On Aug 7, 4:39 pm, "Roger Long" wrote:
I read either on a web site or in the cruising guide (brain fade) a couple
weeks ago that you need to get a decal from US Customs to facilitate
re-entry on return from Canada. It's looking up for my fall trip to Saint
John so I called Customs here in Portland to ask if the decal was something
I could get just by stopping in. The fellow who answered the phone groaned
and said something like, "Some magazine printed that a while back and it
just won't die. There is no decal. We had something like that years ago for
the Great Lakes where people go back and forth a lot but so many people
thought it meant they didn't need to clear Customs that we discontinued it."

I asked him if there was anything I could or should do before departing for
Canada to make the clearance back easier and he said, "No".

--
Roger Long

Roger,

I got the decal over the web and it was useful last summer coming back
from New Brunswick (actually the agent didn't look at the decal
itself but he did refer to the paper form that came with the
sticker). For the money, I also wish the government could come up with
a more impressive design. Just a number. No eagle or flag or anything.

Also, despite what the customs web site says, do not try to clear in
Jonesport. This seemed like a smart idea to avoid the Eastport tides
or a long sail to Bar Harbor but the customs agent had to drive from
Bar Harbor and it took about three hours. Said he'd never been to
Jonesport all summer - and this was August 15. He apologized for
keeping us waiting and was friendly and efficient. Driving to
Jonesport was probably the most interesting thing he'd done all week.

Carl