UK Borders Agency

[Lady Campanula]

Yet another grossly expensive, ineffectual and oppressive 'police force'... at a time when real police and their resources are being cut.

I am opposed to this unnecessary and unwanted paramilitary force imposed on us and will henceforth refuse to co-operate with them in any way whatsoever - even to the extent of ignoring anything they do and say, and answering no questions.

If everyone of us refused all co-operation, totally, they'd soon be redeployed or wound up. They can't arrest us all....

'We shall overcome...'

 

[KenMcCulloch]

About 6 weeks ago my co-owners and I went for a very enjoyable sail down the Firth of Forth to Inchcolm and back. As we drifted downriver we saw what used to be the Customs Cutter drifting in the opposite direction. Imagine our surprise when, as we beat back up the river to be intercepted by a RIB dropped from the cutter with 4 geezers in black overalls. The conversation went:
UKBA: Good afternoon, how many persons are aboard please?
Cherry Ripe: Good afternoon to you. Four persons aboard.
UKBA: Can you tell me where you have come from?
CR: Port Edgar.
(Port Ed was approximately 3 miles E at this point and of course we asume that the eagle-eyed operatives had already observed our passage down river and around Inchcolm.)
UKBA: And can you tell me where you are heading?
CR: Yes, we are heading for Port Edgar.
At this point they looked somewhat bemused, as if the concept of a 'day sail' was foreign to them.
It did not seem like a very productive use of the State's apparently ever-dwindling resources, frankly.

 

[steveallan]

Profile update

Yet another grossly expensive, ineffectual and oppressive 'police force'... at a time when real police and their resources are being cut.

I am opposed to this unnecessary and unwanted paramilitary force imposed on us and will henceforth refuse to co-operate with them in any way whatsoever - even to the extent of ignoring anything they do and say, and answering no questions.

If everyone of us refused all co-operation, totally, they'd soon be redeployed or wound up. They can't arrest us all....

'We shall overcome...'

In a jail near you

 

[savageseadog]

I've had exactly the same at Milford Haven in January, same line of questioning and went away. I was left wondering whether they are so skilled that they can decide from my demeanor I've nothing to hide or whether they verify your replies with the ports you mention.

 

[Seajet]

So,everyone will enjoy the thrill of imagining a very optimistic / under-rating of £.8 of a million cost,to establish 200 elastic moorings, patrolled by paid staff, which nobody except the career conservationists wants, at Studland Bay.

I don't witter on about Studland as a local, I'm not; but if such daft ideas get a hold - with people sitting on very nice comfy chairs in offices, LandRovers & Policed by RIBS's, that's the plan ! paid for by you and I - get a grip there, it is a very short step to everywhere else on the UK Coast.

Remember harbour rules re. laying moorings too, this is now regarded as 'depositing items on the seabed', I've said it before and been yelled at, but it's a fact; if you can please resurrect any registered moorings do it now, or future generations of boat owners will not think kindly of us !

 

[DipperToo]

Boarded last year by BA - 4 guys in black but after establishing who we were turned out to be quite friendly. Declined the offer of a beer though.....

Seems that there are just 4 boats (if I heard correctly) which circle the UK so large gaps in our coastal protection!

 

[Tidewaiter2]

Boarded last year by BA - 4 guys in black but after establishing who we were turned out to be quite friendly. Declined the offer of a beer though.....

Seems that there are just 4 boats (if I heard correctly) which circle the UK so large gaps in our coastal protection!

They took the (then) 5 HMRC Customs cutters over when the UKBA was formed.
The Pompey one seems to be more of a stone frigate, as always parked on Haslar hammerhead wherever we pop in or out of Pompey- but then year on year budget cuts have found somewhere!

 

[Reverend Ludd]

So,everyone will enjoy the thrill of imagining a very optimistic / under-rating of £.8 of a million cost,to establish 200 elastic moorings, patrolled by paid staff, which nobody except the career conservationists wants, at Studland Bay.

I don't witter on about Studland as a local, I'm not; but if such daft ideas get a hold - with people sitting on very nice comfy chairs in offices, LandRovers & Policed by RIBS's, that's the plan ! paid for by you and I - get a grip there, it is a very short step to everywhere else on the UK Coast.

Remember harbour rules re. laying moorings too, this is now regarded as 'depositing items on the seabed', I've said it before and been yelled at, but it's a fact; if you can please resurrect any registered moorings do it now, or future generations of boat owners will not think kindly of us !

I passed your warning on to my yacht club some time ago and got zero reply.
I hope when there is a problem down the line, the costs of a legal fight don't get added to the membership as I'll be off.
Wake up guys this is the thin end of a big wedge.

 

[Seajet]

With 2 RIB's at Studland alone & so many MCZ's proposed I think there would be more than 4 boats; the phrase 'Empire Building' springs to mind...

Edit;

Rev Ludd,

I got the same treatment, I'm sure you may have wondered the same things as I did !

 

[Whiskey Bravo]

Yet another grossly expensive, ineffectual and oppressive 'police force'... at a time when real police and their resources are being cut.

I am opposed to this unnecessary and unwanted paramilitary force imposed on us and will henceforth refuse to co-operate with them in any way whatsoever - even to the extent of ignoring anything they do and say, and answering no questions.

If everyone of us refused all co-operation, totally, they'd soon be redeployed or wound up. They can't arrest us all....

'We shall overcome...'

So you would send a message to all the potential illegal immigrants and drug importers that they can arrive by sea with absolutely no deterrent? The UKBA may not be perfect but at least they keep out some of the scumbags and interfere with a very small % of the boating community. And no, I'm not connected to them in any way and have never been boarded/approached by them.

 

[awol]

About 6 weeks ago my co-owners and I went for a very enjoyable sail down the Firth of Forth to Inchcolm and back. As we drifted downriver we saw what used to be the Customs Cutter drifting in the opposite direction. Imagine our surprise when, as we beat back up the river to be intercepted by a RIB dropped from the cutter with 4 geezers in black overalls.

You could have asked them for a tow


.... and I didn't realise the men in black were involved with seahorses.

 

[ffiill]

One of the worlds longest coastlines and did you say four patrol boats!
Once got boarded by customs and excise-sailing across the mouth of Morecambe Bay from Lightening Knoll just of Walney Island towards Fleetwood.
A beautiful summers day and my old 28 footer was rolling along with us sat out on the cockpit coaming when a sudden roar and a rib manned by four armed officers came along side and one boarded us-where had we come from-Peel Island and where were we going to.
Spent rest of week storm bound in Fleetwood Marina where we got the sniffer dog on board and noted several white vans obviously watching the marina.
As for Borders agency as we only have a border with Eire talk about a total misnomer.

 

[Seajet]

Whiskey Bravo,

In 1979 when new to cruising, a chum and I sailed at night off Lyme Bay; we had no lights on, as the battery was a total loss system, only switched on when anything came near.

What I recognised by the sound as a Lynx helicopter turned & hovered above us, with no lights showing; I happened to know about the Night Vision Goggles of the time, so didn't wave our searchlight about at it !

The Lynx cleared off as soon as they ( presumably ) had made our identity; though there have been some remarkably stupid choices by politicians over the last few years, I'd think our borders are reasonably safe from incoming small boats, though I do regard the relegation of the Coastguard Lookout to a charity funded affair a scandal on several levels.

 

[rotrax]

Whiskey Bravo,

In 1979 when new to cruising, a chum and I sailed at night off Lyme Bay; we had no lights on, as the battery was a total loss system, only switched on when anything came near.

What I recognised by the sound as a Lynx helicopter turned & hovered above us, with no lights showing; I happened to know about the Night Vision Goggles of the time, so didn't wave our searchlight about at it !

The Lynx cleared off as soon as they ( presumably ) had made our identity; though there have been some remarkably stupid choices by politicians over the last few years, I'd think our borders are reasonably safe from incoming small boats, though I do regard the relegation of the Coastguard Lookout to a charity funded affair a scandal on several levels.

The Peking Diner in Wallingford was closed recently. Sign on the door said gas leak. A mate in the emergency services told me they had a visit from the Borders Agency who took all the staff away in handcuffs. Works for me.

 

[simon barefoot]

We were on a mates yacht about 3/4 of a mile out of Falmouth when the cutter came past, slowly, about 200 yards away. About 3 hours later, just as we passed black rock, we saw the cutter anchored off St Mawes, and then were approached at speed by the infamous black rib and action men.
They asked us where we had been etc but looked a little put out when I questioned them about remembering us from that recently. We were on quite an easily distinguishable classic yacht, even to my mobo eyes!
Having said that, I wouldn't turn down a job on there for 6 months!

 

[Jenaline IV]

I have mixed feelings about the UKBA. On one hand they do a vital service in protecting our borders but I as far as I can see they are a beaurocratic organisation which either is suffering from:

a) Mission Creep, or
b) Targets and Statistics

just like the police especially when you see them go for easy targets to inflate numbers. You can just imagine how it could be skewed:

- UKBA viewpoint "We borded 15 suspect vessels today"
- 15 Day Sailors on AWBs "We got boarded today by the UKBA while minding our own business and we now have black sole marks on the deck and we're out of buscuits."

Additionally, having paid over £3000 in visa fees because I had the audacity to marry an immigrant, an American, and I still have another grand to fork out next year.

Oh and when they make a mistake on the visa it's your fault and you have to pay for it a second time!

 

[oldgit]

Gis a job

 

[Woodlouse]

So would people here prefer that the UKBA boats and men remained in port and sat on their hands all day until they had concrete proof of a misdemeanor? Or would you prefer that they spent their spare working time doing the only course of action available to dissuade people from smuggling etc which is the random stop and search?

Which would be the bigger waste of money?

 

[CreakyDecks]

I have mixed feelings about the UKBA.

I don't!
They are the people who make me queue for half an hour at the airport because my daughter is not allowed to use the e-passport scanners, despite me having to fork out for an e-passport for her.
Remember we are in the EU and entering the UK from an EU internal flight is supposed to be no more hassle than crossing the border from Scotland!
This annoyance is made worse by the "fast track" alongside, where the "students" from the Indian sub-continent and China, who will almost certainly soon become illegal immigrants, get through in half the time.

 

[DJE]

They are the people who make me queue for half an hour at the airport because my daughter is not allowed to use the e-passport scanners

And although the daily flock of Far East flights all land around 05:00 at Heathrow they don't turn on the e-passport machines until 07:30!