Sailing to Pelee Island Canada

[dryclean]

I'm looking into sailing to Pelee Island Canada soon from Sandusky Oh

I'm American What do I need to do and have to go there and come back

I have a passport are there any forms I need to have filled out

Do I need to fly an American Flag on my boat

My understanding is I need to check in when I get to Pelee with thier Customes agency and I need to do the same with USA when I come back
is this by phone or in person

How much of an issue is it how long will it tie me up there and back

Just don't want any suprises

Thanks

[smoke5032]

If you have your passport, you're all set. When you arrive on Pelee, you must call Canadian Customs (on a landline) and report your boat registration and crew information. They will give you a confirmation number, which you write down - supposedly for US Customs, but I've never been asked for it.

Returning to the US, you use a videophone at Cedar Point, Put-In-Bay or Brand's in Port Clinton to check back in.

You can also go out to Griffing Airport in Sandusky to the Customs office, or meet the Customs team at the Jackson Street pier as they come out to check in the Pelee Island Ferry - this last is what I was told over the phone by the Sandusky Customs office.

All this was good information the last several years before the passport requirement. I would call the Sandusky Customs Office to confirm all this is still in place (no reason it should not be, but we're talking about the government here).

[smoke5032]

As a P.S. to my previous reply -

You are not required to fly the national flag in Canadian waters, but it is a fine old custom - why not?

Custom also dictates that you have a Canadian courtesy flag aboard which you will not display until you have cleared Canadian customs, to indicate that you have done so.

[dryclean]

Thanks I'll check with customs

[cruisingdream]

canada customs (877) can-pass is the phone number for checking into canada have your reg. number for boat, ssn for each person onboard.
last I knew the only vidphone was at cedar point for returning and may still require a face to face meeting . to avoid this get a nexus card for each person on board
!!!!!!also required for boats 30 foot & over is a customs sticker ($27.00)
penalty for not having one is $5000.00 first offence $10,000.00 second offence!!!

[sailingSammy]

There was a video phone at the town dock in Alexandria Bay (1000 Islands NY)a few years back if you wanted to check back in to the US before getting back to OH. Not sure if it is still there but they do get a lot of cross border boaters so there should be someway to check in.

[Sanduskysailor]

Use the videophone at CP. Just tie up at one of their guest docks or wall. It's pretty easy. Have passports for you and your crew in hand when you call.
I assume you are going to dock at Scudders on Pelee. There is a phone and number in the office when you check in at Scudders. Call Canadian customs and you are good to go. Remember to watch out for the fish weirs on southwest and northwest corners of Pelee and don't cut the corner as you come around last point on west side of Pelee. The old submerged docks come a long way out.

[dryclean]

Thanks for all the info
Have to wait a couple weeks the weather this week end was not the best
Made it to Kelly's had a great day Fri Just bounced around the Bay Sun
5-6 knots with just 100% headsail

[itsme6582]

Lets say you set sail out of Cleveland and stop and check-in when you get to Pelee Island. Who's going to know that you stopped at Pelee when you get back to Cleveland? I understand there are big fines involved but is this not just a waste of time? The whole idea of needing a passport to go over the border is ridiculous. It takes an idiot to require a passport to come home from a country that doesn't require a passport for you to enter. Do you need a passport to cross over the border on a dirt road in Minnesota?