RonDawg
Contributor
While I'm a newbie to diving, I'm certainly not a newbie when it comes to visiting Canada. Since 1990 I average two trips a year north of the border. My last trip was only three months ago.
I've never visited Eastern Canada so I won't comment on border crossing conditions there. But I have crossed from WA into BC (all by car) and I can say that rude customs officers are NOT unique to the United States. I've had my share from Canada as well.
The absolute worst was the ferry from Port Angeles WA into Victoria BC. The young customs officer seemed to be incensed that I dare visit his country, like I was going to soil it or something. He ordered my vehicle searched, and the guy who searched it (different from the guy who ordered it) was even surprised as to the reasons for the search. He was given a piece of paper by the officer ordering the search, and while I never got to see what was written on it, I could tell by his looks on the paper, the looks towards me and my friends, and the looks towards my car, that he couldn't understand why a search was ordered. I asked him to simply get it over with and satisfy his comrade. He ended up doing a rather poor search anyway; only one bag in the trunk was checked (and even then just the outer compartments) and he didn't even bother with the passenger compartment.
Now contrast that with my experience at Sumas, where my vehicle was "searched with a smile" and considerably more thoroughly than at Victoria. While I would rather not have my vehicle selected for a search, I also realized that this was not my country, and that I am a visitor. As long as I was treated with a modicum of respect, I understood that each country has a right to determine an outsider's reasons for wanting to enter.
As far as rude US Customs officials, I've only had one experience, and that was at the I-5/Pacific crossing between White Rock BC and Blaine WA. I've flown back into the US from Europe via LAX, Chicago O'Hare, and Washington/Dulles, and at each place the Immigration/Customs officials were at least respectful. The one at O'Hare even said "Welcome Home," and a female inspector at Dulles even jokingly suggested that she needed to seize my English-bought Cadbury chocolate for "further inspection"
I've never visited Eastern Canada so I won't comment on border crossing conditions there. But I have crossed from WA into BC (all by car) and I can say that rude customs officers are NOT unique to the United States. I've had my share from Canada as well.
The absolute worst was the ferry from Port Angeles WA into Victoria BC. The young customs officer seemed to be incensed that I dare visit his country, like I was going to soil it or something. He ordered my vehicle searched, and the guy who searched it (different from the guy who ordered it) was even surprised as to the reasons for the search. He was given a piece of paper by the officer ordering the search, and while I never got to see what was written on it, I could tell by his looks on the paper, the looks towards me and my friends, and the looks towards my car, that he couldn't understand why a search was ordered. I asked him to simply get it over with and satisfy his comrade. He ended up doing a rather poor search anyway; only one bag in the trunk was checked (and even then just the outer compartments) and he didn't even bother with the passenger compartment.
Now contrast that with my experience at Sumas, where my vehicle was "searched with a smile" and considerably more thoroughly than at Victoria. While I would rather not have my vehicle selected for a search, I also realized that this was not my country, and that I am a visitor. As long as I was treated with a modicum of respect, I understood that each country has a right to determine an outsider's reasons for wanting to enter.
As far as rude US Customs officials, I've only had one experience, and that was at the I-5/Pacific crossing between White Rock BC and Blaine WA. I've flown back into the US from Europe via LAX, Chicago O'Hare, and Washington/Dulles, and at each place the Immigration/Customs officials were at least respectful. The one at O'Hare even said "Welcome Home," and a female inspector at Dulles even jokingly suggested that she needed to seize my English-bought Cadbury chocolate for "further inspection"
