US / Canada border restrictions predictions...

[Macblaze]

Originally Posted by kmacdonald

I'm sure it's more of a suggestion than a hard and fast rule.

Def'n: show one's true colors

Nautical origin. The word 'colors' (or 'colours') refers to the flag or ensign which every ship is obliged to fly at sea. It was once a common deception of pirates to 'sail under false colours' and fly a friendly flag in order to get within close range of potential targets (other ships) without exciting suspicion. Only when the pirate ship reached close quarters would it unfurl its 'true colours'.

Troll it is then.

[kmacdonald]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

This is the concern... the watery version of the Alaska Loophole. But if they're still broadcasting their AIS signal, it surely must mean they are legit. You'd have to be some kinda dumb to try and sneak in on a false pretense, all the while broadcasting "LOOK AT ME! FOLLOW ME!" on AIS.

If all boats transiting the area turn off and on their AIS it would overwhelm Canadian resources trying to track down evaders. I hope everyone doesn't participate in such a thing.

[nwdiver]

Originally Posted by Macblaze

Sigh. Because ...

IT
IS
AGAINST
THE
LAW!

Why is that so hard. It doesn't matter if it's the right law or not, or whether anyone agrees with it. Why is it so hard to understand that screwing around just makes it worse for everyone?

Ignore the troll.....

[kmacdonald]

Originally Posted by nwdiver

Ignore the troll.....

Yes, I find that works the best.

[Macblaze]

Originally Posted by nwdiver

Ignore the troll.....

Just did.

[Mike OReilly]

I prefer to give people the benefit of the doubt ... until they prove themselves unworthy. If all these boats that nwdiver is seeing start heading into ports or anchoring for longer than conditions require, THEN they should be reported. This would be a breach of Canadian law, and they should face the consequences.

But if they are proceeding as quickly as possible through Canadian territorial waters on their way to their final USA destination, without making any unnecessary stops, then we're all good.

If they're broadcasting an AIS signal they must surely be in this latter group. I'm sure Canadian authorities are watching these signals closely.

[nwdiver]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

I prefer to give people the benefit of the doubt ... until they prove themselves unworthy. If all these boats that nwdiver is seeing start heading into ports or anchoring for longer than conditions require, THEN they should be reported. This would be a breach of Canadian law, and they should face the consequences.

But if they are proceeding as quickly as possible through Canadian territorial waters on their way to their final USA destination, without making any unnecessary stops, then we're all good.

If they're broadcasting an AIS signal they must surely be in this latter group. I'm sure Canadian authorities are watching these signals closely.

The normal trip from Puget Sound to The SE Alaskan border takes a good 10 days, yes cruise ships do it in 2-3 days, but travelling to Alaska, much of the cruise is IN Canada and normally more than 1/2 of a 3 month cruise to Alaska and back south is stopping and looking about in Canada......

Several days ago a little 28 foot BCC was moored at the GD at Telegraph Cove, I was over picking up a friend, when back aboard I looked he was not on AIS, I don’t think he was going to Alaska, much to late in the year to go north and come back south for a smallish boat, until the last month it has been a poor weather summer most boats don’t go north of Vancouver Island without a good long weather window, they have been few and far between.....

I don’t know what criteria CBS use for allowing entry, we are often too nice and take people at their word, if I worked on the border and 3-4 days ago (the minimum time it would take to get this far north) a small boat wanted entry to “go” to Alaska I would say “nice try, go home”.....I assume the boat entered more than 3-4 days ago....

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by nwdiver

...I don’t know what criteria CBS use for allowing entry, we are often too nice and take people at their word, if I worked on the border and 3-4 days ago (the minimum time it would take to get this far north) a small boat wanted entry to “go” to Alaska I would say “nice try, go home”.....I assume the boat entered more than 3-4 days ago....

Agreed.

It would be useful to hear if the water CBSA have tightened up their rules on the whole Alaska thing. The land transits have now become a lot more stringent, with specified routes and transiters having to show a document in their car.

[deblen]

Originally Posted by wannacat

I understand the cost of a Covid test is around $165 and results can be had in 1 1/2 hours. Why not test any and everyone crossing the border that wants too and have them pay the costs, maybe even up it to $250 or whatever. They could simply sit at the border or airport in a restricted area and play on their tablets or phones till they get the results. I understand that Britain is now going to do something like this. apparently this virus is mutating according to info coming out of New Zealand so don't hold your breath for a perfect vaccine!

A negative Corona Virus test means absolutely nothing / Len
https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/coron...2LxVhn9fsG6IMg

[kmacdonald]

Originally Posted by wannacat

I understand the cost of a Covid test is around $165 and results can be had in 1 1/2 hours. Why not test any and everyone crossing the border that wants too and have them pay the costs, maybe even up it to $250 or whatever. They could simply sit at the border or airport in a restricted area and play on their tablets or phones till they get the results. I understand that Britain is now going to do something like this. apparently this virus is mutating according to info coming out of New Zealand so don't hold your breath for a perfect vaccine!

The Covid tests widely used in the US are 70% accurate. It gives both false positives and negatives. People with false positive say Covid was no big deal giving hope to those that actually have it. Those with false negatives are sent home to spread it some more before eventually ending up in the hospital. There are tests that are 97% accurate but aren't widely used. They are self administered and give results in 15 minutes but you have to buy them @$100/test.

[hpeer]

Well damn, I would love to get to our home in Canada. But can’t for various reasons. Perhaps if I pushed the issue I could make it, as my wife is USA citizen that complicates matters.

I would also like to have spent the season in the Eastern Caribbean, but the various and sundry rules and restrictions down there make that a sketchy proposition. Can’t bet you would be allowed into Trinidad in event of hurricane, never know if/when next lockdown is coming.

So we will spend the fall and winter in North Carolina awaiting sanity to return to the world in general. Sort of a relaxed lock down with coffee shops and restaurants.

I had fully expected this event to have passed on by now, by June for Christ’s sake. Yet it lingers, exacerbated by all the politics spin. I’ve quit prognosticating, no use, nothing makes much sense.

Luckily I’m in retirement. Being a lifelong Type A I find my major employment now is learning how to chill out. Including how to not freak out and mouth off at Internet forum posts. I’ve my hands full. LOL

Patience, patience, patience. Practice, practice, practice.

[Joli]

Sailing from the Caribbean to the USA this spring the Bahamian government allowed boats in transit to anchor for rest, repair, fuel and weather.

The US government allowed boats from many nationalities weeks/months in the US Virgin Islands till safe passage's could be made north.

The US allowed Canadians safe passage along the East Coast from the Caribbean home.

We were chased out of foreign countries as borders closed. I'm proud of my countries (USA) response to sailors stranded away from home.

Although I've not yet sailed on the Bahamas I plan to and will thank them when I get there for the courtesy the offered.

We seem to be tearing the world apart over a virus that is under control and no more harmful then the flu. Hopefully better times and calmer heads will soon prevail.

[LouK]

I get it Canada, if I were you I wouldn’t want us up there either given our disfunctional, completely illusionary Covid policy. I cannot believe this is the same country that was able to sacrifice so much domestically during WWII and now we can’t even wear a bloody mask.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Joli

...We seem to be tearing the world apart over a virus that is under control and no more harmful then the flu. Hopefully better times and calmer heads will soon prevail.

This false statement is at the core of the problem. Covid-19 is not under control and ample evidence shows is far more harmful than influenza.

You have the right to your own opinion, but not to your own facts.

[hpeer]

Mike,

Baring the last comment, which is unfortunately inflammatory, he makes a lot of good points.

There were times, hell there are places, when folks are caught out and treated without regard, without humanity. Some countries, in contravention to international law, would not even repatriate their own citizens. As I write there is a developing problem with international shipping, the crews can not get, can not be relieved. They just keep extending their contracts, men are breaking down, last I heard 3 ships are stuck in Oz due to these issues.

There were many in the Caribbean who found no other place to be, no place that would accept them, except for USVI waters. As I understand it the French islands would accept EU passport holders, but none others. Boats with non-EU passport holders had a hard time. Many were forced to either make the long sail back to Europe, skipping a relief stop in Bermuda. Then they could get only a 3 day stop in the Azores.

Had the USA shut its borders hard many hundreds of additional boats would have been stuck in the islands over taxing those systems.

He is correct to be proud if the USA for again being big hearted and accepting in those folks caught out. We don’t think the USA was exposed to a single additional case of virus due to this action.