Clearing Out (or In?)

For those of you who noted the yellow flag our Captain clutched as we docked in Gib, you are quite right, that is not the Gibraltar flag and no, we do not have the plague. It is our Q flag and we are required to fly it from the starboard spreaders as we enter each new country. A quarantine or sort of “crossing the border”flag!  Otherwise we would be simply be, ummm errrrr, illegals…..

Once docked or anchored, the Captain (and occasionally crew) must report to the authorities with passports and boat papers. Sometimes we even need to take a list of on-board items such as electronics, cigarettes and alcohol – just in case we decide to sell them whilst in country. In Trinidad for instance, we could trade but not sell any unwanted boat bits. It’s all about tax.

Some even have a drawbridge...wonder if there's a cannon too?

As soon as we are cleared in, the Q flag is downed and a small courtesy flag hoisted – of that particular country. That way, when the coast guard do their checks, as they regularly do, we are on their computers. That way they know whether we have overstayed our Schengen allowance (90 days) or not paid up on a myriad of revenue-raising minor taxes (lighthouse tax??). Fines are so unattractive.

We visited Nelson.  It seemed the right thing to do under the circumstances..

It goes without saying that we wear a larger Aussie flag from our stern. Our current flag is a little “windswept” but will do for the moment. Some nationals enjoy flying flags the size of bed sheets. We’re a little more modest (and in keeping with convention). We also have few club pennants, burgees (a nice RANSA one), a boxing kangaroo and even a Dangar Island flag that we can raise when the occasion demands it.  GS even brought some prayer flags (from Nepal) to dress WJ3 when she needs to look smart. So far, the Dalai Lama hasn’t visited us in Portugal. Or Spain. But you never know…

(I found this Flag Etiquette information on the RANSA site if you’re interested in finer points. Look under the Membership tab.)