Rippem, We have a place up just outside the islands and I have been thinking about getting an I68. Where did you go to get yours? Also isn't there an equivalent CANPASS form that you can fill out so that all you have to do is call in on your cell to get into Canada or does the U.S. I68 allow you to check into Canada AND the US by cell/phone, since NEXUS is only in pilot stages?

drive over to American customs office on Wellesly Island here take the left just before you head down to the booths. Go around back of the building and park, go in and take a number. I/we (depending on if I have a chick for the summer yet or not ) usually spend about an hour. Some of the stuff you see in there is priceless, cause when people don't get past the officer at the booth, that's where they take them to sort it out...

no equivelent in Ca. As a boater you can call the CAN PASS number from your cell, from the dock. Just stay on the dock next to the boat or better yet in your boat. If you by lottery get chosen to be "seen" and your wandering around the docks when they arrive...you're off to a bad start!

Once your in the system, they know you. Alot of time I'll call and I just give 'em my name and location and they'll say "you're aboard Imager today Randy?...is (plug in girls name here) with you today? Then ask the 3 questions (which is of course when you tell them about the .45, the case of JD, and the big bag of weed you have aboard ) give me a number and wish me a nice day.

Hint: have your cell carrier enable "international call allow" save you big money using your cell over there! I have it on and using my phone over there is just like using my phone locally. Our carriers have agreements with thier towers to service us, but the feature has to be on your number to not pay roaming, intnl. call prices ect.ect. It costs me NOTHING with Cingular.

Don't forget NO OPEN ALCHOHOL IN YOUR BOAT WHILE UNDERWAY IN CANADIAN WATERS. Is the law. They may be somewhat lenient on Americans but don't risk it. They hit there own HARD for this, I know it for fact. Not only dump your beers but fine like $250 PER PERSON.

I guess I need to do this to do the 1000 island poker run.

Rippem, Thanks was up on everything you touched on except calling canpass from the cell....always went to one of the phones at the marinas.....will have to remember that. Took me about 4 years of fighting with Verizon but have managed not to get charged for calls. Yeah the no beer thing kinda sucks which is why we do most of our hanging out at Potters or on the American side and are real careful when we head toward the Canadian side. (BTW have seen your boat at potters a few times and out cruising...gorgeous boat). I went to school up Clarkson so we got to know a lot of the bridge guards (good and bad!) If you see a guy in a white/red superboat drooling over your 353 give me holler!

Here is a shot of Rippem getting chased down by border patrol for not checking in!

http://www.1000islandsphotoart.com/A...4/Default.aspx

I had been told me of such a pic in a book about shipping, but I never followed up, or had seen it. Now I have!

Thanks!

and yea, definitely on the meeting up!

Just throwin it out there.....

When you come back to the US side is customs waiting for you to "check in"?

How would they know I coming from canada or just the bay around the corner?

Theres a ton of boats coming into marinas on Lake St. Clair on the weekends

No, but they do audits now where Canadian Customs database is available to US Customs and if by chance you get caught in this lottery type sampling check back in the country from Canada having not checked in...

The penalties are HEFTY, and I mean HEFTY from what I've heard.
worth the 5 or 10 grand to make no effort to play along? You decide.

Yes......they were on your Xmas list.

Washington State is trying to block the passport required because of Vancouver hosting the winter Olympics in 2010. So for land and sea travel the Fed's have extended the deadline until Jan 09 after that date you will need a passport........ I have my passport on me at all times so its not a pain. Some states and provinces are working towards creating a "super" license to be universally implemented..

I do miss the good ole' days when both sides ended up telling me not to bother calling them from the fuel dock anymore.

can anybody tell me how to save or capture that image for my desktop?