The process for clearing into the U.S. by water has changed (you can still do it the old way if you prefer), and it’s WAY better. Customs and Border Protection has a new app called CBP ROAM. We just tried it on our way back from Victoria, and it’s awesome! Here’s the key information: The app is free. Download it on iOS or Android and follow the prompts to set … Read more
We’re cruising together again! Laura and Kevin picked up Sam from the Ketchikan airport around 11:00 a.m. (how cool is an airport that has a dinghy dock?!) and we set off together to cross Dixon Entrance. We have about ten days to get down to Port McNeill to start a flotilla trip around Vancouver Island, so no time for dallying. The weather today was good, tomorrow questionable, so we wanted … Read more
We had a beautiful cruise this morning from Foggy Bay into Ketchikan. It’s always a bit of a shock arriving into Ketchikan after being in such quiet, remote areas for several weeks. Today was no exception. Ketchikan was host to FIVE cruise ships when we arrived — four at the cruise ship berths and one anchored out in the channel. When we called the Ketchikan customs office yesterday and got … Read more
The beautiful weather continues! We awoke this morning to bright sunshine and our group was so excited to get going that we left Roche Harbor by 8:00 a.m. — an hour earlier than originally scheduled. All but one of us has Nexus (the trusted traveler program that lets us clear Canadian customs by phone most of the time), so one boat had to stop and clear customs at Pender Harbour … Read more
We set our alarm for 4am this morning to check the 4am weather and forecasted conditions for Dixon Entrance to make the final call about whether to go or wait. At Dixon Entrance East, waves were 1-2 meters. Hard to know what that means without the period of seconds between waves. At Buoy 46145, which is smack in the middle of Dixon Entrance, north of Haida Gwaii (so quite a bit further … Read more
This morning we slept in (woohoo, 8am!), did a bunch of work, had some breakfast, and then walked up to the market in Shearwater to get a few things for the crab bisque I plan to make tonight or tomorrow night. It was still gray and rainy, but who cares? We’re on our way to Alaska. In our boat! Read more on the Riveted blog.