Question on border crossing

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SeaGypsy

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Any problems going back and forth with dive gear and tanks? Do they give you a hard time about it and if so is there any way to minimize it?
 
SCUBA specific things, I can only think of:

Tanks may need a TC stamp as well as the DOT.
Knives/Spear guns may prove bothersome.
Artifact removal is a no-no.


Check http://www.ccra-adrc.gc.ca/customs/menu-e.html for contacts or anything else you might want to know.
 
Coming into Canada...

Don't bring weapons (Knives don't count - if they are dive or work knives - smaller than 8" blade.) Gear shouldn't be a problem. Spear Guns are illegal in Ontario. (I think)

Don't bring booze. (Not a problem but may cause paperwork)

Don't have a criminal conviction. If you do you'll need to apply beforehand for a "Minister's Permit" to ease your entry. (But you are allowed to be a communist :D )

Bring at least two pieces of ID - at least one should be a picture. For returning back into the stats, you'll need photo ID and proof of citizenship.

Having crossed the border many times (Before and After 9/11), getting into the US is always harder than getting into Canada - no matter what country you are from. :D
 
I cross into Detroit and then drive up to Port Huron and cross into Sarnia Ontario and back for the last few weekends and no problems:)
 
SeaGypsy once bubbled...
Any problems going back and forth with dive gear and tanks? Do they give you a hard time about it and if so is there any way to minimize it?

No problem with dive gear (tanks, kit, knives... the "usual")-- I've done it a number of times at the 1000 island crossing (end of the I-81).
 
Say Rooster,
There's some GREAT diving right there at Sarnia, from that park under the Blue Water Bridge. Went up there a couple times last year and am hoping to get back there this fall. Last dive I did there...we went up around the point to a park just out of the mouth of the river and surface swam quite a long ways out and then dropped down and let the current sweep us around and down the river across the barge under the bridge...ending up at the Monarch (think that's the name of the Tug), and then coming up on shore at the park there. Fantastic drift dive. GD
BTW the only trouble I ever had taking diving equipment across was at Prescott. There were four of us in a clubcab pickup truck and we'd been camping/diving for 3-4 days down near Massena and wanted to do the Connie and Rothesay without driving the boat clear up there. Well, we musta looked pretty rough because they tore that truck apart and opened everyone's dive bag. Just doing their job....but it makes you feel like a criminal. But that is the only time I've ever had my dive gear searched.
 
Greenedive once bubbled...
Say Rooster,
There's some GREAT diving right there at Sarnia, from that park under the Blue Water Bridge. Went up there a couple times last year and am hoping to get back there this fall. Last dive I did there...we went up around the point to a park just out of the mouth of the river and surface swam quite a long ways out and then dropped down and let the current sweep us around and down the river across the barge under the bridge...ending up at the Monarch (think that's the name of the Tug), and then coming up on shore at the park there. Fantastic drift dive. GD
BTW the only trouble I ever had taking diving equipment across was at Prescott. There were four of us in a clubcab pickup truck and we'd been camping/diving for 3-4 days down near Massena and wanted to do the Connie and Rothesay without driving the boat clear up there. Well, we musta looked pretty rough because they tore that truck apart and opened everyone's dive bag. Just doing their job....but it makes you feel like a criminal. But that is the only time I've ever had my dive gear searched.

we plan on diving late into the year ( December) we often dive Sarnia because it only takes us 50 min drive if we go through Detroit and then Cross back over into Canada at Port Huron.
Its alot better then diving this end of lake Erie. The tug you mention is the Monarch and it was my first wreck dive and I remember being scared cuz that current is something else. I get more and more comfortable the more I dive there, but there are still wrecks there that I dont dive and may never, a couple of them I believe only a few divers have done.
 
Do you have access to a list of GPS coordinates for wrecks in that area? The guy I dove with there said there were like 18 wrecks in the mouth of the river area there. The times I came out (5 hour drive) I just dove from shore, but I'd like to bring my boat so we can do some drift diving that isn't resticted to where you have to start and end up your dive. I was out on weekends, but if I bring my boat I'd like to come on a weekday(after Labor Day) so hopefully the boat traffic is thinned out some. Those big freighters sure are LOUD when they go over......swear I saw some I saw on the St. Lawrence the week before. <GD>
 
Thank you all for the information. It was easy last year but I wasn't sure how it would be now. (Have you tried to take an empty tank on a airplane lately? - Plan for lots of extra time.)
 
Rooster1 once bubbled...


we plan on diving late into the year ( December) we often dive Sarnia because it only takes us 50 min drive if we go through Detroit and then Cross back over into Canada at Port Huron.
Its alot better then diving this end of lake Erie. The tug you mention is the Monarch and it was my first wreck dive and I remember being scared cuz that current is something else. I get more and more comfortable the more I dive there, but there are still wrecks there that I dont dive and may never, a couple of them I believe only a few divers have done.

The wrecks I know of include the Monarch, barge, Weeks, Fontana, Martin, Tremble, Ben Hur, the lighter, Coleburn, and the Steam Crane. They are all within a mile of the Blue Water Bridge, and depending on your ability, can be done without a boat.
There is another in the lake just off the end of Canatara Park. It is shallow (12ft) and could be done from shore. no boiler but still has the steam engine and propeller.

I hear everyone talking about diving Sarnia. Do you guys ever dive the Port Huron side of the river? I live in PH and dive it regularly. I think the water is ofter more clear on the US side do to prevailing winds. There are some great wrecks. (Tremble) and the parking areas are all paved and have lawn for suiting up on. I have dove Sarnia a couple of times and been on the Monarch. Another nice thing about the US side is that it is deeper. 60+ in most popular dive spots. That gives you a better saftey margin when the big ones do go overhead!

Hope the info helps,

Eric P
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/peregrine/

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