GL: U.S. boats in Canadian waters

[jonathan olenick]

Valentine has cruised Canadian Waters for 3 years, there is not a friendlier
or more helpfull country on earth, and the coast guard auxilliary  IS FOR
REAL.  Jon on Valentine.




________________________________
From: bv
<bvcom at mac.com>
To: TWL Great Loop <great-loop at lists.samurai.com>
Sent:
Friday, February 20, 2009 9:08:27 AM
Subject: Re: GL: U.S. boats in Canadian
waters

I don't know what's going on with those numerous comments on "Canadian
waters". 

I've been sailing in Canadian waters for almost 50 years now. In
all my
life, I've never seen the Canadian Coast Guard acting with the private
navigators as an agressive police or "toilect check". I've seen them as
helpers, and having fun to do so.

In Quebec City and around, many beginners
get grounded by the tide in the
sands besides Orleans Island. You'll see a guy
in a big zodiac with a smile
and a towing cable. No bill.

In Donnaconna, I
was strugling against the current, the tide was against me,
a 6 kts boat
against 5 kts tide. The little red boat came by and told me to
follow him. He
knew how to get closer to the shore with enough water and
less current. That
was before the era of GPS and digital maps.

In Rimouski in late september in
the 90's, I was freezing my bones aboard an
old sailboat out of shape in a bad
sea. No radio, no life vest, no nothing.
The not so little red boat came by, I
was worried he would derelict the
boat. They just asked if I was having fun
and handled me... a cup of Lipton
soup !

4 years ago, I was in the middle of
the St-Lawrence river, in total fog. I
could only rely on my GPS. I called the
Coast guard to check if there was
any traffic ahead of me. "No Sir, he said.
You're the only one in the area.
You want me to guide you through destination
? I see you cristal clear on my
screen." And so he did, and for the rest of
the afternoon, we were chatting
here and there.  

The only place I've been
harassed by officials in all my maritime life was
in Lake Champlain on NY
side. They checked everything on the boat, papers,
security, toilet, passport,
even questionning what I was doing in US waters
and why I was not enjoying a
Canadian lake or river. I couldn't be telling
the truth, I had to be guilty of
something.

If you want peace and harmony on the water, I'd say, try the
Canadian side.
You'll spend more time with ducks, geese, belugas (and flies
and mosquitoes)
than black uniforms.

Bryan
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