Hi, I am new here and I'm from Malta.

I would like to ask a question to those who may have tried this before. Is it possible in most countries to cross borders by kayak (into countries for which one either has a visa or a visa is not required)? If so, what does one have to do? Just get ashore and go to the nearest police station? I understand that in Europe it shouldn't be a problem since we haven't got borders anymore, but what about elsewhere?

Thanks a lot

i think that would probably depend on which countries you are entering and exiting. if your going to or from the USA, the us would probably freak out and you would have to go through a bunch a paperwork and stuff to prove your not a terrorist or illegal immigrant. I doubt the Us applies since your from other countries, but i know thats proabbly somewaht similar to how othere first world countires would react. Just a guess.

I actually had that in mind. Being mistaken for an illegal immigrant by the coast guard would be my prime worry, even within the EU itself, since they cannot tell by my looks where I come from and I might even make it onto the frontpage of the Italian newspapers as the 1st illegal immigrant to arrive from Africa with a kayak. But somehow I'm not worried much about that because I know it's legally possible. At the most I might get a lift on the coast guard's boat to shore. However I had north africa in mind, countries like Tunisia since practically those are the countries which are not in the EU around here...
Thanks anyway though.

if you're crossing borders you should probably carry your passport.

Authorities don't like suprises, so it would be advisable to somehow notify them of your trip plan BEFORE you go.

Maybe in the EU things are different, but in this hemisphere crossing borders without proper authorization is likely to get you in trouble.



Having paddled a lot in Chile we come across this situation with Argentina quite often. The ideal is to put-in in Argentina then cross the border back into Chile. (All the rivers flow in that direction down here.) When we do this we clear EVERYTHING through customs of both countries. Sometimes the answer is yes and sometimes the answer is no. It often depends on the local border crossing and how well we know the agents.

Not only are countries touchy about paperwork but also smuggling as well. For the sake of a kayak trip it is not worth it to get caught up in the customs and immigration bureaucracies that exist in most countries. In borerline cases it is easier to ask permission than beg forgiveness later.

Here is a trip report that contains a typical border crossing experience between Chile and Argentina...

Border crossings in Chile and Argentina are, well……… interesting probably isn’t a descriptive enough word for it. Read more:

www.exchile.com/weblogEddlemon.htm

Just my two cents...