[Paddlewise] Crossing the Border

Hi All,

Many of us for many years have paddled in the Thousand Islands and 
other US-Canadian border areas. The party is over folks!

Check out the following press release! Failure to follow the rules 
has not been indicated, but I bet it won't be pretty!

Chuck Sutherland


-------------------------------

Subject:          U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION ANNOUNCES
ADDITIONAL SECURITY ENHANCEMENTS FOR PLEASURE BOATERS Date sent:   
    Thu, 21 Apr 2005 14:52:34 -0400


  Office of Public Affairs
U.S. Coast Guard Thirteenth District=09

 DHS USCG BANNER
<http://www.piersystem.com/clients/uscg-13/DHSUSCGBanner.gif>=20

Press Release	=20
 Date: April 21, 2005=20

Contact: PAO Mike Milne, Customs and Border Patrol=20

Phone: (206) 553-6944 Ext. 614


U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION ANNOUNCES ADDITIONAL SECURITY
ENHANCEMENTS FOR PLEASURE BOATERS

SEATTLE - U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has
implemented enhanced security procedures for small boats arriving
in the United States from Canada. The new private boat clearance
procedures are part of CBP's comprehensive efforts to enhance
security at our nation's borders.

Private boaters will be required to report to specified ports of
entry for inspection if they are not currently enrolled in a
"trusted traveler" program. Only boaters participating in the I-68
or NEXUS/SENTRI programs will be allowed to report their arrivals
by phone. Personal Identification Numbers (PINs) issued under the
old Small Boat Reporting System are no longer valid. Participation
in the trusted traveler programs requires the payment of a fee and
passing a background check by CBP and Canadian authorities.=20

Participation in the I-68 program requires each applicant to
appear in person for an interview at a Customs and Border
Protection port of entry. Fees are $16 (US) for an individual or
$32 (US) for a family. U.S. citizens, Lawful Permanent Residents,
Canadian citizens and Landed Immigrants of Canada who are nationals
of Visa Waiver Program countries are eligible to apply for I-68
seasonal boating permits. Private boaters are encouraged to apply
BEFORE attempting their first trip to expedite the border clearance
process.

"These new procedures allow CBP the ability to carry out our twin
goals of preventing terrorists and terrorist weapons from entering
the United States, while at the same time facilitating legitimate
travel and trade," said Thomas Hardy, Director of CBP's Seattle
Field Office. "Those boaters enrolled in our expedited travel
programs will reap the benefits of our call-in inspection process."

The Pacific Northwest is one of the busiest international boating
areas in the United States. These new procedures are designed to
augment a myriad of security enhancements implemented by CBP at our
borders since the terrorist attacks on America on 9/11/01.=20

Details of the new private boating international clearance
procedures are outlined in the attached FACT SHEET. Boaters are
encouraged to contact their nearest CBP office with questions
regarding these new enhanced security procedures for boaters.
Please refer to  <http://www.CBP.gov/> www.CBP.gov for the listing
of the nearest CBP office. For information on the NEXUS program,
please refer to www.nexus.gc.ca.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is the unified border
agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the
management, control, and protection of our Nation's borders at and
between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping
terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing
hundreds of U.S. laws.
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