GL: Great Loop and immigration

[Ron Rogers]

I believe that it is perfectly possible to talk to two different Customs
Agents and get two different answers. When my Swedish couple goes down to
Morehead they may encounter a different agent with a different opinion on
their unique situation. I sincerely hope that my country is not attempting
to track every foreign-flagged *pleasure* boat from anchorage to anchorage.
We may or may not have a system capable of storing and accessing such
information. Large commercial vessels and US boats that are under suspicion
of unlawful activity probably are about all we can practically handle. BTW,
there are some 20 nations to which the United States grants special
privileges - Sweden is one of them.

IMHO, each individual master needs to check-in, talk with the relevant US
federal authorities and get their rulings *in writing* if possible. I am
requesting on their behalf that Morehead Customs call ahead to Charleston
Customs (different District) to ensure that everybody agrees on the
procedure for them to follow. As far as the USCG is concerned; they are
likely to be stopped between here and Morehead and we'll see how that goes.
These kids are a delight and as long as the wife keeps talking to George (my
Golden Retriever) in Swedish, I'll continue to help them. George appears to
love it and pays strict attention. He obviously thinks that my baby talk is
silly.

Ron Rogers

-----Original Message-----
   From: Jo Stanton
  
  The regulation, as I understand it, is that any foreign-flagged vessel has
to report to the Coast Guard every time they stop - not just at ports or
marinas, but at anchorage too.  This is not only inconvenient, but sometimes
impossible.  We are non-US citizens and registered our boat in the US
through
a Delaware corporation so that the boat could be US flagged.  So far we have
done all our boating on 90-day tourist visas.

  Jo Stanton
  Jonah's Whale
  Endeavour 48