Glenn has put in pretty well -- any generalization is going to be
false. In Western Samoa we had six officials aboard to clear us in
(IIRC: Health, Agriculture, Immigration, Customs, Security,
Harbormaster) and it was largely a formality, done in ten minutes.
Fiji took 38 different pieces of paper to clear in and out (about 80
copies all told -- don't forget the carbon paper). In Spain, on the
other hand, we couldn't find an offical interested in doing anything.

In about 40% of the countries, they come to the boat. In the balance,
the Captain, alone, goes ashore -- in Singapore the office is all the
way across the island from the marina we were in -- good rapid transit
there, though.

In maybe 30% the boat is never "in" the country, so you go through
passport control at the port gate each time you go ashore. These
usually require you to stay in one or a very limited number of ports
-- no cruising.

As for passing through, the right of free passage is a basic
international law, so that generally you can pass through a strait
without stopping and without checking into the country that owns both
sides. This is well established in some places (the Bosporus, for
example), but, again, take nothing for granted.

We've stopped overnight several places without checking in, but the
general rule is that if the hook is down, you'd better have checked
in. Exceptions are sometimes tolerated where the wind dictates a
particular route (the easternmost Marquesas, for example), but Fiji,
with the same situation in the Lau group, is very tough on it.

Jim Woodward
www.mvfintry.com

Glenn Ashmore wrote in message ...
Vito wrote:

I'm admittedly ignorant of these laws.

What's involved in clearing in/out? When do/don't you need to do it?
Do you have to clear into each country you sail by without stopping
if you come within xx of land? If you anchor off shore and paddle in
to (say) get a tooth filled and buy some lemons do you need to
declare everything left aboard (eg, your gun, camera and jewelry)
even if it's never brought ashore?

Normally when you arrive in a country you must hoist a quarantine flag
and a port official either comes to the boat or the captain goes ashore
with all the passports and ships papers. The process can be simple or
astoundingly frustrating depending on the country, the attitude of the
clearing official and how popular the port is with cruisers. Most
places you must declare weapons but the contents of the boat are not
normally listed. You must not venture on shore any more than necessary
to clear customs. In an emergency some places might let you clear after
the emergency is handled but a tooth ache would definitely not qualify.

When you leave most countries require you to clear out and issue a
Zarpe which is a certification that you left in good standing. Some
countries want to see the Zarpe from your last port before you can clear in.

As to sailing through without landing, that is a good question. Most
places clearing is not necessary if you are just passing through their
waters but I would be interested to know what the Bahamian policy is on
that. On deliveries back from the BVI we usually break it into 4 long
legs stopping at Boqueron, PR, Luperon, DR and Georgetown. If it is
going to cost us $500 to stop in Georgetown we will probably just sail
right on through. If they still want our money we will have to go up
the Old Bahamas Channel and the west side of the bank. Sure hope Cuba
opens up before then 'cause Cap Haitian to Ft. Lauderdale is a long slog.