eBorders -> boardings

[Koeketiene]

Following on from the eBorders thread below - if yotties 'are caught' they risk to be prosecuted. Presumably they mean boardings.

Have you ever been boarded?
How often?
Where do you sail?
Who boarded you - nationality?

 

[EdWingfield]

I was boarded by a Spanish agency

 

[Gumpy]

Never been boarded but just aboout every time I come up the Tideway through London the Old Bill come alongside for a chat.

 

[Deleted member 36384]

Northern Ireland, Belgium and Bridlington are the only places I have been boarded in port never at sea yet.

Northern Ireland and Bridlington were by the police "just checking", a cup of tea later and off they went.

Belgium was another matter all together. All safety equipment out and checked, charts checked and numbers noted, engine and gearbox number noted, insurance checked but did not ask for ownership details. They did not want a cup of tea or coffee. Very professional and serious but not threatening. I got the feeling they were stretching out the time, taking longer than was necessary.

 

[Chris_Robb]

Northern Ireland, Belgium and Bridlington are the only places I have been boarded in port never at sea yet.

Northern Ireland and Bridlington were by the police "just checking", a cup of tea later and off they went.

Belgium was another matter all together. All safety equipment out and checked, charts checked and numbers noted, engine and gearbox number noted, insurance checked but did not ask for ownership details. They did not want a cup of tea or coffee. Very professional and serious but not threatening. I got the feeling they were stretching out the time, taking longer than was necessary.

But what was the point - what possible benefit did they get, apart from justifying their jobs. We should take all public employees out, line them up against a wall and shoot the lot.

 

[Gumpy]

To add to this
Someone I know on a Narrow boat was boarded by the Old Bill on the Thames in London.
As the officer stepped on the roof the boat pitched and said officer was duly off the boat and in the water. The rest of them on the police launch suddenly lost intrest in the NB.......

 

[Searush]

To add to this
Someone I know on a Narrow boat was boarded by the Old Bill on the Thames in London.
As the officer stepped on the roof the boat pitched and said officer was duly off the boat and in the water. The rest of them on the police launch suddenly lost intrest in the NB.......

Unfortunately, the UKBA boat people are not generally that naive.

 

[Koeketiene]

Quick conclusion

Quick conclusion after 50 votes - more or less confirm what I suspected.

UK East Coast - you have to be pretty unlucky to get boarded.
Solent & SW - very good change you'll get boarded.

UKBA seems to adopt the 'shooting fish in a barrel' approach.

I feel safer already

 

[LadyInBed]

When you say boarded, do you mean at sea?
I have never been boarded at sea but have been visited in port, once in Cherbourg about 20 years ago and last year in Weymouth.

 

[Gludy]

U understand they only have 5 boats for the entire UK coastline.
They depend on the good nature of terrorists to declare themselves in advance.

 

[PetiteFleur]

Not boarded at sea but when in Ostende in the marina we were boarded at 8am in the morning - but we did arrive at 2am - so presumably we were tracked on radar. I was knackered and my wife dealt with them, there were 2 men & 1 woman, very courteous, just wanted passports, where were we from etc. They did speak excellent English!

 

[sailorman]

Not boarded at sea but when in Ostende in the marina we were boarded at 8am in the morning - but we did arrive at 2am - so presumably we were tracked on radar. I was knackered and my wife dealt with them, there were 2 men & 1 woman, very courteous, just wanted passports, where were we from etc. They did speak excellent English!

i very much doubt "Tracked on Radar" what you experienced is quite normal.
all very friendly they will even partake of our very good coffee

 

[Koeketiene]

When you say boarded, do you mean at sea?
I have never been boarded at sea but have been visited in port, once in Cherbourg about 20 years ago and last year in Weymouth.

I do mean at sea - in the harbour sort of beats the object of the exercise.
Say you're boarded in Yarmouth, just back from Cherbourg. As you told UKBA bugger all when they ask you where you've been, you tell them Weymouth.
How will they know? It's not like you've left a tell tale trail of breadcrumbs.

 

[Koeketiene]

U understand they only have 5 boats for the entire UK coastline.
They depend on the good nature of terrorists to declare themselves in advance.

In a nutshell.

UKBA peeps at SIBS told me that the system was designed to look for patterns and anything out of the ordinary.
And what about those who don't file anything, I asked. How will you know about them?
Blank stare.

Legislation that can not be enforced is pointless.
But, hey, I bet it looks good to the 'we must secure our borders' brigade and will keep quite a few civil servant little Hitlers in work.

 

[Searush]

(snip)
How will they know? It's not like you've left a tell tale trail of breadcrumbs.

If you have been using GPS there is indeed a "breadcrumb" trail retained in memory. Wouldn't take 5 mins to check it either. THEN what will you say? Hell, even my phone tracks my whereabouts if I use the GPS function.

Next idea for avoiding punishment?

 

[Ludd]

If you have been using GPS there is indeed a "breadcrumb" trail retained in memory. Wouldn't take 5 mins to check it either. THEN what will you say? Hell, even my phone tracks my whereabouts if I use the GPS function.

Next idea for avoiding punishment?

I have a cunning plan. All being well,at the end of summer when I cross Biscay,I'll just keep agoing--sorted!

 

[Searush]

I have a cunning plan. All being well,at the end of summer when I cross Biscay,I'll just keep agoing--sorted!

Sure, no jobsworths out there speaking funny lingos, wanting bribes & with unintelligible (unpublicised) processes are there? Enjoy yourself, but don't expect your troubles to end when you start dealing with furrin officials!!

Part of our problem in the UK is that we have been "spoilt" by lax procedures, honest & disciplined officials & very low level procedural requirements. Ahh, well, we shall just have to get used to being hassled by officials - just like everyone else is.

 

[capnsensible]

Over a number of years I have been boarded:

By the old customs dory in Lymington (ages ago)

Visited by Customs from Southampton after reporting in. They arrived dead on the hour just after we had scuppered the illegal booze and just got away with being rather 'tired and emotional'.

French Customs off Ushant.

RN patrol minsweeper off N. Ireland (enjoyed this one as I had on board the Commander, Clyde Submarine base repair Manager and the Lt. Cdr. Queens Harbourmaster, Clyde)

On a motorboat off Tarifa in the Straits of Gibraltar. Guardia.

Once by Spanish Guardia in Gib Bay. Had a courtesy flag argument.

About 5 times around Ceuta by Spanish Gardia. Once with an Aniguan National on board with dreadlocks. That took a while.

Once by Moroccan Naval Patrol off Maroc Med coast.

By the duty Policeman in Marina Smir, Morocco, just before Christmas.

By Police, Customs and Immigration (including thier sniffer dog) in Lanzarotte after delivering a yacht to there from Antigua. Gave the dog some water and stroked it. Apparently not a good move.


Also had to deal with much tedious officialdom from Croatia to Venezuela.

Unlucky, unusal, look funny? No...exept perhaps the last!

Alternative Reason.....get about a bit.

Hope this helps.

 

[Major Catastrophe]

Sure, no jobsworths out there speaking funny lingos, wanting bribes & with unintelligible (unpublicised) processes are there? Enjoy yourself, but don't expect your troubles to end when you start dealing with furrin officials!!

Part of our problem in the UK is that we have been "spoilt" by lax procedures, honest & disciplined officials & very low level procedural requirements. Ahh, well, we shall just have to get used to being hassled by officials - just like everyone else is.

That is it in a nutshell. I expect to have to explain myself and be hassled when I go foreign -I even put up with the brain deads US immigration employ- but I do resent having to explain myself to people who I pay through my taxes. Showing my passport on exit and entry should suffice.

 

[capnsensible]

That should be Antiguan National. Now the Chief Instructor for On Deck Sailing, Falmouth Harbour, Antigua.