Fall Escape will be at Flag Island Resort on Flag Island on Saturday August 30th. Flag Island is just over the southern boarder of Canada in the US at the entrance to North West Angle.
Canadian and US escape’s should try to be at Flag Island Resort on Oak Island by 3 p.m. on Saturday so we can all go to the customs check in point at Young’s Bay Resort as a group. It would be great if we could get everyone in just two boats for the trip Young’s Bay Resort which is 3.5 mile east of Flag Island.
Following the check in “fun” we will travel in two boats to Fort St. Charles which is three miles north of Young’s Bay Resort on Magnusons Island. We will tour Fort St. Charles which was resorted in 1951. You can see the outline of Fort St. Charles on Google Earth if you zoom in on Magnusons Island.
Fort St. Charles was established by The Sieur De La Verendrye, an enterprising Canadian, lured into the wilderness by Indian tales of a great “Western Sea”. He established Fort St. Charles in the summer of 1732 a couple of years before I was born. He traveled by way of the Grand Portage and Rainy River to Lake of the Woods. He made his headquarters at this spot and from it built a chain of five or six other posts in the vicinity of Lake Winnipeg. It was the farthest west Europeans had traveled at that time. Read more about Fort St. Charles on this web site, www.entreeltd.com/fortStCharles.htm Very interesting history. Dan Shaul checked out the docking at Magnusons Island and reported back that is has a newer dock which is 75’ long. It should be easy docking. I will check that out a day before Fall Escape.
Saturday evening supper will be a 6:30 p.m. It will be really good. You will have two choices. Flag Island has an excellent cook.
After the evening meal Bobby Lund an excellent accordion player who plays great polka music, waltz, and two step music, plus rock and roll music will be at the resort to entertain us with his music. Bring your dancing shoes. Elvis Presley will be at Flag Island helping Bobby Lund put on a show to go along with the music. Bring your camera. Patti and I will bring the “stump fiddle”.
A $30.00 fee will be charged per boat to cover entertainment expenses. There is also a $10.00 dock fee.
As always, please let Patti and I know as soon as possible that you are coming.
Your commodores,
Al and Patti Halfaker
U.S. Customs Information for 2008
Coming by water to Flag Island into the U.S.
You will need a passport, an I-68, a NEXUS Pass, or a birth certificate and a picture ID.
PLAN A:
Every Canadian gets to talk to U.S. Customs at Young’s Bay and tell them they do not have any firearms, too much alcohol, where they live, whether they have a passport or I-68 or NEXUS Pass, birth certificate and a picture ID, and how long they will be the U.S. and where. That should take a half hour or longer. When I checked into the U.S. after Spring Escape it was quite slow because the agent I was communicating with was typing the information into a computer as I was giving it to him.
PLAN B:
When you send me your registration information, send me copies of the documents you are going to use for identification and your answers to the questions I have listed below. I will fax your information from Flag Island to the U.S. Customs in Warroad.
The Warroad Customs Office said this would be very helpful to them. It will speed up
entrance into the U.S. for Canadian citizens. Only one Canadian would be needed to call from Young's Bay to U.S. Customs and verify the information already faxed by me to Customs in advance.
1. Your name: ________________________________________________
2. Do you have any firearms? ___________________
3. Do you have any alcohol? _______________
If so, how much? ________________________________________
4. Do you have any cigarettes? ____________________
If so, how many? _____________________
5. Your address: _________________________________________
6. How long will you be in the U.S.? ________________________
7. Where will you be in the U.S.? ___________________________
