Do I need to check in?

[Lionshooter]

I can't speak for Canada because I have never sailed there but have many years experience with the Bahamas. Friends of mine in Hopetown made a supply trip to West Palm Beach. Upon their return, they skirted past West End and anchored in Great Sale Cay. A Bahamian patrol boat followed them and boarded their boat. They found a number of cartons of cigarettes and a lot of liquor. Ultimately they received heavy fines for failure to check in at the first port of entry and for contraband being smuggled into the country. So the bottom line is, don't try to screw around with the check-in rules. Had they checked in properly, no fines would have been assessed.

[Ardbeg]

Last summer Canada Customs was operating out of Portsmouth in Kingston every day. They would come in looking for US registered boats or US people. They caught quite few that I saw. Nothing has changed since then so forget about it until the border opens. Also saw a regular RCMP presence last summer in the Islands.

[Adelie]

Originally Posted by DeeBee

I'm going to be sailing around the great lakes (US/Canada border). How does check-in work for some simple cases?

US-flagged ship...

* anchor just off Canadian coast for the night.

* pull into a marina for gas then leave

* pull into a marina to unstep the mast, then leave



... there are more potential situations. are there rules that people use?

I'm assuming there are "rules of thumb" and there are "the laws" I'm not sure how closely they match.



I want to follow the best practices for what most cruisers do.

Rule of thumb?

If you touch ground or the seabed you need to clear in.

If there is a boat emergency there might be some leeway depending on jurisdiction but any number of foreseeable things like sailing solo and needing to sleep or not bringing enough fuel would not count as an emergency

[Kd9truck]

I know the boarder crossing with Canada seems ridiculous but having lost over 60 friends, family and co-workers I am happy the respective boarder authorities take their jobs seriously. Several Permanent health conditions and a carrier cut short are the adjustments I’ve had to make and in comparison to some individuals close to me I am fortunate.
So while I know it’s a hassle and may not seem warranted please understand it is not an idol inconvenience.

[capt jgw]

Good example is transiting between Lakes Erie and Huron. On the charts it looks like you could do it without entering Canadian waters, but it wouldn't be easy. Earlier in the year we were looking at a boat on Lake Ontario and wondering how we would get it back to Lake Michigan. Normally I'd go through the Trent Severn but not in 2020. My biggest concern on the Detroit and St Clair would be if you broke down the prevailing westerly wind would blow you further into Canada. Probably not good with the border closed.

[wannacat]

Quote"Exactly right. If you are just transiting through Canadian or American waters it's considered an Innocent Passage. But if you do any of the above, you are considered to have entered the country, and must immediately present yourself to customs."

I don't think the boys running the show on both the upper and lower Niagara River believe in " Innocent Passage", they've been fining US boaters heavily who just cross the line. Could happen anywhere. I would call and try clearing that issue first.

[DUNCANMAC]

Has anyone had experience with a global entry pass?

[DUNCANMAC]

[QUOTE=DUNCANMAC;3315724]Has anyone had experience with a global entry pass? These are times of change, but my understanding was it could expedite checking in.

[Dave Lochner]

Originally Posted by DUNCANMAC

Has anyone had experience with a global entry pass?

The NEXUS card is part of the Trusted Traveller Program and is an agreement between the US and Canada to allow for easier border crossings. In some sections of the border, the PNW, Detroit, Buffalo, and the St Lawrence River, there is considerable cross border traffic. The NEXUS card facilitates quick border crossings.

As part of the Trusted Traveller Program the NEXUS program provides access to TSA PreCheck and Global Entry Kiosks. However, it is my understanding that the Global Entry Pass does not afford the same privileges of the NEXUS program when crossing the US/Canadian border.


About 8 years ago an uninformed US angler anchored in Canadian waters on the St Lawrence River to fish. The Canadian Authorities arrived and imposed an immediate $1K fine on the anglers and confiscated their boat. This prompted an international incident ultimately involving the State Departments of both countries. Don't mess with border patrols.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by capt jgw

Good example is transiting between Lakes Erie and Huron. On the charts it looks like you could do it without entering Canadian waters, but it wouldn't be easy. Earlier in the year we were looking at a boat on Lake Ontario and wondering how we would get it back to Lake Michigan. Normally I'd go through the Trent Severn but not in 2020. My biggest concern on the Detroit and St Clair would be if you broke down the prevailing westerly wind would blow you further into Canada. Probably not good with the border closed.

You can certainly transit between those two lakes without needing to clear in, but you couldn't stop. If you had to due to an emergency, international marine agreements say it's OK to do what you must. Although you'd probably have to clear in once the emergency was over.

When I sailed from Huron to Erie a few years ago I decided to stop in Lake St. Clair for the night. Being a Canadian, I went man miles away from the border before anchoring for the night. I didn't want to risk being anywhere near US waters since I'd not cleared in.

On another transit, this time down the St. Mary's river between Lake Superior and the North Channel I was running the US side (down bound) when we started having engine problems. I purposely limped over to the well inside the Canadian border before dropping the hook.

[SuW]

Originally Posted by Adelie

Rule of thumb?
If you touch ground or the seabed you need to clear in.

If there is a boat emergency there might be some leeway depending on jurisdiction but any number of foreseeable things like sailing solo and needing to sleep or not bringing enough fuel would not count as an emergency

Also you have to clear in if putting a fishing line in the water, somewhat bizarrely.

[Adelie]

I don’t think that’s bizarre, fish are a commodity, if you fish in a countries Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) then you are taking money out of the pockets of the natives. Oh, and the EEZ goes out 200nm, not 12nm.

[Dave Lochner]

Originally Posted by SuW

Also you have to clear in if putting a fishing line in the water, somewhat bizarrely.

Makes sense to me. While innocent passage is a right, once a fishing line goes in the water the boat is no longer simply making an innocent passage, its fishing and engaging in, at lease on the Great Lakes, a regulated recreational acitivity on either side of the border. Need to clear in and have a fishing license.

[SuW]

Originally Posted by Adelie

I don’t think that’s bizarre, fish are a commodity, if you fish in a countries Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) then you are taking money out of the pockets of the natives. Oh, and the EEZ goes out 200nm, not 12nm.

You are right, clearly, although the border where I live is approximately down the middle of the St. Lawrence and it's mostly sport fishing. If you can call fighting carp a sport! (I know the British come her for that).

[SuW]

Originally Posted by Dave Lochner

Makes sense to me. While innocent passage is a right, once a fishing line goes in the water the boat is no longer simply making an innocent passage, its fishing and engaging in, at lease on the Great Lakes, a regulated recreational acitivity on either side of the border. Need to clear in and have a fishing license.

That's also true. I hadn't though about fishing licences!