Crossing US/Canada border afloat

[SailsTeam]

Originally Posted by Tetepare

Why not just get rid of all the stupid laws?

How would we get rid of undesirable people if we didn't have so many laws you can't read them in your lifetime? The whole idea is when law enforcement finds someone that is not desirable they can find some law they have broken and take them away. This is how it has worked for centuries. Don't expect it to change just because you think the law is stupid. You are exactly the type of person they are looking for!

[Pelagic]

This discussion reminds me of how alike and how different we Canadians are with our southern cousins.

I remember as a young teenager living near White Rock BC during the Vietnam War, the frequent interaction with those avoiding the Draft.

Our Summer beach parties often had extra guests traveling north, join us, who were not much older.

We partied and helped them to get into the interior or to the city.

While my own teenage challenges resolved around my successes at a special romantic parking spot, I could not help but to consider the pros and cons of the two Nationalities and the demands made upon their young citizens.

Hindsight about the Vietnam War favours their decision to head to Canada, but what was their long term legal status in the US?

Were they ever pardoned and able to return?

[boatpoker]

Originally Posted by Tetepare

Not practical.

Canada may retain Montreal and Quebec, but the river will be on the US side of the wall border.

This is a deal breaker .... you have to take them.

[model 10]

Originally Posted by SailsTeam

. This is how it has worked for centuries. Don't expect it to change just because you think the law is stupid. You are exactly the type of person they are looking for!

I hate being the sheep.

[Boatwright]

"the war of 1812...you know, the one you never heard of cause you lost!"......

Yikes - revisionist history I need to say. You guys may have a few rocks at the western end of the the St. Lawrence that some would call islands, but we have Michigan.

My great, great, great grandfather Daniel Hill was one of Hull's frontier army that got their butts kicked by General Brock's well-drilled British regulars and the great native warrior Tecumseh at Detroit. The US force was a disorganized rabble, ill-led by a drunken general. The Brits had too many prisoners for their available resources so Daniel was paroled on the promise he would quit the army and go home.

Now comes the good part.... He did quit the army, but went directly to Erie and joined Oliver Hazard Perry's squadron which decisively defeated the British fleet at the Battle of Lake Erie. The Lake Erie Islands, northern Ohio, all of Michigan including Mackinaw and the Upper Peninsula. and areas of Wisconsin and Minnesota that border Lake Superior are now part of the US as the result of Perry's naval supremacy on the lakes.

But this all was a long time ago. Let's hope that future relations with our great Canadian friends not be spoiled by stupid politicians and officious border cops. And truth be told your national anthem "Oh Canada" is a much better tune.

[boatpoker]

All good natured ribbing aside ... I have been cruising the east coast of the US and my all time favourite cruising ground - The New York State Canal System for about 25yrs. We have been treated as honoured guests everywhere in your country.

Unfortunately your government does not seem to want Canadian cruisers spending their retirement money in your country. While my brother can cross the border in his motorhome and do as he pleases for the next six months without hinderance cruisers are now harassed on a daily basis by CPB, local cops acting under the auspices of Homeland Security and your customs people.
(notably your CG are still the polite, professionals they have always been).

For decades there has been a law on the books (CFR Title 33 I believe) that requires foreign pleasure craft to report in to CPB every time the vessels stops. In 25 years I have never experienced this law being enforced. Last year they started enforcing it with threats and dire warnings.

When we picked up our cruising license in Oswego on the way south we were given a list of phone numbers for area we would proceed through. So not really a big deal .... drop the hook, call in every single day .... unfortunately half the numbers were disconnected, many more did not answer the phone, or voicemail directed you to another number which had another voicemail message that directed you back to the first number. In one bizarre case a very abrupt officer asked me why I was bothering him and that I should call the right number which after some grumbling he gave me. So I called that number and was checked in. ..... unbelievable it was the same man on a different line !!!

We anchored in the Hudson at Nyack but could not get off the boat due to extremely rough conditions (hurricane Hermine was offshore). Neither could we get a phone signal to check in so we hunkered down for the night and were awakened the next morning by a bullhorn ... local water cops who told us they were operating under the auspices of Homeland security and wanted to know why we had not checked in. When we told them no cell signal and rough conditions they responded "not our problem" and gave us a written notice of violation which promised a $50,000 fine and vessel seizure if we stepped out of line again.

Please fix this, we don't want to give up cruising your waters.

[SV Bacchus]

YeeGads! As a Floridian I have to say "Don"t build the wall!" Our tourist economy would collapse as our winter numbers swell to huge numbers just from Canadians coming south to the warmth.. A wall would stop them coming south and we would all starve!