New Passport rules

[kennya]

What effect will the new Passport rules have on costal cursing? It looks like we are closing our borders, if I were to say take a trip from Jacksonville to Fort Lauderdale, what kind of reception can I expect?
See
http://travel.msn.com/Guides/article...47751&GT1=8599

[hellosailor]

And exactly what part of that trip from JAX to FLL involves crossing a US border at any time?

[TXS-ALAMO]

No US citizen needs a passport to travel within a state or to and from any state of the United States. However, if you leave the jurisdiction of the Unted States, that is United States Territory, including its territorial waters, different rules apply. The new passport rules are simply an extension of rules that were previously required for travel to and from certain designated foreign countries and now have (or soon will be) extended to Canada, Mexico and other Countries. Mexico had previously required only some form of official ID and would issue a Visa. You may anticipate that Mexico and Canada will begin requiring passports in response. In any event, a passport is the best form of identification you can carry any time you are outside the US. Be of SOUND HEART; your passport id photo will be just as flattering as your driver's license photo! Please don't carry a Republic of Texas passport. A friend of mine, a state district judge, tried this some years ago, as a joke, at the US-Canada border. They were not amused!

[kennya]

I would know as well as any one else that cruses the us costs I /they had never left us waters, But when entering a none home port who is to say.

[MSN2Travelers]

Originally Posted by kennya

What effect will the new Passport rules have on costal cursing? It looks like we are closing our borders, if I were to say take a trip from Jacksonville to Fort Lauderdale, what kind of reception can I expect?
See
http://travel.msn.com/Guides/article...47751&GT1=8599

Interesting question. This could apply to those of us that sail on the Great Lakes as-well-as private pilots that operate anywhere near our borders too. How will the Gov know if we crossed an international border or just sailed/flew within a reasonable distance of the border.

My guess is nothing will happen but I would think having and carrying a passport is a thing of the future for even coastal cruisers.

[hellosailor]

"But when entering a none home port who is to say."
Entering a port is not the same thing as entering the US. You enter the US some 3-200 miles offshore, as you enter the territorial waters. And yes, these days? Big Brother has been tracking you, especially near south american waters and known drug sources.
You may be asked to show your log or other proof of where you've been and where you're coming from, but any harbor patrol can stop you and ask the same thing anywhere. Even in Kansas.

[kennya]

That is my thought.

[Canibul]

Once you're cleared in, that paperwork should suffice while you work your way around the coast. If you have a foreign registered boat, and its obvious, you might be asked by the US Coast Guard. I doubt it, unless you've named your boat "The Wrath of Osama" or something similar...

Its no big deal if its all legit. They stop commercial boats as well, especially fishermen. They might even be helpful to you if you have questions or gear issues. Its been known to happen.

[paulk]

If you're worried about having to go through formalities upon entering a U.S. port, the thing to do is to use your cellphone consistently during any cruise. The ID/locator in your cellphone provides the FBI a readily verifiable track of where you've been and when. (No warrants necessary, of course. It takes too long (15minutes?) to get those.) They'll be able to see at a glance that you've never left the USSR, (oops- typo.: U.S.A.) without even telling you they're checking. On the other hand, if you ARE worried about having to go through formalities upon entering a U.S. port, maybe there's a reason that you're worried, and that might that be enough to give them grounds to confiscate your vessel. November's coming. Think before you vote this time.

[Dewey Benson]

For the most part Big Bro does watch over the seaways and knows when a boat makes an approach into US waters.

This is a pretty easy trick here on the west coast where it is wide open sea. No where to run to baby, no where to hide (as the song goes).

But even this breaks down at times. Once in the early 90's Wifey and I sailed into Mission Bay to spend a weekend and were aproached by a harbor patrol vessel in the entrance channel asking us to prepare to be boarded. I had recently had the hull awlgripped black with gold trim and replied to them to let me get my fenders out. This was on a winters day with only the hard core sailors out (musta been 60 degrees out we So-cal guys are kinda spoiled), very little boat traffic.

As he approached closer he sings out "how long have you been out?".

"About 3 1/2 hours" I reply

" Where did you come from?" he incredulously shot back.

"San Diego Bay, Silvergate yacht club" I said pointing at my shiny little burgee snapping in the breeze. Old "Athena" was way to clean and sparkly to have been on any extended cruise.

"Oh sorry, we must have missed you." Was the reply. They waived us on by looking a little stupified.

I guess they were expecting someone else.

Dewey