Well, even here in Hawaii it's winter and while we are working hard on
chuffing the cruising kitty we are also dreaming about the next voyage.
Among the candidates is a passage leaving here Mayish and arriving
somewhere between Ketchikan and Seattle late May or early June. This
is an area of the world which I have no experience in and I'm
soliciting general advise. I'm particularly curious about the
specifics of entering Canada from the US on a US documented,
non-commercial boat with two US citizens. I presume that we could do
it the usual way and get a port clearance from here to a major customs
port in Canada. However, particularly in the Vancouver Island area it
seems like one would have to sail past a lot of good looking cruising
grounds to get to a customs port. A fellow cruiser told me that a
friend of his had been allowed to check in someplace around Quatsino
Sound (maybe Winter Hbr?)... Can this have been legal?

-- Tom.

On Fri, 26 Jan 2007 11:51:45 -0800, wrote:

I'm particularly curious about the specifics of entering Canada from the
US on a US documented, non-commercial boat with two US citizens. I
presume that we could do it the usual way and get a port clearance from
here to a major customs port in Canada.

And you would presume incorrectly. Since 9/11 the Canadian government has
spent millions of dollars beefing up security at the border. Concern
about lax Customs procedures in the US that allowed the terrorists to so
easily enter the US has been the driving force behind these initiatives.
All visitors from the US must now present a valid passport, submit to
mandatory fingerprinting and provide letters of reference from at least 3
baptist ministers (only 1 if from the SCLC) attesting to the following:

1) you have never, ever ordered a falafel
2) you don't know what tahini is and
3) you like both kinds of music i.e., country and western

"mr.b" wrote in message
news
On Fri, 26 Jan 2007 11:51:45 -0800, wrote:

I'm particularly curious about the specifics of entering Canada from the
US on a US documented, non-commercial boat with two US citizens. I
presume that we could do it the usual way and get a port clearance from
here to a major customs port in Canada.

And you would presume incorrectly. Since 9/11 the Canadian government has
spent millions of dollars beefing up security at the border. Concern
about lax Customs procedures in the US that allowed the terrorists to so
easily enter the US has been the driving force behind these initiatives.
All visitors from the US must now present a valid passport, submit to
mandatory fingerprinting and provide letters of reference from at least 3
baptist ministers (only 1 if from the SCLC) attesting to the following:

1) you have never, ever ordered a falafel
2) you don't know what tahini is and
3) you like both kinds of music i.e., country and western

Yeah right! As long as you bring lots of yankee dollars, you're welcome in
Canada. Going back home will be the problem.

Stay in the US , and you'll have NO problems. Come here, and you'll go
through more **** than you can handle on the way back home.
We dont need you here, in the land of supposed" Terrorist Training
Grounds".

On Jan 26, 4:09 pm, "Don White" wrote:
"mr.b" wrote in messagenews




On Fri, 26 Jan 2007 11:51:45 -0800, wrote:

I'm particularly curious about the specifics of entering Canada from the
US on a US documented, non-commercial boat with two US citizens. I
presume that we could do it the usual way and get a port clearance from
here to a major customs port in Canada.

And you would presume incorrectly. Since 9/11 the Canadian government has
spent millions of dollars beefing up security at the border. Concern
about lax Customs procedures in the US that allowed the terrorists to so
easily enter the US has been the driving force behind these initiatives.
All visitors from the US must now present a valid passport, submit to
mandatory fingerprinting and provide letters of reference from at least 3
baptist ministers (only 1 if from the SCLC) attesting to the following:

1) you have never, ever ordered a falafel
2) you don't know what tahini is and
3) you like both kinds of music i.e., country and westernYeah right! As long as you bring lots of yankee dollars, you're welcome in
Canada. Going back home will be the problem.- Hide quoted text -- Show quoted text -

Knot no way keep cruising to Canada the B.C. BUD is out of this world and Canadian Customs will share.

Corsair23 wrote:

Stay in the US , and you'll have NO problems. Come here, and you'll go
through more **** than you can handle on the way back home.
We dont need you here, in the land of supposed" Terrorist Training
Grounds".

On Jan 26, 4:09 pm, "Don White" wrote:
"mr.b" wrote in messagenews




On Fri, 26 Jan 2007 11:51:45 -0800, wrote:

I'm particularly curious about the specifics of entering Canada from the
US on a US documented, non-commercial boat with two US citizens. I
presume that we could do it the usual way and get a port clearance from
here to a major customs port in Canada.

And you would presume incorrectly. Since 9/11 the Canadian government has
spent millions of dollars beefing up security at the border. Concern
about lax Customs procedures in the US that allowed the terrorists to so
easily enter the US has been the driving force behind these initiatives.
All visitors from the US must now present a valid passport, submit to
mandatory fingerprinting and provide letters of reference from at least 3
baptist ministers (only 1 if from the SCLC) attesting to the following:

1) you have never, ever ordered a falafel
2) you don't know what tahini is and
3) you like both kinds of music i.e., country and westernYeah right! As long as you bring lots of yankee dollars, you're welcome in
Canada. Going back home will be the problem.- Hide quoted text -- Show quoted text -

"Corsair23" wrote in message
ups.com...
Stay in the US , and you'll have NO problems. Come here, and you'll go
through more **** than you can handle on the way back home.
We dont need you here, in the land of supposed" Terrorist Training
Grounds".


Huh?
Better not let the tourism folks hear you talkin that s*it.
Down here they're always crying about the reduced number of 'merican
visitors since 9/11.
You'd think the sky was falling.

You must have reached rec boat goofball/douche bag anonymous with those
responses.
Check Canada Border services on-line.

That response sent to you by rec.asswipe douchebag g-mail user// it
figures

(please insert boat name here), and I'll let them know your coming, and
what to look for.....

On Jan 26, 7:07 pm, wrote:
You must have reached rec boat goofball/douche bag anonymous with those
responses.
Check Canada Border services on-line.

Check Canada Border services on-line.

Thanks. With that I found
http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/contact/l...xtype39-e.html.
Which looks like a good place to start.

-- Tom.

The North Island's Canada Customs station operated out of Quatsino until
1974. The Customs House is now a private fishing lodge. It appears that
clearing customs on the West Side of the Island is difficult if not
impossible. Winter Harbour does not have a customs dock. The list posted
earlier will work, but it seems that you have to go to Victoria. A
circumnavigation of the Island is an great experience, if you want to give
it a try, I can give you some pointers. I did it twice last year. Three
are scheduled for this year.

Jack


--
__________________________________________________
Jack Dale
ISPA Yachtmaster Offshore Instructor
CYA Advanced Cruising Instructor
Director, Swiftsure Sailing Academy
http://www.swiftsuresailing.com
__________________________________________________



wrote in message
oups.com...
Well, even here in Hawaii it's winter and while we are working hard on
chuffing the cruising kitty we are also dreaming about the next voyage.
Among the candidates is a passage leaving here Mayish and arriving
somewhere between Ketchikan and Seattle late May or early June. This
is an area of the world which I have no experience in and I'm
soliciting general advise. I'm particularly curious about the
specifics of entering Canada from the US on a US documented,
non-commercial boat with two US citizens. I presume that we could do
it the usual way and get a port clearance from here to a major customs
port in Canada. However, particularly in the Vancouver Island area it
seems like one would have to sail past a lot of good looking cruising
grounds to get to a customs port. A fellow cruiser told me that a
friend of his had been allowed to check in someplace around Quatsino
Sound (maybe Winter Hbr?)... Can this have been legal?

-- Tom.