Canada to U.S. boarder crossings

Was wondering if anyone has made progress on getting your boats from Canada into the U.S. I know that when I 1st asked this question a couple of weeks ago some folks had processes in place and ready to execute. How did they go??

Stand by to Repel "boarders"!

Only commercial vessels, and even those might be iffy. Scary stuff still going back and forth, and they're being especially cautious to keep travelers away from the Gulf Islands and Vancouver Island.

Here in Bellingham we just had a commercial trawler come in, the American Dynasty, and one of the crew members was admitted to the hospital. He was Covid positive. They then tested the entire crew and there were 86 positives aboard with others still awaiting results. They're all back in Seattle now, quarantining aboard.

Tug and barge traffic is operating as normal up the IP to AK.

I know of two different vessels that have gone from P.S. to Ketchikan in the last 1 - 2 weeks, anchoring for a few hours at night then continuing.

1st one was a diesel trawler, 2nd one was a twin O/B boat that did
stop for fuel but did not get off the boat at all, even at the fuel dock.

Jon H said:

I know of two different vessels that have gone from P.S. to Ketchikan in the last 1 - 2 weeks, anchoring for a few hours at night then continuing.

1st one was a diesel trawler, 2nd one was a twin O/B boat that did
stop for fuel but did not get off the boat at all, even at the fuel dock.

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Bet they didn't have operating AIS. Eye in the sky commonly notes, digitizes and tracks non AIS vessels. There must be more to the story.

Vessel confiscation is alive and well on both sides of the border for far more reasons than the virus shutdown. Guys like this screw it up for the rest of us patiently waiting.

A twin outboard could be dropped on a freight barge in Seattle and hauled to AK in less than a week. Hassle free and legal. I know of several vessels that are doing IP non stop, legally. No reason to be sneaky.

On Friday, there were several Custom's Agents and RCMP officers on board an 80 foot (approx.) pleasure craft tied to the dock in Nanaimo. The transom listed "Georgetown" as the home port. The "officials" were there for the entire 4 hours I was down at the docks, and were still there when I left!
I don't have any details, but I am sure it wasn't to talk about the weather.

The twin O/B boat was meet by Canadian customs at 1st fuel stop. They allowed the boat to proceed as long as it only made fuel stops.

Basically you are not welcome now, but you will be welcome again. How difficult is that to (cough) fathom?

He was Covid positive. They then tested the entire crew and there were 86 positives aboard with others still awaiting results. They're all back in Seattle now, quarantining aboard.

How big was the trawler, didn't know a trawler could handle 86 people with "others" still waiting results?

American Dynasty is 272’ and usually has a crew of 140 plus. They catch, process and package at sea. It’s owned by American Seafoods. Here’s a picture.

I am searching my mind and I don't think I've seen a trawler that big before. Lots of commercial vessels in my area but definitely nothing that big. That's something I'd expect to see off the coast of Alaska.

We have been put and about for 2 weeks now. We are now in the Port Hardy area. Very few boats about. I can provide an update on certain situations for US travel through Canadian waters.

We saw two US recreational vessels on AIS that we recognized and knew the skippers. They were off Cracroft. On query, one of them said that Canada Border Patrol in Sidney let them through with special provision to anchor but not to come ashore or dock. They were allowed passage because they could provide proof that they resided in Alaska. Evidently the travel restrictions provide for this situation.

Jim

I was talking to a neighbor who moves brokerage boats between Vancouver and Seattle. He was approved to move an Offshore 54 from Vancouver to Seattle. Here is the rub. Canada required him to quarantine for 14 day after entering the country and the US requires him to quarantine for 14 days upon Re-entering the country. No one wants to pay him for sitting on a boat for 28 days.

This is the closest I have heard of any one being approved to move a boat across the border.

rsn48 said:

I am searching my mind and I don't think I've seen a trawler that big before. Lots of commercial vessels in my area but definitely nothing that big. That's something I'd expect to see off the coast of Alaska.

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That is where it works...

rsn48 said:

I am searching my mind and I don't think I've seen a trawler that big before. Lots of commercial vessels in my area but definitely nothing that big. That's something I'd expect to see off the coast of Alaska.

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It is often moored off of Cowichan Bay in the off season.

This story about FV American Dynasty is exactly why AK Gov. Dunleavy switching to pre- flight screening, in lieu of quarantine, makes no sense.
https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/202...iring-they-be-tested-before-flying-to-alaska/

tiltrider1 said:

This is the closest I have heard of any one being approved to move a boat across the border.

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When this started to unfold, I posted about it and the post was quickly removed.

In mid-April, a 34’ American Tug spent shake down time in the San Juans and crossed the border on Apr 18, bound for AK.

She cleared in Sidney, overnighted in some marinas, was denied access and/or moorage at a few places and crossed from Prince Rupert to Ketchikan on May 1.

Begs the question; why was this permitted?

If this were a legitimate land or sea crossing, they would have been required to transit directly through BC without stopping OR be quarantined 14 days.

15 days quarantine prior to flight, test, if the do not flunk the test, then get on the plane.

Catch Covid on the plane, then become a super spreader at your destination....

soin2la said:

When this started to unfold, I posted about it and the post was quickly removed.



In mid-April, a 34’ American Tug spent shake down time in the San Juans and crossed the border on Apr 18, bound for AK.



She cleared in Sidney, overnighted in some marinas, was denied access and/or moorage at a few places and crossed from Prince Rupert to Ketchikan on May 1.



Begs the question; why was this permitted?



If this were a legitimate land or sea crossing, they would have been required to transit directly through BC without stopping OR be quarantined 14 days.

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Read my post above #13. It’s possible that case applies. Do you know she spent time at marinas?

rsn48 said:

I am searching my mind and I don't think I've seen a trawler that big before. Lots of commercial vessels in my area but definitely nothing that big. That's something I'd expect to see off the coast of Alaska.

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The big trawlers, like the American Dynasty can fish Pacific Hake off the coast of WA and OR between April 15 until the end of November. The Dynasty would normally go to the Bering Sea for the second opening (B season) of Alaska Pollock which opens June 10th. American Seafoods lack of proper testing of their crew for covid-19, has put Bellingham Cold Storage (where they offload hake) and Seattle Pier 91 in serious jeopardy of spreading the virus.

We are constantly catching Covid cases during enforced hotel quarantine of returning citizens and residents. Others are generally not welcome yet.
A live animal export ship arrived in Perth WA state, with Covid onboard. I think we had to admit crew to hospital. The loading delay means the ship misses the last export date before summer in the Middle East, so no loading no exporting.
Keep screening the Covid cases. There are enough locally without importing more. If that means quarantine, just do it, it works.

JDCAVE said:

Do you know she spent time at marinas?

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Six; four overnight. Denied access at two other locations.

OldDan1943 said:

15 days quarantine prior to flight, test, if the do not flunk the test, then get on the plane.

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There is no 15 day quarantine in the AK Mandate.

Negative test up to 72 hours in advance of flight. If no proof of negative test on arrival in AK, there is an option to test or quarantine.

BruceK said:

The loading delay means the ship misses the last export date before summer in the Middle East, so no loading no exporting.

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Bruce; can you explain that; is it a "summer" issue or trade restrictions?

BruceK said:

There are enough locally without importing more. If that means quarantine, just do it, it works.

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I agree 100%. We are starting to see, what was good non-partisan co-operation, cracking and politics creaping in. Pity, but it had to come sometime.

soin2la said:

Bruce; can you explain that; is it a "summer" issue or trade restrictions?

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A summer issue. Live animal export, sheep or beef, is a troubled trade. Due to high summer temperatures, sheep were dying, effectively pre cooked internally, en route. Ships developed a great shark following. If they survive the voyage they get slaughtered on arrival, often in someone`s backyard or a nasty foreign abattoir.
I`d prefer slaughtering them here and exporting the carcass frozen, in a value adding exercise. They`re going to die, it might as well be humane, and we might as well turn a better $ out of it.

Thanks Bruce.
Your sheep, are our raw logs. We ship them across the Pacific, the sharks convert them to flavoured toothpicks and sell them back to us.

Heading that way

We are delivering a boat from Lake Union in Seattle to our hometown in Ketchikan, AK here in about a month. Have a friend who’s about 4 days into the exact same voyage right now- but he said all is well. Last we spoke to the agents on the phone Canada is essentially closed to pleasure craft but we were told so long as we could locate fuel docks (we only need to stop once) that were open to non-essential travel we could transit the waterways. Marinas aren’t accepting any RSVPS in their slips or anything like that from USA ships but otherwise we are cleared to go.