So much for Border Farce

[Daydream believer]

I spoke to a guy on a French registered boat today . It was in berth B1 at Bradwell. Next to mine.
" Oh Hi, & where are you from"

"France"
W ell I knew it was genuine because the ensign was tiny. All french ensigns are tiny. I think they are trying to hide. Unlike the Dutch who have one big enough to cover the boat in a rainstorm.
"Yes, I can see that from your ensign". " Where abouts in France?"
"Dunkirque"
"Oh! I have been there a few times. Which marina? The one on the left or the right, when you go in?"
" The right"
"That is the one I always stop at"
"How did you get on with our customs here in the Uk? Did you have any problems filling in forms?"
"Have not seen any customs & not filled in any forms. Just arrived & have been sailing around here"
Now that really p..sed me off. I amgoing to Ostend on Monday & cannot even LEAVE this country without filling in a b..y form . Let alone coming back.
As for getting into Ostend- I am still on a wing & a prayer that I get it right going there , getting my passport stamped then going through the whole process again when I leave.
Why are they getting away with this. If i go to Boulogne I have to travel 20 miles to get customs clearance in Calais. I am not complaining about that so much, I expect to have to clear customs .
But the one sideness of it??? Even before Brexit, I used to get inspected by Belgian & French customs all the time. During my last visit to Boulogne I had been there 20 minutes when 4 officers decended on me & spent 1 hour 5 mins searching my yacht. My bedding included. They left having ignored every other boat in the marina. Now they tell me I have to go to Calais, because they do not have time to come to Boulogne & hassle me.
But over here-Foreign boat, Nothing- But me? Just imagine if I forget to fill in a blasted form.
I was so peed off I rang Essex marine unit & gave them a piece of my mind. The chap was very polite & said that he would notify border farce. When I returned, the yacht had gone. B...ger

 

[ashtead]

You could just boycott the whole process ?

 

[lustyd]

I’m confused, you’re annoyed that you decided to participate in the farce? Or are you annoyed that a French person decided not to? We’ve been all over this summer and had a go at French immigration which was easy, but other places didn’t and the world didn’t end as far as I could tell.

 

[dolabriform]

It's up to the individual to play by the rules and complete entry/ exit formalities, this skipper obviously didn't care about that.

The UK border force / customs don't track everyone entering and leaving, in just the same way that the French don't.
Various areas in france now just require you to email a form to the relevant authorities, and not bother with passport stamps as it's too much hassle. But I doubt the marinas care if you bother or not. Probably the same in Ostende.

However, if an individual gets caught and hasn't completed formalities, then they reap what they sow. It's always been an honour system.

 

[Daydream believer]

I f you think that the foreign customs do not care, you can think again. I have been dragged on to the pontoon & had a pistol shoved up my nose. Threatened with fines up to E2000 twice ( Once after helping them with a TV news programme) & that is just Ostend. Over one 4 year period, I got to know one customs official, in Ostend, so well, that he used to come & have coffee & a chat in his tea break.

The French lot have searched my boat so many times, they must know the inside better than me. FOURTEEN visits on one cruise to Biscay with my wife in 2004.
I doubt that one would get away without going through the passport stamping ( or scanning & recording ) procedure in Belgium, or France. They would love to issue a fine.
It is just our lot that could not give a stuff about overseas visitors. Instead taking us yachties as easy pickings I suspect.

 

[dolabriform]

See the various threads about recent visits to France, and the emails from their border force stating no need to stamp passports

 

[capnsensible]

I f you think that the foreign customs do not care, you can think again. I have been dragged on to the pontoon & had a pistol shoved up my nose. Threatened with fines up to E2000 twice ( Once after helping them with a TV news programme) & that is just Ostend. Over one 4 year period, I got to know one customs official, in Ostend, so well, that he used to come & have coffee & a chat in his tea break.

The French lot have searched my boat so many times, they must know the inside better than me. FOURTEEN visits on one cruise to Biscay with my wife in 2004.
I doubt that one would get away without going through the passport stamping ( or scanning & recording ) procedure in Belgium, or France. They would love to issue a fine.
It is just our lot that could not give a stuff about overseas visitors. Instead taking us yachties as easy pickings I suspect.

How far, exactly, did they shove the pistol? Do you have a big nose?

 

[jaminb]

come on we have taken back controlof our borders.( well apart from the dover one which is controlled by 6 Gendarmarie)

 

[Momac]

.If i go to Boulogne I have to travel 20 miles to get customs clearance in Calais. I am not complaining about that so much, I expect to have to clear customs .
But the one sideness of it??? Even before Brexit, I used to get inspected by Belgian & French customs all the time. During my last visit to Boulogne I had been there 20 minutes when 4 officers decended on me & spent 1 hour 5 mins searching my yacht. My bedding included. They left having ignored every other boat in the marina. Now they tell me I have to go to Calais, because they do not have time to come to Boulogne & hassle me.

I f you think that the foreign customs do not care, you can think again. I have been dragged on to the pontoon & had a pistol shoved up my nose. Threatened with fines up to E2000 twice ( Once after helping them with a TV news programme) & that is just Ostend. Over one 4 year period, I got to know one customs official, in Ostend, so well, that he used to come & have coffee & a chat in his tea break.

The French lot have searched my boat so many times, they must know the inside better than me. FOURTEEN visits on one cruise to Biscay with my wife in 2004.
I doubt that one would get away without going through the passport stamping ( or scanning & recording ) procedure in Belgium, or France. They would love to issue a fine.
It is just our lot that could not give a stuff about overseas visitors. Instead taking us yachties as easy pickings I suspect.

Has it occurred to you there might be a reason why you are attracting this disproportionate attention?

 

[Adios]

buy a small french ensign and swap when you are half way across.

 

[Biggles Wader]

Has it occurred to you there might be a reason why you are attracting this disproportionate attention?

I was wondering if anyone else has had similar problems while sailing to France and Belgium over the last twenty years?

 

[Boathook]

I was wondering if anyone else has had similar problems while sailing to France and Belgium over the last twenty years?

Not in France, can't comment about Belgium.
Have offered tea and coffee to French customs in Cherbourg before, and they stayed for a friendly chat so we asked about best bars, restaurant's and other ports to visit. Pleasant half hour I seem to remember.

 

[Adios]

Anyone else having a deja vu moment?

 

[Frogmogman]

My French ensign (on a Sun Odyssey 349) is 70cm x 50cm.

Is that too small ? Too big ? Or just right ?

 

[Bobc]

Maybe Border Force are too busy sorting out all the dinghies full of illegals to e qorrying about a French man on his yacht.

 

[fredrussell]

I blame the scapegoats.

 

[Daydream believer]

How far, exactly, did they shove the pistol? Do you have a big nose?

It did not seem funny when the policeman held the barrel against my mouth with the end just at my nose. It was circa 1972 & my crew had just swore at the customs official. In those days I do not think that they had rules about such things.
His English was awful- But not that bad. F.. O seems to be part of a universal language understood by many. As for the expetive- well he was getting on our t..ts a bit.

 

[Daydream believer]

See the various threads about recent visits to France, and the emails from their border force stating no need to stamp passports

Can you direct me to one of those emails please. I have been reading the threads but never seen a copy of an email from an official confirming that. In my opinion ( & it is only an opinion) comments made during conversation & passed on third hand to a forum cannot always be taken seriously. That is not meant to be disrespectful to those passing it on, but mistakes in interpretation can be unintentionally made.

 

[Daydream believer]

buy a small french ensign and swap when you are half way across.

I happen to be proud of being British.( for all our failings). So I would not even countenance that one.

 

[dolabriform]

Can you direct me to one of those emails please. I have been reading the threads but never seen a copy of an email from an official confirming that. In my opinion ( & it is only an opinion) comments made during conversation & passed on third hand to a forum cannot always be taken seriously. That is not meant to be disrespectful to those passing it on, but mistakes in interpretation can be unintentionally made.

Have a look here:
Dielette – digimap.gg