive policy was suspended at the time of the original border closure. Does anyone know more than I do? Thanks!
 
AlaskaProf said:
Funny, I knew the answer all along, just didn't think it out. I once misplaced my passport and called CBP for advice. The guy on the phone said, "It will be simpler if you know your number (as I did), but in the end, we cannot deny a citizen entry to his own country".
Click to expand...

But it’s not simple and not quick. Both you and they are better off avoiding that situation.
 
Right of return

I would believe the border guys but I read that in Washington the rules are stricter and that pleasure craft are considered non-essential
 
what border?

I've seen a lot of confusing posts here and elsewhere about the border, including from CBP (Customs and Border Protection).

On the CBSA page at https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/travel-restrictions/entering-canada-checklist under the heading Requirements for entering Canada by private boat you will find:

"You currently cannot enter Canadian waters for optional reasons, such as:

touring
sightseeing
pleasure fishing
visits to cottages/vacation homes across the border"

This is right below all the welcoming messages about crossing by land or air. Acquaintances in CA have confirmed this is what they are told when querying CBSA on behalf of US friends.

I check it almost daily, hoping for an update. Nothing yet.
 
MichaelD said:
On the CBSA page at https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/travel-restrictions/entering-canada-checklist under the heading Requirements for entering Canada by private boat you will find:

This is right below all the welcoming messages about crossing by land or air. Acquaintances in CA have confirmed this is what they are told when querying.
Click to expand...

The problem at this time is the ambiguity around the Canadian opening on Aug 9, just a week away.

There are protocols in place for land border crossings from the US, but still no clarity on a "marine" border.

For example, it makes no sense, that 100 cars can be lined up to cross at Peace Arch, but the Coho can't take 100 cars from Port Angeles to Victoria and that the authorities are mute.

Or that Freddy Fisher can tow his Ranger Tug across, launch it anywhere in BC, but can't cross from Roche Harbor to Sidney.

As they say, stand by.
 
According to CBSA agent in PR, the Aug. 9th opening does NOT apply to marine travel. Also Vax or not Vax does not apply, nor COVID testing.

Bottom line "transient thru" will be the only way back to Washington. Nothing has changed from the spring.
 
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Alaskan Sea-Duction said:
...nor COVID testing...
Click to expand...

Not sure what that means, but to clarify, anyone crossing into canada most provide a PCR test taken not more 72 hours before arrival at the border, along with a quarantine plan in the event a random test shows positive.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
The confusion is real. While frustrating and disappointing, I think it is understandable. The border officials in Canada have a lot of moving parts to deal with.
 
soin2la said:
Not sure what that means, but to clarify, anyone crossing into canada most provide a PCR test taken not more 72 hours before arrival at the border, along with a quarantine plan in the event a random test shows positive.
Click to expand...

This is incorrect. Currently this requirement is for air and road entry. Does not apply to marine.

Of course this could change at any time per CBSA
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Alaskan Sea-Duction said:
This is incorrect and is mis- information.
Click to expand...

https://www.canada.ca/en/public-hea...measures-for-fully-vaccinated-travellers.html

Some highlights:
All travellers, regardless of vaccination status, will still require a pre-entry COVID-19 molecular test result.

…fully vaccinated travellers will not need a post-arrival test unless they have been randomly selected to complete a Day 1 COVID-19 molecular test.

Fully vaccinated travellers who meet the requirements will be exempt from quarantine; however, all travellers must still provide a quarantine plan and be prepared to quarantine, in case it is determined at the border that they do not meet the necessary requirements.

And to further clarify, this comes from the Public Health Agency of Canada, not CBSA.
 
Last edited:
soin2la said:
:ermm:


Some highlights:
All travellers, regardless of vaccination status, will still require a pre-entry COVID-19 molecular test result.

…fully vaccinated travellers will not need a post-arrival test unless they have been randomly selected to complete a Day 1 COVID-19 molecular test.

Fully vaccinated travellers who meet the requirements will be exempt from quarantine; however, all travellers must still provide a quarantine plan and be prepared to quarantine, in case it is determined at the border that they do not meet the necessary requirements.

And to further clarify, this comes from the Public Health Agency of Canada, not CBSA and is provided here by a Canadian.:facepalm:
Click to expand...






I suspect that there is a distinction between travelers that interact with Canadian citizens and boaters transiting between Alaska and WA. My son took his commercial boat from WA to AK this spring without doing a thing except notifying customs when he crossed the border.
 
Austinsailor said:
But it’s not simple and not quick. Both you and they are better off avoiding that situation.
Click to expand...

Clearly so. In my case, I was flying from Anchorage to Seattle with necessary fuel stops in Ketchikan and Port Hardy. At KTN I realized I didn't have my passport so I called the local CBP office and was advised, "the guy in Seattle will give you a hard time for a few minutes, but we can't keep you out of your own country. Now, if you haven't filed the required trans-border flight plan, that's another matter."

Not a procedure I would recommend, but it played exactly as he said would. It helped that the long-form security flight plan included my passport number.
 
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We had some friends heading south and was in PR/Cowbay yesterday, Aug 1st
Same exact procedure as in the spring, no COVID test required.
 
Shrew said:
I have to admit the scope is a little difficult to follow. You were in Friday Harbor (Washington, United States) and a CBP (Canadian Border Patrol) walks by???

OK, so you ask "what guidance they had received re[garding] returnees when the Canadians open their border."
If you are in the US and are a US citizen, you're not a returnee.
If you are Canada and are a a Canadian citizen, you're not a returnee.
If you are in the US and are a Canadian citizen, you are a returnee to Canada
If you are Canada and are a US citizen, you are a returnee to the US
The context of the OP is not clear.
Click to expand...

That is why RT Firefly succinctly posed the question "Whose on first?"
 
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