Customs in Sidney, Roche Harbor and Friday Harbor

[stargazerwa]

We are taking our first trip into Canada in the boat and I have a few questions about customs... mostly what to expect. We do not have I-68 or Nexus and so will be clearing customs in person.

We are first headed to Sidney, staying at the Port of Sidney Marina. Has anyone cleared customs there lately? A big deal or not?

Next we are headed for Ganges on Saltspring and then Poets Cove in Bedwell. When we return from S. Pender we can clear customs at either Roche or Friday Harbor. Distance is similar, any idea which will be faster to clear or if they will both be manned on a Tuesday around noon?

Any advice would be much appreciated.

[Dave C]

Just got back from Canada. Went through Bedwell, no live bodies, 3 "direct line" telephones to Victoria. Long wait (25 minutes) on hold, about 8 minutes answering questions updating info. and nothing has changed. Same boat, same wife, same address, did have to give a phone number.
Came back through Roche Harbor. Docked right away, waited about 20 minutes for one of 3 live Agents. About 10minutes of answering / updating database. Had passports and all paper work, they only looked at passports. They also wanted phone number. Ask questions designed to trip me up, like home address which is on passport, next port ? LaConner, is that where you live? No. Seattle. (See passport).
They were boarding every boat

[SomeSailor]

Like all good terrorists would stop at the border to be interogated, Heck... they could be in Laconner just as fast. :)

[Dave C]

OR in a whale watching boat. See:

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/232717_whalewatch15.html

:lol:

[Randygh]

Two weeks ago we spent a week in the Gulf Islands. We cleared Canadian customs at Sydney. There were no agents at the customs dock. Called in on the customs phone and immediately got an agent. Since we had been in Canada 2 years ago, the agent had all our info so I just confirmed all info. She didn't ask if we had a passport. When we returned to the US, we cleared customs at Friday Harbor. The customs dock has a phone and when I picked up the receiver I immediately got an agent. She asked the usual questions and there is a camera next to the phone. I read my passport number to her, then she compared my passport photo and my handsome mug. She then requested I get the Admiral and she compared the Admiral's mug to her passport photo. It was very quick and painless. Much better than two years ago when we came back through Roche. The customs lady officer at Roche was a pain in the _ss. If you don't have a passport, you'll need your birth certificate, photo ID and you'll probably need to see a customs agent.

[Go Aweigh2452]

I think it is easier to go to Canada, copy someones CA ID number, post it in your window, cruise to your hearts content and then go back to US without checking in... at least that's the logical conclusion I'd draw if I was a smuggler, a terrorist, or just a lazy boat owner.

Has anyone ever been challenged in Canada by looking at your customs number and verifying that is you? I have made serveral trips and have not (to date) been challenged...

Until they start checking every radar contact coming in from/to Canada/US, I think this system is useless for everyone. Next thing will be a chip placed in your skin, your electronic ignition, or some other far fetched idea. Sort of like "Lojack" for Americans. (Lojack is a system that will track your vehicles location if it is stolen or you can track it live) .

[Dawn Dreamer]

The simplest thing to do is to follow the regulations and protocol, whether we think they are reasonable or not. The so-called "_ss" Customs Officers are usually triggered into what some interpret as asinine behavior by the traveler's non-compliance with the requirements, or by the traveler's attitude.

In the case of the whale watching boat, the captain had neither his own ID nor his boat's papers onboard. The Customs Officers did exactly what was required in the situation; the boat's captain did not.

[SomeSailor]

I agree in the case of the boat Captain not having his paperwork in order, BUT a commercial whale-watching boat is a total waste of time. The time they spent boarding this poor guy, could have been spent more wisely on inspecting more suspect vessels.

A quick call to the Canadian officials should have verified the registry of the vessel and if it was in an area they are not normally seen, a radio conversation could have likely straightened things out. These commercial operators should be considered as valuable assets in these waters, instead of threats.

The whole system is incredibly flawed though. I can make a Washington registration numbers and decals on my computer... heck... can even stop by a local marina and get a simialr model to match the WN numbers... and slap that on the side of any Canadian boat and drive around US waters with inpunity.

All someone would have to do is swap the stickers... maybe a fake hailing port like Everett, WA and drive on in. The idea that stopping random boats, especially chartered boats is ludicrous. Some terrorist will drive simply his 40 ft Bayliner alongside a tanker and blow it up just like they did the USS Cole. (that was a stupid Zodiac) :)

[Dawn Dreamer]

But also consider how easy it is for a terrorist to buy a whale watching tour ticket, hop aboard with his bomb-laden backpack and hijack the boat.

We cleared Canada Customs in Sidney and US Customs in Roche a little over a week ago, both times on a weekday:

Sidney-
"Hovered" for about 1/2 hour until two very large yachts cleared the customs dock. Stood in pouring rain for 15 minutes on hold at the phone. Once the agent came on, she was fast and courteous. She had all our information from our trip in May, so I didn't have to repeat everything.

Roche-
Was lucky to arrive when there were no other boats at the dock. It took about 10 minutes, including the agent boarding our boat and asking my wife the same questions regarding meats, fruits, vegetables, etc. she asked me. I guess terrorist couples do not coordinate answers to banned food products beforehand. :D BTW, we had current passports.

Last May we went from Everett to Mill Bay and back. This was the week after the new US rules were put in place. We cleared at Canoe Cove and Friday Harbor:

Canoe Cove (Friday)-
We tied up and I called the Canada Customs 800 number on my cell phone, since there was no phone on the dock. It was quick and easy.

Friday Harbor (Sunday)-
We tied up and I called the on the dock phone, since they had nobody on the dock office. They asked me to come to their office, which is a very long hike from the dock....very slow and inconvenient.


Do not attempt to go in without clearing customs at either country. In Sidney Spit, for example, a Canada Customs boat came up early in the morning. The agents looked at every US-registered boat for a clearance number. If the number wasn't displayed on the window, they came up to the boat and asked the occupants for it. Once they had the number, they would check it against their database.

Raul

[SomeSailor]

But also consider how easy it is for a terrorist to buy a whale watching tour ticket, hop aboard with his bomb-laden backpack and hijack the boat.

Well... if the mission was to get a backpack of explosives to the US, why not just mail them here via UPS? Why bother with a whale watching boat? And... if he had hijacked it... do you think Rosario is the prime location to blow yourself up? Heck... it's so remote up there... no one may even notice.. Why not walk up to any decent sized boat in any harbor, climb aboard and drive the boat there yourself?

What I'm getting at is the only security blanket that works is one that would totally exclude all traffic with clearing an ADIZ-type zone. And even then... are we going to have full-time radar operators for the Coast Guard? ... and if they do get a a target that is not communicating... what exactly are they going to shoot at it with? Its not like the Coast Guard has more than a token number of vessels of their own.

The whole "warm-fuzzy" that's obtained by stopping a whale-watching boat is pointless.

We're capitalizing on the fact that those who are against us don't readily know all these things, but you can walk into any US marina and be on a boat and underway in a few short minutes. Why bother running the border at all?

[Go Aweigh2452]

why not just mail them here via UPS?

Well, I just got back from UPS to mail out the tackle box I got from dad. It was in a taped up boom box. They weighed it, I filled out the form for mailing it using the same address "from" and "to" and paid cash for the mailing. They never once asked for ID or anything. I could have easily said it was a box of dog doo in the declaration. So you are right, just use UPS to mail out anything you want...

[SomeSailor]

And it's the same for overseas. I send model planes all over the world and you could send pretty much anything you wanted. I'm really surprised they haven't started bringing down cargo planes just like that. All you need is a box filled with boom powder and a barometric switch.

We sure focus on all the wrong stuff. I saw on the news this morning where they have old people standing on the shores near the Ballard Locks with binoculars. Do they REALLY think a terrorist is gonna show up in a turbin or something?

[stargazerwa]

Thanks for the info doesn't sound like clearing at Roche or Friday Harbor is much different.

[1northernstar]

In my experience, there is a vast difference between Roche vs. Friday.

Roche agents seem to have a chip on their shoulder, are most always boarding boats, and are trying to trip you up with questions.

Friday agents are friendlier, usually let you clear from the phone at the dock, and only ask the general questions (name/passport/address) so you can get on your way.

I spent this past Saturday/Sunday on the inside customs dock right next to the phone/camera. Only saw one skipper go up to the office to actually clear (sailboat with 20 young kids on it)

I go to Friday everytime now...

[bradvo]

After reading this if I am called in I think I may try for Friday harbor, I agree with the agents and having a chip on there shoulders at Roche. One agent in particuliar is a real P*ick most times and it does not take attitude from a boater to recieve his charm. My wife and I just got our I-68 forms last week, but our friends from Texas cannot get this form in there home state. So we will have to go to customs on our return to US if we do not get a I-68 form for them before we leave ( which will be hard to meet schedule) or if we did not mention them being on the boat going into Canada- then the risk of jail and confiscating our boat is too much stress for me to be on a pleasure trip.
Brad
ps- Since I have my I-68 paper work I would think I would not have to bring my Birth certificate? I forgot to ask agent last week when applying.
This should now be a good in state type passport I would think.

[SPUD]

I was asked "in which state were you born"

Connecticut

What is the state tree of Connecticut

"I have no idea, I only lived there a year", I replied

"You will never forget it now, it is .............., "

I already forgot.......boy am I in trouble.

Spud

[SomeSailor]

ps- Since I have my I-68 paper work I would think I would not have to bring my Birth certificate? I forgot to ask agent last week when applying.
This should now be a good in state type passport I would think.

I don't think any of the commuter pass programs overide imigration laws. You still need to have the appropriate documents to re-enter the country (valid photo ID and prrof of citizenship, etc). It just changes your reporting requirements. Even though you don't have to present them... I believe you still must possess them. Besides... it would suck to be outside without your documents in the event of another 9/11 type attack. :(

[3788sam]

Being born in DC really screws up the Canadian immigration! What state where born in - It's not a state and on and on!
I now tell them I was born in Washington DC - but was raised in VA.- Dogwood is the State Tree!

[boating777]

Quick question here guys, From reading this thread sounds like the best place to go is Friday Harbor. and Try and avoid Roach, does it make it any easier that my boat is documented? I always have the Passport & drivers Lic, and the other info on the boat registration etc etc with me. Just trying to find the painless place to re-enter.


777

[bradvo]

Good Point Mike, better throw it back on board. i think I will try my i -68 first however if I go through this. Just to see how it is handled.
I was told the ban on Canadian meat was going to lift also. that hopefully will be the end of giving up our beef.

I've only physically cleared on the boat three times but, based on that I preferr Roche. Both times at Friday I had to make the hike to the top of the hill. At Roche the agent was on the dock and was pleasant and fast, even though she boarded the boat.

Raul

[3788sam]

I've only cleared at Friday- They have always been quick and professional to me. I've never had to go to the office and now with the camera set up I would think that it would be even faster.
The thing that has always bothered me is they have this nice little set up on the dock, with AC mind you, why don't they ever just spend the busy weekends down there. I would think it would give them a better chance on see anything out of the ordinary?

[bopa5]

We came over from Sidney last Sunday, first boat trip into US waters,
and arrived at Roche about 3:00. Custom dock full, 5 other boats milling around, found out you had to sort of get in line and wait for available custom dock space, 45 minutes, finally got tied to customs dock.

Went into the little office , 3 customs agents, one writing a report on a belligerent boater, very apologetic she couldn't help. We had previously
phoned about what we could.t bring in...no meat..even canned stew...no citrus fruit...another couple had one lemon and one lime confiscated...sort of kills those umbrella drinks...another boat had cumin confiscated....
the agent that we had was very professional and quite nice..he boarded our boat ..all boats that day were being boarded....and then we were given clearance number...had to pay $25 fee as we are greater than 30 ft....
apparently good for one calendar year expires dec. 31, no discount if issued
in July....ughdidn't really mind the clearance procedures...if you visit a country you play by their rules or just don't go..

After staying at Roche, went to Friday Harbour, Fishermans Bay (anchor) then back to Roche.

On Monday saw a pod of Whales between Lime Kiln Point and Mosquito Pass very thrilling but on Friday nothing they had vanished.


Next week we are going for a few days into the Gulf Islands long term weather forecast looks good


Bob

[stargazerwa]

We got back from our first and too short trip to the Gulf Islands the other day and as reported clearing customs in Sidney was a breeze. I did forget to call the marina first, so I had to wait outside the breakwater while other boats who were behind me (but who had called in ahead) went before me.

Monday at 11:00 am we came back through Friday Harbor and we were the only ones at the customs dock. I got right through and it took about 15 minutes. The usual kinds of questions. They had a special camera station by the phone that you could fold your passport in half and they would take a picture of it and you at the same time. They had each person on the boat face the camera while he had me put each passport under the little camera.

[Kuredu]

Bob - your first post on IBNW. Welcome. Please fill in your bio a little, or at least where you're from so your comments can be read in perspective. Seems you're in BC from your post...?

[beyond kelp]

Just returned from B.C. for two weeks. Whales, dolfins, bears and salmon! Customs were as usual, Bedwell Harbor (Harbour for you canadians) Phone reporting, no hassle, customs agent liked our boat name, says if he hears "Nauti " anything one more time, he'll lose it. Went to Roche and got dock in 15min, no boarding, no hassle. BUT it got really busy an hour later and people were not happy. When it gets crowded, who goes next gets difficult to figure out or agree on, and nerves get frayed. Boaters skills, or lack thereof , in some cases, get put to the test while they are hovering, jockeying, and flailing each other. Next year passports are required. Bummer! Great trip pictures to come!