Arriving Home in U.S. Waters

Approaching John Henry's Marina in Pender Harbour

We departed Harmony Islands for our journey home. Exiting Jervis Inlet, we headed south along the east side of Nelson Island in Agamemnon Channel and ducked into Pender Harbour off Malaspina Strait to stay a couple nights at John Henry’s Marina. Pender Harbour contains various bays with ample moorage, public wharves, and several marinas. The area is populated with beautiful summer homes, condos, and high-end resorts.

From Pender Harbour, we continued down Malaspina Strait, which is within the Strait of Georgia, against winds of 10-15 knots and 3-foot seas; not bad for this area known for its rough conditions.

The difference in water color can clearly be seen near the mouth of the Fraser River

As we passed the mouth of the Fraser River, we could clearly see the difference in water color, caused by silt from the river meeting the saltwater of the Strait. There are three arms of the Fraser that enter the Strait — North Arm, Middle Arm, and the South Arm. As we approached the middle or main arm of the Fraser River, a clear demarcation in water color could be seen that continued another 10 miles as we cruised southward. The Fraser River discharges 20 million tons of sediment into the ocean each year.

Pleasure craft need to watch out for fast-moving commercial vessels

Large BC Ferries, cruise ships, tugs with barges, and container ships are frequently seen in the Strait of Georgia; pleasure craft need to keep a watchful eye and quickly move out of the designated commercial traffic lanes.

After entering US waters, we cleared customs by using the new ROAM app on our smart phone. Once the app is installed and you have entered all of the pertinent information about your vessel and all possible occupants, including passport numbers etc., the app is ready to use.

When crossing into U.S. waters, you simply select the “report arrival” button, which then asks some questions about which vessel you are reporting, and which travelers are reporting in that day. It also asks for the name of the master/captain and then tells you that your GPS location is being confirmed. The app also asks which State and location of arrival, along with some yes/no questions regarding fruits, vegetables etc. After answering all questions, you then hit “submit.” A trip ID number is then sent to your phone with a now “processing” message. After processing is completed, a message for a video chat with a customs agent is received, which requires hitting the “ok” button. If approved for clearance, you can continue on your way and will receive an email with your customs clearance number. If it is deemed necessary that an inspection of the vessel is required, you will be directed to the nearest customs dock.

After our successful clearance, we proceeded to Sucia Island in the San Juan's, where we anchored for the night for a late morning departure to our home port of Anacortes. This meant a pile of work would be waiting for us at home, not to mention cleaning and washing the boat, unpacking, washing clothes and sheets, and repacking for our next adventure. We are looking forward to cruising the canals of France (the Canal du Midi) with friend and Waggoner publisher, Mark Bunzel. After our return from France, we will be venturing north once again into the beautiful Pacific Northwest. Stay tuned for more reports from the field; changing latitudes and changing attitudes.