BWCA Sand Point Lake Canadian Customs May, '22 Opening? Boundary Waters Trip Planning Forum
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LadyRapids51
  
05/13/2022 09:03PM  
Wondered if anyone can provide firm details or update on the opening of the Canadian Customs office on Sand Point Lake, Rainy River District, Ontario?
 
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schweady
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05/13/2022 09:15PM  
There is a thread in the Quetico forum that goes into a lot of detail on this, but all you really need to know is this web page:
Canada Border Services Agency - Sand Point Lake

I check the page often, and the message never changes: "Service at this location has been temporarily suspended until further notice."

Even so, my buddy, who has a cabin up there that he hasn't seen since September 2019, is convinced that the station will open Sunday.
schweady
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05/14/2022 07:41PM  
EDIT: My friend received a very discouraging report from his usually optimistic inside source, saying "there is no way the post will open [on May 15]." Handberg Marine on Crane Lake did say that the US Customs is preparing to welcome folks crossing the border as early as tomorrow. (Of course, that simply involves setting up an iPad with an app... no in-person contact. And, we can apparently do the same with a mobile app once we get service.) The new plan is to await word that anyone is allowed through on Sunday. If so, on Monday, we will drive the 4-1/2 hours to Crane Lake and boat up to Government/Wharf Island to hopefully also be given clearance. Incredible flooding, right around 2014 levels, await.
05/14/2022 09:19PM  
Bummer.

schweady
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05/15/2022 04:07PM  
UPDATE: We have (mostly) lost hope for entering Canada through Sand Point this week. It's frustrating, especially with the near-record high water levels seen lately. (Right around the levels following the rain event in June 2014.) Folks in the area need to get in and protect/repair their property and the Canadian government won't budge. A sometimes alternative, the Namakan River landing at Lady Rapids (reached after some significant drive time - two hours out after a crossing at International Falls -- and then, no place to park), is choked with logs and other debris.

We'll check again, but right now, the new plan is a day trip Tuesday through Crane Lake (yay! 9 hours round-trip for a boat ride!) to go after some walleye on the MN side at Harrison Narrows and explore Voyageurs National Park, if landings are accessible. Spotting the general condition of the cabin *might* be possible with binoculars, but too far across the border to be considered a legal boat trip. And, not much use anyway in knowing there's trouble that can't be fixed...
05/15/2022 05:56PM  
Thanks for the intel and update. Much appreciated. The inability to access the cabin is a bummer. You have my sympathies. Hopefully, access sooner than later is a reality for your buddy and you and Sand Point Customs opens. Please keep us updated, if you don't mind.
schweady
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05/18/2022 08:44AM  
Yesterday, we went up for a little MN-side day trip and did property reconnaissance from a distance. Word is, no opening of that customs until June 1 at the earliest, and then it will supposedly be an unmanned post, check-in done by app. ArriveCAN, maybe.

Underwater docks, boat houses with only top half of doors above water line, floating trees and debris of all sorts, raging rivers.

scotttimm
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05/18/2022 05:26PM  
schweady: "UPDATE: We have (mostly) lost hope for entering Canada through Sand Point this week. It's frustrating, especially with the near-record high water levels seen lately. (Right around the levels following the rain event in June 2014.) Folks in the area need to get in and protect/repair their property and the Canadian government won't budge. A sometimes alternative, the Namakan River landing at Lady Rapids (reached after some significant drive time - two hours out after a crossing at International Falls -- and then, no place to park), is choked with logs and other debris.

We'll check again, but right now, the new plan is a day trip Tuesday through Crane Lake (yay! 9 hours round-trip for a boat ride!) to go after some walleye on the MN side at Harrison Narrows and explore Voyageurs National Park, if landings are accessible. Spotting the general condition of the cabin *might* be possible with binoculars, but too far across the border to be considered a legal boat trip. And, not much use anyway in knowing there's trouble that can't be fixed...
"


You might want to do some checking on the VNP side of things. I just got an email that they are closing many campsites, many docks underwater. There is also a lot of floating debris and rocks that are typically above water are just under.
schweady
distinguished member(8070)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberpower member
  
05/18/2022 07:27PM  
scotttimm: "
schweady: "UPDATE: We have (mostly) lost hope for entering Canada through Sand Point this week. It's frustrating, especially with the near-record high water levels seen lately. (Right around the levels following the rain event in June 2014.) Folks in the area need to get in and protect/repair their property and the Canadian government won't budge. A sometimes alternative, the Namakan River landing at Lady Rapids (reached after some significant drive time - two hours out after a crossing at International Falls -- and then, no place to park), is choked with logs and other debris.

We'll check again, but right now, the new plan is a day trip Tuesday through Crane Lake (yay! 9 hours round-trip for a boat ride!) to go after some walleye on the MN side at Harrison Narrows and explore Voyageurs National Park, if landings are accessible. Spotting the general condition of the cabin *might* be possible with binoculars, but too far across the border to be considered a legal boat trip. And, not much use anyway in knowing there's trouble that can't be fixed...
"



You might want to do some checking on the VNP side of things. I just got an email that they are closing many campsites, many docks underwater. There is also a lot of floating debris and rocks that are typically above water are just under. "

We were there yesterday. Logs and debris, yes. Unusable campsites, yes. (Although we did see some tents up here and there). Docks, boat houses, beach buildings, boats turn over 2-1/2 years ago "safely" up on dry land... yup, under water. As high as 2014.
countrybois
senior member (70)senior membersenior member
  
05/20/2022 01:15PM  
I spoke with Kathy Zup yesterday. She stated that there was a big pow-wow via Zoom with the Candian Government yesterday with a large focus on Sand Point.

If I understand what she has told me to this point, it has to do with an order-in-place with the Canadian Government that states customs points must still do random COVID checks. Since Sand Point is in the middle of the lake, they have no way to process random checks and therefore, as long as the order-in-place is in place, they cannot open.

She also stated there has been talk of Sand Point opening the beginning of June, but also that once they open, it may take 7 days to actually get operating. So that would mean more like a June 7 actual opening.

It sounds like they are working on it, but as with all governments, things are liable to change at any time.

Her best advice, keep checking as your entry dates near.
schweady
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06/04/2022 07:36PM  
Good news for Sand Point Lake property owners:

"Due to the flooding in the area, a temporary emergency reporting measure is in place until further notice. As such, Sand Point Lake property owners wishing to enter Canada by private boat can call the CBSA at 807-274-5473."

Same source that I have been watching for months:
Canada Border Services Agency
thegildedgopher
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06/05/2022 09:03AM  
Glad to hear you can get to the cabin and check on things, and I hope your damage is manageable.

One question -- earlier you mentioned needing to check on the cabin from a distance. ("Spotting the general condition of the cabin *might* be possible with binoculars, but too far across the border to be considered a legal boat trip.")

I don't believe that's an issue anymore. I inquired directly with the CBCSA and they responded in writing on May 25:

You can now enter Canada for leisure and touring, including pleasure fishing, sightseeing and other discretionary purposes (known as loop movements).

However, you must:

continuously remain on your boat while in Canadian waters
not land in Canada
not make contact with another boat
not moor or anchor while in Canadian waters
If at any point, you land on Canadian soil, come in contact with another boat or drop anchor, you will be required to report to the CBSA and if you’re eligible to enter Canada, you will become subject to all entry requirements including pre-arrival testing and submitting your mandatory information into ArriveCAN. Travellers engaged in transit or loop movements are not required to report to the CBSA.

---------

So I think you could've gotten right up to the shore to look at your cabin as long as you stayed in the boat?
schweady
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06/05/2022 03:39PM  
thegildedgopher: "...So I think you could've gotten right up to the shore to look at your cabin as long as you stayed in the boat?
"

Yes, thanks. New and welcome information that Handberg's also relayed. We traveled 1/3 mi over the border and idled about 150 ft in front of shore. The main cabin is high up multiple steps. No chance of flooding there, but wanted to see that all of the main large pine nearby were still standing. (They were.) Docks were deeply submerged, but could see that they were intact, even after 3 winters' abuse. Some structures closer to shore still had around 1 ft of clearance above the water and so we felt some relief. (Although this was now nearly 3 weeks ago, and reports have come in regarding continually rising levels...)

A trip up in late June is now in the works.
 
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