No Customs Far Flung Islands

[theDangerz]

Originally Posted by snort

Let's try again. Let's leave out "sneaking in", "circumventing laws", etc...
I'll start calling you Karens. How would you like that?

Call me/us whatever you like... you're the one that started a thread looking for dialogue specifically about circumventing laws and you're the one taking offense to a simple question.

If you don't have any answer to why avoiding customs/immigration is important to you (when it's a common part of the process for most of us aka the rest of the world)... then most would assume the worst.

If you're a pirate just say you're a pirate!
Otherwise, I can't imagine why you'd need to avoid standard customs/immigration procedures... unless it's simply what you suggested in your original post - that you're looking for way to avoid covid protocol and sneak away for a vacation.

Maybe you feel like a few minutes of your time to clear-in is more important than the health/well-being of the people who live on those islands... in which case that takes us back around to someone else's post suggesting basic selfishness.


Please note/understand... that the rest of us out here cruising during this time are heavily reliant upon each country trusting that ALL cruisers will follow the rules and protocols while they actively try to keep their people safe and healthy.
You or anyone else looking to skirt those rules puts all of us at risk (both the residents as well as the cruising community at large).

Rather than name calling, blaming others and looking to skirt the rules, why not just take the damn test and fill out the damn paperwork... and when you get in I'll buy you your first beer.

[ArmyDaveNY]

Originally Posted by guyrj33

The original poster asked for locations where it is possible to circumvent customs rules in order to gain entry where he otherwise wouldn't be able to visit.

So what? Who hear has never failed to declare something? Who here has never failed to pay sales tax or the full tax on something? Who here has never exceeded the speed limit? The list goes on.

In the U.S, there are parts of the U.S.-Canadian border that are remote, just like the OP is talking about, and there are people who routinely cross to visit neighbors, shop, etc. There is even one town in Vermont and Quebec where the border runs right through the town and even the library.

Besides busybodies, does anyone really care?

[ArmyDaveNY]

Originally Posted by theDangerz

How else would you describe this?

In the middle of a global pandemic - someone is asking about how they can travel to a "far flung" island to enjoy a vacation undetected and without having to go through the trouble of that country's customs/immigration/covid protocols.

That means they are willing to put an entire island/nation at risk of infection simply for the reward or convenience of not having to check-in or not go through the standard protocol when many islands are actively open and willing to accept cruisers (as long as they follow the simple rules of testing and/or quarantine to protect the people of their island/nation).

Let's be clear, most of these "far flung" island nations also have a very limited set of resources and facilities to deal with an outbreak IF one should occur, meaning they are without question putting any number of people's lives at risk simply for their own enjoyments and/or ease.

I'm pretty sure that sums up the word "selfish".

Your comments, hopefully well meaning, are not logical for a number of reasons. First, the OP specifically talked about hanging out in an isolated area, not being bothered by anyone. That hardly describes one who is putting others at risk.



Likewise, numerous threads have pointed out that the time to get someplace quite often meets the quarantine requirements, so again, they are in isolation.


Equally important, they are not putting entire nations at risk, and in fact the responses to this Wuhan virus has been vastly overblown. It has a very low mortality rate, the overwhelming majority of people who get it have zero or occasionally mild symptoms, and we are more likely killing more people than we are saving. We should also note that the figures for deaths to the Wuhan virus, at least in the U.S. are badly inflated.


For a pretty concise description of why this is so overblown, check out the Great Barrington Declaration at GBDeclaration.org. It was written by medical scientists and virologists. The last time I looked there were over 43,000 medical professionals and medical scientists who have signed on to this.


Having said all of this, there were some comments about how many places have made it quite easy to check in. In a case like this, it may well be better to check in and be official than to risk penalties.

[fxykty]

Well, several boats thought the Minerva Reefs (280 miles SW of Tongatapu, Tonga) would be a cool place to hang out. They don’t have any human presence (nor dry land at high tide) and typically don’t require any government interaction to visit. Their ownership is disputed.

Due to the heightened awareness of travel and borders that COVID-19 has created in the last 9 months, even far corners are getting more attention by border authorities. In the case of Minerva Reefs, Tonga is watching them and chasing away boats that anchor there.

The days of Slocum, or even the Hiscocks, are gone.

The answer might be to cruise within your national borders.

[Adelie]

Originally Posted by ArmyDaveNY

You have it backwards. You are accusing or suggesting that he is being selfish. You need to state why you think it is being selfish. Why should he justify what he wants to do?

What the OP is asking is how to do something illegal. Or did you miss that part?

If caught his/her actions might cause problems for any future visitors even those happy to comply with customs rules.