Coast Guard sending people home in the San Juan's?

[Russell Clifton]

Just was reading on a Facebook cruisers page that the Coast Guard is telling people that are in the San Juan's to go back to there home port. Anybody have any direct knowledge of this?

 

[Steppe]

Found this announcement about restrictions for visitors, including boaters, from the San Juan Visitors Bureau:

https://www.visitsanjuans.com/travel-advisory

 

[nwboater]

Apparently the USCG is in fact chasing away boaters from visiting the San Juans. A friend told me he was stopped by a USCG vessel and questioned about his residence and were he was going. He replied that he was heading to Garrison Bay to anchor for the night. They let him proceed to his anchorage but told him not to go ashore. Being stubborn, he told the crew that he would need to take his dog ashore to do his business...finally, the crew said “whatever” and let him go with the warning to “Stay at home!”

 

[koliver]

Here in the BC Gulf Islands, There is publicity and pressure on folks from "away" to stay there. All of the Provincial and Federal Parks are officially closed, the ferries are running but at very reduced capacity, everyone is strongly urged to stay home.
Easter Weekend was not nearly as busy this year, as most folks who have a second home here stayed at their primary residence, though a news report shows that some still made the trek.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/covid-19-bc-travel-small-towns-1.5529472

 

[rsn48]

I follow the blog for MV Freedom. The couple have just recently moved full time onto their 43 Nordhavn. They have been cruising and I will link a video below of their last submission, you can see they are honouring rules and regs. Again I think if you are on your boat and anchored you are probably doing more than your bit for social isolation. They are cruising the San Juans. I notice they have their AIS off or I would locate them on Marine Tracker.

Just so you realize, the area from Seattle up to Alaska is heavily radared by multiple authorities. So if anyone thinks they are out there all alone without being detected, you're wrong. A lot of detection is for elicit drugs, illegal immigrants, illegal commercial fishing, and bad bombs being smuggled in.

PS: Just checked Marine Tracker, many more boats out their around Anacortes, San Juans and Gulf Islands than even just days ago.

 

[fractalphreak]

The San Juan County COVID-19 page is silent on this, but there appears to be a health order from the San Juan County Public Health Officer that some county officials have recently publicized to reduce transient travel into the islands. Found some actual reference material for the group to judge and act accordingly.

mynorthwest.com has a short news item about it at https://mynorthwest.com/1815668/san-juan-county-council-bans-visitors/? The mynorthwest.com article is misleading or incorrect, in stating the order is from the County Council because I cannot find anything on the SJC website or their COVID site about the council doing any such thing.

But the mynorthwest.com article contains a link to this page https://www.visitsanjuans.com/travel-advisory which is a REQUEST from the San Juan Islands Visitors Bureau not to travel, including not going to marinas or to shore if you anchor. It does however, mention that the San Juan Islands Historical Park is open with limited facilities available. So technically, the boater headed to Garrison Bay and wanting to land and walk his dog could land at the park, at least according to their website...

HOWEVER, the Visitors Bureau page states their request is based on the order of the San Juan County Health Officer...

The Deer Harbor Marina website is actually a much better source of real information. They are not taking transient moorage based on the Health order, and provided the order they are complying with. Here is the link to the actual San Juan County health order https://www.sanjuanco.com/DocumentCenter/View/20042/San-Juan-County-Health-Officer-Order-2020-1?bidId=

The order does indeed ban travel for non-essential reasons, and says it is prohibited and punishable by law. Their Sheriff and Prosecutor are taking an educate and inform posture, but aren't ruling out civil court processes for "more serious offenders." You can read their release of information here. https://www.sanjuanco.com/DocumentCenter/View/20179/200410-Sheriff-PA-Community-Update

As for the Coast Guard doing the inform/educate bit? If I was them I would want to make sure travelers stayed away too since there is a health order - they don't want to get the call of the sick COVID boater than needs evacuation either...

Good luck to all, and please stay healthy!

 

[fractalphreak]

I follow the blog for MV Freedom. The couple have just recently moved full time onto their 43 Nordhavn. They have been cruising and I will link a video below of their last submission, you can see they are honouring rules and regs. Again I think if you are on your boat and anchored you are probably doing more than your bit for social isolation. They are cruising the San Juans. I notice they have their AIS off or I would locate them on Marine Tracker.


PS: Just checked Marine Tracker, many more boats out their around Anacortes, San Juans and Gulf Islands than even just days ago.

(They are showing anchored in Gig Harbor right now...their ears must have been burning!)

 

[rsn48]

(They are showing anchored in Gig Harbor right now...their ears must have been burning!)

Thanks, I was wondering if their cruising would be affected by the tighter restrictions, glad their cruising still continues.

Wow, each day I check Marine Tracker for boats out and about, the number seems to grow exponentially. Still relatively quiet in and around Desolation. Almost nothing in the Broughtons.

 

[Billr2019]

I also follow MV Freedom and look forward to each of their videos.
I am really sorry for the hatred they have had to endure and the threats they have received.
Their are staying in their home and it just happens their home is mobile.

 

[Woodland Hills]

Are their dogs boat trained or do they go ashore twice a day? If they are going ashore, I can see how locals could be resentful. The same with provisioning: do they go to the store on various islands every week or once every month or more?

 

[Billr2019]

I believe they take their dogs ashore but from the videos they are well separated from others.

 

[hollywood8118]

Commenters on youtube can be a harsh bunch, I personally think that hanging out in the San Juans if you are not taxing the local resources is not a issue. It's not like they were hanging out in Friday Harbor and bar hopping. Also the islands already have CV19 so its not like they had no cases.

Just goes to show that people can be really big pieces of crap at times
HOLLYWOOD

 

[Billr2019]

Exactly my thoughts!

 

[rsn48]

They don't have two dogs any more, the lab died roughly in November, don't hold me to that month in 2019. The intro with the two dogs is their way to honour their lost lab.

 

[Billr2019]

They still have Boat Dog #2, the younger one.
I forget its name.

 

[Donsan]

They still have Boat Dog #2, the younger one.
I forget its name.

Mister Sully

 

[Retriever]

I’ve been in the San Juans for over a month now. Ferries are still running regularly. So are water taxis to the smaller islands. People With homes here are coming by ferry, private airplane, and boat, sometimes for just the weekend. We’ve mostly been between our winter slip in Friday Harbor and a cabin we have on Decatur Island and haven’t seen a bit of enforcement related to the quarantine.

 

[Ken E.]

A friend was just anchored at Sucia for 3 days, just got back. The Coasties cruised through, chatted a bit, but didn't ask them to go home.

 

[Ruffryder]

False statement & many rumors going around.
No USCG is not forcing any boaters to go back home,
also that's just an advisory from SJIVB, not enforced.
My PM with them...

Jay Bremerton WA

 

[Larry M]

Sorry folks but the thread is closed. There’s a lot of good information here but it’s been getting away from the subject.

For current Covid-19 boating information check with your local agencies or the WaterWay Guide which has a section on Governmet notices.

https://www.waterwayguide.com/covid-19-government-notices