Canada Shuts Down Border

The friendliest place on the web for anyone who enjoys boating.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
Did Canada let you across the border to get your boat? We are in the opposite position. Our boat is in Blaine and we are in Canada.
 
Seeker, have a friendly Canadian boater shuttle you around to Blaine.

Just don't get caught.
 
Seeker, have a friendly Canadian boater shuttle you around to Blaine.

Just don't get caught.
Don't mind my comment but do you think this is a clever advice?

L
 
Greetings,
Mr. L_t. Mr. GFC is an ex cop. HE can get away with that sort of stuff.



200.webp
 
Don't mind my comment but do you think this is a clever advice?

L

I'm not sure if the suggestion to sneak across the US/Canadian border was for me or another poster, but no I don't think it is good advice. I don't mess with the Govt. I follow the rules, check in and out and otherwise try to represent myself as a responsible citizen. I figure it's my best strategy to avoid too much trouble when I inevitably do slip up :). I did once sneak in and out of Turkey from Chios (Greece) for a day visit to a roman ruin and was very freaked out when we were buzzed by two Turkish fighter jets on the way back!
 
My brother and SIL were on a 2.5 month cruise around the world. Around the end of March the ship docked in New Zealand and kicked everyone off...


Small world, I believe that's the same cruise a friend of mine was on. Ended up quarantined in Australia, where he had left an RV before embarking on the cruise. He's holed up until the travel restrictions are over, then will go back to his land-based circumnavigation of Australia.
 
It was formally extended for 30 days as you note but in his remarks Trudeau said something to the effect of it will be many weeks more than that.

I must have missed that.

https://www.macleans.ca/news/canada...ee-to-extend-border-measures-another-30-days/

Good morning everyone.

I want to start today by confirming that Canada and the United States have agreed to extend by another 30 days the border measures that are currently in place. This is an important decision and one that will keep people on both sides of the border safe. It’s another example of the excellent collaboration between our two countries, and I want to thank Minister Bill Blair for leading the discussions with the United States.

We’re all here today, but it is the weekend and usually a Saturday morning in April means getting outside to enjoy the sunshine...
 
Here is an email from Canadian Coast Guard received April 27

To my fellow mariners,

With the start of boating season in British Columbia now well underway, I know many of you are heading out on the water as an alternative to other outdoor activities that are currently restricted or discouraged, or are planning to use your vessel as a way to self-isolate. As part of a long and proud tradition, mariners have always come to the aid of others on the water. Today, on behalf of the Canadian Coast Guard, I am asking all mariners to once again come to the aid of others by avoiding non-*essential trips and consider staying close to home to save lives as our country works to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

Already this year, the Coast Guard has responded to a greater number of Search and Rescue calls in British Columbia as compared to the same time last year. With each response, our Search and Rescue specialists put themselves at risk of exposure to COVID-19 and use precious supplies of Personal Protective Equipment that is also much needed by critical care workers. Coast Guard continues to work 24 hours a day, seven days a week to keep mariners safe, but unnecessary boating trips increase the risk to our operations and our ability to respond.

You should also be aware that most small coastal communities in British Columbia have closed their villages to visitors to protect their families. Your presence in an area could have a serious impact on vulnerable community members, and if you were to get sick, strain the limited health care resources of that community. If you choose to travel or self-isolate, you may not have access to fuel, supplies and other services in those communities.

And finally, if you have been in close contact with someone with COVID-19 or are feeling sick, please don't get on a boat. Home and within close proximity to health care is the best place you can be right now. If you are on the water and become involved in a marine emergency, please let Coast Guard know if you have any flu-like symptoms when you call for assistance so we can best protect our crews and inform any vessels of opportunity who respond.

As both a professional and a recreational mariner, I know how tempting it is to get on your boat and escape the restrictions we are all currently living under. But we are also navigating uncharted waters right now, and it is up to all of us to do our part to reduce the spread of COVID-19 so that one day soon, we can fully enjoy the peace and beauty of coastal British Columbia. I know that seafarers are both self-reliant and fairly cautious. It's time to take those principles to heart, keeping an eye to being on the water without impacting others.

Stay safe, stay healthy.

Roger Girouard

Assistant Commissioner,

Western Region Canadian Coast Guard
 
...Today, on behalf of the Canadian Coast Guard, I am asking all mariners to once again come to the aid of others by avoiding non-*essential trips and consider staying close to home to save lives as our country works to reduce the spread of COVID-19...

Concerning the underlined bit; I chatted with a firefighter today who was prepping his 25' trailerable aluminum fishing boat for a day trip. The bulk of the letter above seemed geared towards people going on long cruises to isolated areas on BC's coast.

We've been going on day trips, but have a 9.9hp 'get home' kicker on the swim step and a 5hp dinghy outboard as a backup to the backup.
 
Going to be a while before the border opens up:

As of April 17, Ontario has identified 1,201 cases of COVID-19 in people who had recently returned from some type of international travel. Of those cases, just five related to travel from China. By contrast, 404 were from people travelling from the United States.

https://nationalpost.com/news/polit...-from-the-u-s-not-china-provincial-data-shows

USA has 10 times Canada's population yet has 20 times the number of confirmed Covid-19 cases. Canada has tested more per capita.
 
This is why BC is in no rush to open the border:
 

Attachments

  • Annotation 2020-05-05 072637.jpg
    Annotation 2020-05-05 072637.jpg
    85.1 KB · Views: 102
Greetings,
Mr. MM. The US is going to test EVERYONE this evening @ 10 PM. Canadians need not participate...


94568068_10219026982879905_7914353686791323648_n.jpg
 
Greetings,
Mr. MM. The US is going to test EVERYONE this evening @ 10 PM. Canadians need not participate...


94568068_10219026982879905_7914353686791323648_n.jpg

That's awesome! There was talk of a rapid fire mass probing...
 
Here is an email from Canadian Coast Guard received April 27

To my fellow mariners,

With the start of boating season in British Columbia now well underway, I know many of you are heading out on the water as an alternative to other outdoor activities that are currently restricted or discouraged, or are planning to use your vessel as a way to self-isolate. As part of a long and proud tradition, mariners have always come to the aid of others on the water. Today, on behalf of the Canadian Coast Guard, I am asking all mariners to once again come to the aid of others by avoiding non-*essential trips and consider staying close to home to save lives as our country works to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

Already this year, the Coast Guard has responded to a greater number of Search and Rescue calls in British Columbia as compared to the same time last year. With each response, our Search and Rescue specialists put themselves at risk of exposure to COVID-19 and use precious supplies of Personal Protective Equipment that is also much needed by critical care workers. Coast Guard continues to work 24 hours a day, seven days a week to keep mariners safe, but unnecessary boating trips increase the risk to our operations and our ability to respond.

You should also be aware that most small coastal communities in British Columbia have closed their villages to visitors to protect their families. Your presence in an area could have a serious impact on vulnerable community members, and if you were to get sick, strain the limited health care resources of that community. If you choose to travel or self-isolate, you may not have access to fuel, supplies and other services in those communities.

And finally, if you have been in close contact with someone with COVID-19 or are feeling sick, please don't get on a boat. Home and within close proximity to health care is the best place you can be right now. If you are on the water and become involved in a marine emergency, please let Coast Guard know if you have any flu-like symptoms when you call for assistance so we can best protect our crews and inform any vessels of opportunity who respond.

As both a professional and a recreational mariner, I know how tempting it is to get on your boat and escape the restrictions we are all currently living under. But we are also navigating uncharted waters right now, and it is up to all of us to do our part to reduce the spread of COVID-19 so that one day soon, we can fully enjoy the peace and beauty of coastal British Columbia. I know that seafarers are both self-reliant and fairly cautious. It's time to take those principles to heart, keeping an eye to being on the water without impacting others.

Stay safe, stay healthy.

Roger Girouard

Assistant Commissioner,

Western Region Canadian Coast Guard

Someone already pointed out that the letter states that there have been many more calls to the CG after the ban on pleasure boating than before the ban. Even though there are far fewer boats on the water there are more emergency calls? Am I missing something?
 
Dirt,

Less pleasure boats out to help those needing help, means more CG calls for the help.
 
Someone already pointed out that the letter states that there have been many more calls to the CG after the ban on pleasure boating than before the ban. Even though there are far fewer boats on the water there are more emergency calls? Am I missing something?

Yes, you are missing something and it too, was already pointed out.

There was no ban on pleasure boating.
BC Parks Parks, including marine parks, were closed on April 8.
Boaters ignored that closure and continued to use the parks, prompting the CCG to issue their "request" three weeks later, on April 27.

Here's the part people fail to realize:
BC waters reach beyond the south coast and the CCG is responsible for 16,000 miles of coastline and responds to more than just the recreational boater.
"This year" began on Jan 1, not April 8 or 27.

So yes, there were more calls in January, February and March 2020 than there were the same three months the previous year.

I don't understand why people fail to see that. Is it because they don't want to?
 
Last edited:
Because there is nothing to understand.

More (or less) calls than normal has absolutely nothing to do with COVID19 and is a bit of a red herring for journalists to regurgitate unthinkingly.
 
Could also be, "Hey, we haven't dragged the old boat to the boat launch in about ten years...what a great way to self isolate for the day"
 
I don't claim to know much, but of this I am certain. Any country that would persecute Don Cherry has committed an unforgivable crime that should result in open borders to the south so that clear thinking individuals such as myself can improve your thinking. Prepare yourself Canada, I sail for your waters soon! Bill
 
I don't claim to know much, but of this I am certain. Any country that would persecute Don Cherry has committed an unforgivable crime that should result in open borders to the south so that clear thinking individuals such as myself can improve your thinking. Prepare yourself Canada, I sail for your waters soon! Bill

You're too late.

Canadian entertainers have been insidiously (in an altruistic sense) attempting to change things in the US for decades :D
 
Bill I would warn the Canadian Navy to get ready to intercept, but both ships are overseas at this time :)
Maybe Murray could take over and stop you with his camera???
 

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom