Cruising in Canada - Salish Sea this summer?

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Ron Stevenson

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May 22, 2014
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Spirit Bear
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Me, Seattle guy, QCYC member, venerable old trawler, ex USCG, nexus card. What's unique is my Canadian GF, has a cabin in the Gulf Islands, we spend summers putzing around up there, and much further north. Our boating friends are asking us, with the current political chaos that is being thrown around, how will Americans be looked at while we are up there? She says Canucks will still like our dollars, and "we are still friendly people". Others up there are pissed. It's weird that our US friends are reaching out to her to apologize. BTW, with one of the new "Executive Orders" just signed, all aliens have to register coming into the US, and now there is discussion that Canadians will be considered as an alien: Here’s how new U.S. rules will affect Canadian snowbirds and have to fill out a new form to be admitted into the US. Alien Registration Requirement | USCIS.

Yes, I do have as large courtesy flag I fly, but this summer I think I will fly my US ensign upside down...
 
Without getting into politics, you may want to reconsider flying the US ensign upside down. I was taught that's a common maritime distress signal & you might find yourself unintentionally attracting rescuers a lot..
 
See this thread for general brew-ha-ha on this subject...

PNW Cruising 2025

In past cruising seasons, boaters in Washington State and British Columbia have freely "traded countries" to explore and enjoy the San Juans, Puget Sound, the Gulf Islands, central and northern BC Coast, and Alaska. It would be interesting to hear whether and how members' plans for this cruising...
www.trawlerforum.com www.trawlerforum.com
 
Ron Stevenson said:
Me, Seattle guy, QCYC member, venerable old trawler, ex USCG, nexus card. What's unique is my Canadian GF, has a cabin in the Gulf Islands, we spend summers putzing around up there, and much further north. Our boating friends are asking us, with the current political chaos that is being thrown around, how will Americans be looked at while we are up there? She says Canucks will still like our dollars, and "we are still friendly people". Others up there are pissed. It's weird that our US friends are reaching out to her to apologize. BTW, with one of the new "Executive Orders" just signed, all aliens have to register coming into the US, and now there is discussion that Canadians will be considered as an alien: Here’s how new U.S. rules will affect Canadian snowbirds and have to fill out a new form to be admitted into the US. Alien Registration Requirement | USCIS.

Yes, I do have as large courtesy flag I fly, but this summer I think I will fly my US ensign upside down...
Click to expand...
Out of respect of those that have fallen fighting for your country, please fly our flag properly. Thank You
 
Alaskan Sea-Duction said:
Out of respect of those that have fallen fighting for your country, please fly our flag properly. Thank You
Click to expand...
Agree. Take the US Ensign down if you don't want to fly it correctly!
No requirement to fly anything.
 
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It is certainly fine to disagree with a position our government may take from time to time, but we should ALWAYS love our country. The US flag in any design deserves respect. Flying the US ensign flag upside down is akin to calling 911 when there is NO emergency.
 
Seriously..
Your overthinking it, if you want to go north this year go. If you worry about it don't go.
Hollywood
 
Exactly. And if you're going to get all thingy about being finger printed and having to produce your papers on demand at any time or place, then don't go south for more than 30 days.
 
All good opinions, I respect that, thank you! Of course flying upside down is a sign of distress. But I think the best option was suggested by a Canadian boater friend (not here) to simply not fly it, and some of you agree. As a Nexus card holder, we have already been fingerprinted, iris scanned, etc. and so already have a"permit". Sad to think my country has lost so much respect. Regarding our fallen, make a pilgrimage to Normandy some time to the American Memorial Cemeteries, that memory makes me tear up just thinking about it.
I will be glad to spend my money in BC, and always tip well. We will be making a road trip to the Douglas Lake Ranch and on to Penticton trailering my 20' Chris-Craft Custom to a boat show up there, another opportunity to support our neighbor and help their economy.
See you on the water!

The link Jack provided is a good read! Thanks!
pnw-cruising-2025
 
I’m proud to be an American no matter who is in office and I will never strike my colors.
 
Might get a bit more expensive, with the proposed inside passage surcharge similar to the proposed transit surcharge on the big rigs trucking to Alaska.
 
Ron Steveson:
"Regarding our fallen, make a pilgrimage to Normandy some time to the American Memorial Cemeteries, that memory makes me tear up just thinking about it."

Good point, however remember next to the two US landing beaches was the Canadian Juno beach head together with two more British & Allied beach heads. Thousands of men fought and died there for a common cause. That surely is the true definition of an allie and it should be handled with care.
 
Yesterday I did a test run without the Flag displayed (forgot) and no one noticed, cared or asked if I was merican. You are welcome. (BTW Luna, not where the pennant goes.)
20250314_093027.jpg
 
Others have reported that fingerprints are not optional if you plan to stay longer than 30 days for Canadians we will have to wait for the actual regulations. Just another reason not to go - nobody has my fingerprints and nobody is getting them without a very good reason. I value my privacy as a matter of principle and this is a bridge too far. Remember when only criminals were fingerprinted and you needed a warrant to get DNA. I remember a bank wanted them to cash a small cheque in Hawaii - what's with that? I went outside and withdrew the funds via ATM. (Early days of ATM's.) Hopefully everyone comes to their senses and the fingerprint requirement goes away. It does seem pretty silly in general however, I have to show my passport to enter the US, and all the information on the passport is available to the US government, What is exactly the difference between spending a week and 5 weeks that makes a requirement to "register" necessary??? Seems like a lot of paperwork for no benefit.

Wouldn't fly the flag upside down, sign of distress and will get you unwanted attention and waste scarce resources. Suggest you (the generic you not the OP) might not want to fly a 45 flag either, will also get you unwanted attention.
 
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For those of us concerned about DNA only being obtained via a warrant. There are several ways to obtain DNA? Any time one puts out their personal belongings in a public space they give up their constitutional right to be free free from unreasonable searches and seizures. Two quick examples are putting trash out for pickup and leaving utensils etc after having a meal. Each of these locations do not afford constitutional protection requiring search warrant. Spent several decades doing this professionally.Those concerned should take their trash personally to the dump and place it directly in the compactor and remember to clean up yourself after eating, utensils, plates, glasses,cups. Much prefer how I spend my time with wife cruising on the Pamlico and Albermale sounds, Chesapeake Bay, and parts of the ICW in our small trawler.
 
Here is another reason to support our allies, Operation Jubilee or the Dieppe Raid. In August of 1942, the Canadians made a trial landing in Normandy, Dieppe Raid 1942. The are honored with their own Dieppe Canadian Memorial Cemetery, located Hautot-sur-Mer, about 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) south of Dieppe in Normandy, France. I never knew about this until our French friends who had a summer home in Normandy took us there, it is beautifully done and maintained. May they rest in peace...
 
I am a holder of a Nexus pass. That requires fingerprints, photo and proof of who you are. So what?
BC medical services plan is managed by a USA company. So if you are a card carrying BC resident with MSP the US already has more than enough information about you. All they need is your prints.
Remeber, you will be assimulated, resistance is futile.
 
I worked for a major bank in the 70’s. In those days all bank employees had their finger prints registered with the FBI. Made it a no brainer to give my prints to NEXUS.
 
Probably has happened many times in the past. Only now, people equate it to protest instead of stupidity
 
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