Skents
Well-Known Member
We have just had our seventh visit of the year from the rubber suited boys and girls of the UK Borders Agency and we are rapidly losing our sense of humour!
Six of the visits have been in our home port of Falmouth (or elsewhere in Carrick Roads) and one was a boarding at sea off the Lizard on a return trip from the Scillies. On that occasion they swabbed our boat for traces of explosives and drugs.
To be honest, we are getting rather fed up.
We have been told that we are regularly targeted because we have an offshore capable boat and "don't look like the usual type who can afford an up-together offshore yacht". It really is getting beyond a joke.
On another thread, someone said that the anti-Borders Agency sentiment shared by some sections of the sailing community was simply paranoia. We feel that it is justifiable to feel harrassed. How would forumites feel if a members of government agency dressed like unarmed commandos knocked on the door of their home seven times in a year and demanded to know where they had been and what they had been up to?
We are a husband and wife with a teenage son on board, we are all British by birth and have never had a brush with the law (apart from one speeding fine for doing 39mph in a 30mph zone). The actions of the UK Borders Agency is far more likely to alienate people like us than persuade us to report any "unusual activities".
In our opinion the UK Borders Agency is a disorganised shambles. Why call on the same innocent family on the same boat seven times in a year if they are keeping proper records?
Six of the visits have been in our home port of Falmouth (or elsewhere in Carrick Roads) and one was a boarding at sea off the Lizard on a return trip from the Scillies. On that occasion they swabbed our boat for traces of explosives and drugs.
To be honest, we are getting rather fed up.
We have been told that we are regularly targeted because we have an offshore capable boat and "don't look like the usual type who can afford an up-together offshore yacht". It really is getting beyond a joke.
On another thread, someone said that the anti-Borders Agency sentiment shared by some sections of the sailing community was simply paranoia. We feel that it is justifiable to feel harrassed. How would forumites feel if a members of government agency dressed like unarmed commandos knocked on the door of their home seven times in a year and demanded to know where they had been and what they had been up to?
We are a husband and wife with a teenage son on board, we are all British by birth and have never had a brush with the law (apart from one speeding fine for doing 39mph in a 30mph zone). The actions of the UK Borders Agency is far more likely to alienate people like us than persuade us to report any "unusual activities".
In our opinion the UK Borders Agency is a disorganised shambles. Why call on the same innocent family on the same boat seven times in a year if they are keeping proper records?
![[32511]](https://ybw-data.community.forum/avatars/m/32/32511.jpg?1576058889){kind=avatar}
