Border patrol stops at the water’s edge

Ahoy.

In my column last week, I asked, “How secure do you think our

borders are?” I was referring to the lack of anyone actually

patrolling the waters to check boats that are entering U.S. waters

from Mexico.

Again, last Saturday, I skippered a recreational yacht from

Newport Beach to Ensenada, and the next day, I skippered a different

yacht back to Newport Harbor. On both trips, I never saw a patrol

vessel near the international border, and I observed many boats

crossing over the border into the U.S. from Mexico.

As I have mentioned, every boat entering the U.S. is required to

stop in San Diego for U.S. Customs and receive official clearance for

the yacht and crew. Last Sunday, while heading north, I detoured my

course to enter San Diego Harbor and dock at the San Diego Police

Dock for customs. Then I had to walk up to the pay phone on land and

dial *82 to request a customs officer. I was lucky as an officer

arrived in less than an hour.

I could see at least half a dozen other boats on similar courses

heading north from Mexico, and only one other boat stopped with us at

customs. The other vessels just kept going, so why stop if no one is

checking?

It just seems strange with the high terrorism alert that anyone

can easily penetrate the border by water. Plus, you have to go out of

your way to request an inspection, with no one verifying that a boat

actually stops at customs.

Back to my question: What good is the additional security at the

landside border checkpoints when you can simply cross into the U.S.

by boat? Think about it. Only two of us boaters stopped, and still, I

had almost an hour to offload anything or anyone in San Diego.

I am interested in hearing from other boaters who have entered

back into the U.S. waters from Mexican or Canadian waters. Tell me if

you have seen or experienced any increase in security checks for

boaters, or can you just keep on going?

THE LOG

This week’s news is that the Log newspaper has moved its satellite

advertising sales and editorial offices to Long Beach from Costa

Mesa. The Log newspaper’s headquarters is still in San Diego, as it

has been for more than 30 years.

The new office in Long Beach is at the corner of Pine Avenue and

Ocean Boulevard, at 110 W. Ocean Blvd, Suite 619, and the new phone

number is (562) 983-5150.

Additionally, the Log has completed an extensive upgrade to its

Web site (www.thelog.com), which offers news items, a marketplace,

nautical links and special sections that list Southern California

harbors, marinas and shipyards, including Lake Havasu.

The Log, California’s boating newspaper, helped sponsor the Marine

Networking and Forum hosted by the Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce

at the Newport Harbor Nautical Museum.

TIP OF THE WEEK

Watch the winter storm systems with the gusty winds and mixed

swell conditions. April can be a stormy month for boating.

For example, heeding the forecast reports, I postponed delivering

another yacht back to Newport from Ensenada this weekend. The

forecasts are for 5-foot confused seas coming from both the west and

south with 1- to 3-foot wind waves on top. The wind will blow from

the west to northwest at 15 to 20 knots, with stronger gusts.

BOATHOUSE TV

Good news for the Hawaiian Islands. The “Boathouse TV Show,” which

I host, begins airing at 6:30 p.m. Saturday and every Saturday on UPN

affiliate KWHE TV-14 in Oahu, KWHM TV-21 in Maui, and on the Big

Island on KWHH TV-14. Also, you can see the show on Echostar’s Dish

Network and on Hawaii’s Oceanic Time Warner Cable and Craig Wireless

Cable.

In Southern California, keep your ears to the radio, as my

“Boathouse Radio” is very close to broadcasting on KFMB 760 AM. As I

cast off, Baseline Networks has designed a new Web site for the radio

show at www.BoathouseRadio.com.

“BoathouseRadio.com is easy to navigate and very informational for

your audience,” Ted Shunk, president of Baseline Networks, told me.

Safe voyages.

* MIKE WHITEHEAD is the Pilot’s boating and harbor columnist.

Send him your harbor and marine-related thoughts and story

suggestions by e-mail to [email protected] or visit

BoathouseTV.com.