Change of trip plans

[Roger Long]

For anyone following our oceanographic cruise on SPOT:

http://www.rogerlongboats.com/RVStrider.htm

You won't see us anywhere near the planned route. The Canadians called today and refused us entry. Turns out you need a special letter that can only be obtained by first contacting the U.S. State Department and having them ask the Canadian Foreign Affairs Department to send the permission to Fundy Traffic. Their Coast Guard and Customs knew nothing about this. I knew I wanted something in writing before I showed up at the boarder and spent six weeks trying to find out how to get it. No one knew. Customs said, "Just give us a call when you get there." I never thought that you have to ask OUR state department first.

We'll still have a great cruise and be doing valuable science by focusing more on the Maine coast and transects up and down the river outflows and out to the 50 fathom line. My son will get the grand tour of the Maine coast which works out nicely. Plan is to leave tonight and get downeast as quickly as possible via the scenic route without doing any science and then to the sampling on the way back.

 

[Tim R.]

I read your article in Points East tonight Roger. Have a fun and safe trip.

 

[CalebD]

Roger,
All of this just affirms my belief that 'no good deed goes unpunished'.
Fair winds and following seas.

 

[tsmwebb]

You were refused entry into Canada? Or did they refuse permission to do a study in Canada or was it something particular to the BOF?

--Tom.

 

[Roger Long]

Mid trip report

You were refused entry into Canada? Or did they refuse permission to do a study in Canada or was it something particular to the BOF?

--Tom.

I got a phone call from Fundy Traffic Radio a week ago at noon six hours before our planned departure saying that we would not be permitted to enter Canadian waters because the float plan we filed said we were doing oceanographic research and they did not have in their hands the document of permission from their department of foreign affairs. Customs was fine with our entry and so was the Canadian Coast Guard. It turns out that Fundy Traffic is even more like an air traffic control system than I thought. In addition to directing your movements, they can deny you entry into the "waterspace". No paper in the file, no entry.

I was not naive enough to think I could expect to get in to do this work without a piece of paper on some Canadian agency's letterhead with a Canadian signature. I spent six weeks trying to get it and neither customs nor coast guard had heard of any hoop I had to jump through. Customs just wanted to be sure I wasn't being paid and said, "Just give us a call when you get to Canada."

The coast guard guy who had led me astray was very apologetic and had someone find out more for me. The reason no one knew of any procedure was that you have to start first with OUR State Department who then contacts theirs which sends the approval to the agency that is the gatekeeper for the region. Normally, that would be customs but, since there is a radio traffic system for the Bay of Fundy, they get the letter. Customs and Coast Guard in New Brunswick were thus unaware of it because the process is invisible to them. If we had been going into southern Nova Scotia, customs would have known. There is no way to start the process from the Canadian end.

It will be interesting to see if our State Department is responsive enough to handle a request like this. I doubt it so research in Canada probably isn't feasible. We're doing lot's of good work this side of the line though, just sampling in more detail with transects planned down the salinity gradients from the major rivers.

It worked out well though. Mike and Eric have gotten the grand tour of Maine. People have cruised the coast for decades and not seen as much of it as they have in the last week. I'll bet few Maine cruisers have ever had Petit Mannan 9 miles on their STARBOARD beam May 26. From Schoodic to Southwest Harbor we had a thundering great sail in 20 - 25 close hauled with Strider going as solidly as a freight train, dry and easy, with the wind vane doing the steering and we just taking it all in.

Yesterday was beautifully clear but we are waiting out the rain in relative luxury today at a marina with the hot water heater plugged in and WiFi. It's something I've never done before but cruising is all about adventure and new experience, is it not?

 

[tsmwebb]

Bummer about all of that... Sounds about par for the course in terms of international bureaucracy. For instance to get a long term visa here in Guaymas, Mexico I need a number of bank statements with the seal of the secretary of my state of residence (Hawaii) on them... But, of course, even if I went back to Hawaii our secretary of state doesn't do that so I couldn't get that seal. In fact, AFIK, the only state in the nation that provides such a service is Az and the only place you need it is in to get a Mexican visa is in Guaymas, Sonora... Oy! But, as always, there are rules and then there are the ways that people actually do business. So, just on general principles, I suspect there is some way to get the permissions you need to do some non-commercial research in the BOF given that you know that you need them and you have some time to figure it all out... Maybe something for the long winter nights... It does sound like you're having a nice cruise of it anyway. Thanks for the report!

--Tom.