Passports for UK Coastal trip.

Momac said:
I would have thought the Border Force would accept folks accurately revealing identification verbally . I may be wrong but would expect they have access to peoples home address date of birth and passport images. Obviously not everyone everyone has a passport type id.

What did they ask you? Did you have to show any identification?
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He was on Windermere.
 
Sandy said:
No.

I have a very old drivers license, pre photo ID, so that would not work.

Somebody needs to find out what powers a BF officer has when it comes to proving who you are.
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That's a good point. We've had Customs and Excise and Police for centuries, no problem there. Where exactly does the new fangled "Border Farce" stand? If you're a British national in British waters I assume you can tell them to "do one"?
 
penberth3 said:
That's a good point. We've had Customs and Excise and Police for centuries, no problem there. Where exactly does the new fangled "Border Farce" stand? If you're a British national in British waters I assume you can tell them to "do one"?
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I’d suggest that telling an Immigration Officer (we’ve had them for ages too - we just rebranded their employer to Border Force) to “do one” rather than showing them your chart plotter and/or log to show that you were not an arrival in the U.K. is probably not a good we to resolve a question, which seems to virtually never happen anyway. If being rude and obstructive got you detained whilst your vessel was searched and your identify verified, you probably wouldn’t get much sympathy except from the sort of internet nutter who films themselves “auditing”.
 
I was anchored off Jupiter Point a few nights ago when there was a knock on the hull at 11pm. At first I thought they were delivering some Cadburys Milk Tray but the men in black on a black rib said they thought my anchor was dragging.

Since they clearly don't know the holding power of a Rocna, I guess this was the nautical equivalent of "you didn't indicate".

I said I was very happy with our holding thank you and they went on their way. Probably just curious as we were anchored up fairly close to MOD property and the HMS Brecon.

Screenshot_20240821_083923_Boating.jpg
 
ylop said:
… you probably wouldn’t get much sympathy except from the sort of internet nutter who films themselves “auditing”.
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First time I watched one of those “auditing” videos I thought it was going to be a day in the life of someone from pwc or EY. How wrong I was!

When I used to travel quite a lot for business I tended to have my passport with me all the time anyway. These days it’s in a special “just for foreign trips” folder in a draw at home.
 
I would be interested to hear from people who have been stopped at sea in UK waters on a UK coastal trip by a border force vessel and how it went. Did they demand to see identification or did they just ask the people on board a few questions such as the post above?
 
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penberth3 said:
That's a good point. We've had Customs and Excise and Police for centuries, no problem there. Where exactly does the new fangled "Border Farce" stand? If you're a British national in British waters I assume you can tell them to "do one"?
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Customs and Excise had some 300 years of history and some 'interesting' powers. I wonder if those powers have been transferred to Border Force?

I suspect that if you are a 'British national in British waters I assume you can tell them to "do one"', you will quickly find yourself wearing a pair of ridged cuffs with your arms in a rear stack.
 
Like @wonkywinch I've had a few contacts with MOD Police in the Plymouth area. Always polite, but firm (especially when leading a harbinger of death towards the sea).

Seeing somebody in black with a carbine and sidearm does 'concentrate' the mind.
 
benjenbav said:
First time I watched one of those “auditing” videos I thought it was going to be a day in the life of someone from pwc or EY. How wrong I was!
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At least a day in the life of PWC/EY would help you get to sleep, so have a purpose!
Momac said:
I would be interested to hear from people who have been stopped at sea in UK waters on a UK coastal trip by a border force vessel and how it went. Did they demand to see identification or did they just ask the people on board a few questions such as the post above?
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Never stopped by BF - they only seem interested in Fishing Boats up here (out of sight is "ideal" for illegal workers / unscrupulous employers), but have had a few discussions with MOD Plod in the Clyde. "Where are you heading?" or "Are you aware of the exclusion zone?" - I've never felt the need to say I don't think I have to tell you that.
 
ylop said:
Never stopped by BF - they only seem interested in Fishing Boats up here (out of sight is "ideal" for illegal workers / unscrupulous employers), but have had a few discussions with MOD Plod in the Clyde. "Where are you heading?" or "Are you aware of the exclusion zone?" - I've never felt the need to say I don't think I have to tell you that.
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Certainly it's necessary to be cooperative.
It seems cases of pleasure boats being stopped is very rare ?
 
ylop said:
At least a day in the life of PWC/EY would help you get to sleep, so have a purpose!

Never stopped by BF - they only seem interested in Fishing Boats up here (out of sight is "ideal" for illegal workers / unscrupulous employers), but have had a few discussions with MOD Plod in the Clyde. "Where are you heading?" or "Are you aware of the exclusion zone?" - I've never felt the need to say I don't think I have to tell you that.
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I miss the yearly bottle of vintage port that EY used to deliver, it was rather tasty.

Our powerboat training was by an ex MOD Plod Boat Driver, great guy and lots of tales. totally unflappable, even when the steering ram broke while heading towards the multimillion pound 60ft yacht at a few knots. :)
 
Sandy said:
....I suspect that if you are a 'British national in British waters I assume you can tell them to "do one"', you will quickly find yourself wearing a pair of ridged cuffs with your arms in a rear stack.
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Well, yes. But it's not unknown for people in uniform to assume powers they don't have! It actually worries me that we have civil servants and private contractors running BF. I don't intend to read the relevant legislation, I suspect there are many grey areas.
 
Momac said:
I would be interested to hear from people who have been stopped at sea in UK waters on a UK coastal trip by a border force vessel and how it went. Did they demand to see identification or did they just ask the people on board a few questions such as the post above?
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We were stopped by a huge border force boat. It was a bit scary. They obviously heat scanned the boat to check numbers onboard. They would not speak on the radio and they came along side and asked questions by shouting to us. There were about 6 or so questions and it all took a few minutes. No real issue but just scary. Their attitude was ok but could have been better
 
Sandy said:
Like @wonkywinch I've had a few contacts with MOD Police in the Plymouth area. Always polite, but firm (especially when leading a harbinger of death towards the sea).

Seeing somebody in black with a carbine and sidearm does 'concentrate' the mind.
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MOD Police have Absolutly no authority over the general public unless you are on MOD land. They sometimes forget this
 
penberth3 said:
Well, yes. But it's not unknown for people in uniform to assume powers they don't have! It actually worries me that we have civil servants and private contractors running BF. I don't intend to read the relevant legislation, I suspect there are many grey areas.
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Very true
 
Border Force launched their rib from the mother ship to go and investigate the moored boats in Studland on B/H monday morning. I was just leaving and they didn't question me. They also appeared to ignore a vintage French trawler that was anchored and appeared to leave as they were arriving.

Given how busy Studland's is I wouldn't have considered it a suitable spot for smugglers but what do I know. BF certainly looked like they meant business.
 
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