Entering Canada during COVID

In the before times, we wouldn't normally worry about entering Canada by boat. Eat all produce before we dock, have our passports ready, and call the agent from the payphone. Get the clearance number and be on our way within 15 minutes. 

The pandemic changed things. Sure, entering Canada the day the borders opened wasn't as easy as it used to be, but it could've been much harder. The Delta variant is spreading and we're immensely grateful Canada offered this olive branch to their southern neighbors. Of course, we're ashamed our country didn't reciprocate this symbol of good faith. We understand that not everyone has the privilege to travel based on country of origin, access to the vaccine, and financial means, so it's essential we travel responsibly and never take anything for granted.

So here's our experience with crossing the border during a pandemic. If you're planning to cross soon too, maybe this will prove useful? The updated CBSA site will help you navigate as well. Unlike in the before times, you will now need to set up an ArriveCAN account for your vessel and crew, prove you are fully vaccinated, and present a negative covid test (taken within 72 hours of your arrival).

What we did:

1. We got vaccinated to help slow transmission. Vaccinations work. Even against the more contagious delta variant, the unvaccinated are still at most risk and the hosts for viruses to mutate so rapidly. Canada understands this. Canada is smart.  

2. We scheduled a covid test within 72 hours of our arrival. Since we'd need to get tested, wait for the results, and upload them to our ArriveCAN account, we had to get the test somewhere with reliable internet, preferably close enough to a Canadian port of entry so if the test shows up late, we could make it to Canada in a matter of hours. We couldn't find any appointments on the weekend and none in the San Juans, so Friday afternoon slots in Port Townsend worked for us. Results came in early Sunday morning so we crossed the Strait of Juan de Fuca and staged our boat in Garrison Bay on San Juan Island that night.

3. We looked for open port of entries. Several locations closed during the pandemic. We chose the Van Isle border dock in Sidney because it was close to Garrison Bay and assumedly not as crowded as Victoria or Vancouver.   

4. We filled out our ArriveCAN account with the regular customs necessities (passports, VIN, etc.), immunization records, and entry information within 72 hours of our estimated entry. On the first day, ArriveCAN relaunched updated versions and earlier reservations were lost. If you're entering Canada soon, it may be useful to complete ArriveCAN immediately before you dock.

5. We showed up early so the test results wouldn't expire as we waited. While this may not be necessary in the days to come, the first day was BUSY. We called the Telephone Reporting Centre [TRC] line, waited on hold for about a half hour (most boats experienced waits of and hour or more), and then waited again for another half hour for an agent to stop by our boat and double check documents. 

The border agent strike may be over, but nothing about this opening is easy for them. The ever changing rules and software crashes are just as confusing to them as they are to us, and they're working overtime to make this go as smooth as possible. Procedures will likely change several times in the coming weeks as they work out the kinks. If you're entering Canada during the pandemic, wear a mask, socially distance, and be kind. :)

6. We celebrated! Canada has some of the most beautiful cruising grounds in the world, and we're thrilled to be back here.

Canada at Last

“The art of life lies in a constant readjustment to our surroundings.” 

--Kakuzo Okakura, The Book of Tea

We’re still learning this lesson. And while we haven’t yet realized “the art of life,” we’ve adjusted and readjusted several times this year. 

If you know me well, you know I like to be in control. I organize our cruising life with endless calendars and spreadsheets. And when the unknowns associated with the pandemic unsettled our plans, I doubled down. We can only control things we can’t control with more control, right?   

Fortunately, sailing teaches us a different way. We ride up and down each wave, and sometimes we ride out storms. Sometimes we slam into the troughs and sometimes we need to wait for our sails to fill with wind again. We adjust our lines. And most importantly, we approach the unknown with curiosity and excitement. This is where the magic happens, not in spreadsheets and fixed plans. 

Sailing involves risk. And we recently took some big ones. We took a hiatus from careers we enjoyed, and I said goodbye to students I loved. We gave up our steady paychecks, important time with our families, good health insurance, and the comfort of routine, all in search of this magic.  

The ongoing pandemic hasn’t allowed us to return to Alaska and venture further north into Prince William Sound and Kodiak as planned. Nor did it allow us to get a jump start in our bigger ocean crossing plans and sail south to Mexico. At least not yet.

But it has allowed us something better: to go with the flow. And on July 19th, we got good news: The Canadian border would open to vaccinated U.S. travelers on August 9th.

So here we are, anchored in a delightful bay in the Canadian Gulf Islands we would have surely passed up if our earlier plans panned out. We’ll let the wind carry us where it will and explore areas we may not have a chance to explore again. We’ll go at our own pace and let the magic happen. :)

Relaxing in Selby Cove

Magic

Nature provides in a public orchard on Prevost Island