POINT ROBERTS – STRANGE EXCLAVE OF CANADA

Point Roberts is part of the USA that is accessible only through Canada. Updated Sep 2022.

Enclave or Exclave?

An Enclave is a country or part of a country surrounded by another. It is not connected to the main part of the country. Nor is it an island. For example, Vatican City and San Marino are surrounded by Italy on all sides.

An Exclave is part of a country that is surrounded by other countries (more than one) or water belonging to other countries.

Point Roberts is a pene-exclave which means it is almost an enclave. Are you confused yet? This is because the surrounding water belongs to the USA (see map). Therefore, residents can cross to the mainland by boat without entering Canada, but not by land. If Canada owned the water, Point Roberts would be an enclave, meaning they must pass through another country to reach the mainland, even when travelling by boat.

The Canada – USA border

In the eastern half of North America, the Canada/USA border follows lakes and rivers from the mouth of the St Lawrence River to the Great Lakes.

In the western half of the continent, the border was drawn in a straight line at the 49^th parallel from Lake of the Woods (located approximately the centre of Canada when travelling along the border) to the Pacific coast near the city of Vancouver, Canada. At this point, the border goes south around Vancouver Island so that this island remains in Canada and was not split between the two countries.

The 49^th parallel happens to pass through the little Tsawwassen Peninsula. Point Roberts is on the southern side of this line, creating an American exclave attached to Canada.

If the United States were willing to move the border south of Vancouver Island, I doubt if they would have argued over this tiny peninsula that was not attached to the American mainland. I am sure that this little spec of land was overlooked by both parties when negotiating the location of the border.

American citizens travelling from the mainland USA to Point Roberts, Washington, need a passport to get there.

Facts about Point Roberts today

Population at last census (2020) – 1,191. This is down from a population of 1.314 in 2010.

Houses – 2,068 of which only 678 were occupied. The remainder are summer cottages or rental units.

Area – 4.884 sq miles ( 12.65 sq km)

Climate – cold in winter but very mild compared to the rest of the northern half of North America. January temperatures average between 43 and 30 F (6 and minus 1 Celcius).

Point Roberts School

The local school provides education up to grade three. After which, students must travel to the mainland in Washington State by bus. This involves crossing the international border between Canada and the USA four times daily. (To enter Canada, then back into the USA and then the return trip).

Medical Service

There are no doctors in Point Roberts, but there is a medical clinic with a well-trained nurse.   There is a tiny airstrip for emergencies.   The closest hospital is in Canada, but American citizens do not have access to it.   American residents need to travel to the American mainland for doctors or hospitals.

Other Services

There is a resident police officer in Point Roberts, a fire department, and representatives of the Washington Parks Department. In addition, fire departments in Canada would come to Point Roberts to assist if needed.

Economy

The main economy of Point Roberts comes from Canadian tourists in the form of accommodation rentals and restaurants as well as gasoline, grocery and food purchases which are much cheaper than in Canada. Many Canadians come to Point Roberts only to fuel their vehicles, stop at the grocery store, and then head back to Canada. Some stay longer in rental cottages. Some have purchased cottages.

Point Roberts is the only place in the United States where gasoline is sold by the litre. The USA uses the Imperial system of measurements, whereby fuel is sold by the gallon (approx 4 litres). (The photo is obviously several years old. Fuel is much more expensive now. But the point is that fuel is sold by the litre instead of by the gallon as in the rest of the USA.)

Marina

With a population of fewer than 1,200 people, there is a large marina with at least 300 yachts renting moorings. Canadians own many of them. Owning a boat allows American residents to reach the mainland without passing through Canada.

Birds

If you are a birder, Point Roberts is a good place to rent a cabin for a few days. Bald Eagles are common as well as many other birds, such as the Varied Thrush. In addition, it is one of the few places where you can see hummingbirds during the northern winter because the climate is so mild.

Whales

Point Roberts is one of the few places where you can see Orca Whales from land during summer. Another place is Vancouver Island in Canada.

The Tsawwassen Ferry to Victoria

Suppose you are planning to travel to the city of Victoria, the capital city of British Columbia, which is located on Vancouver Island. In that case, you can travel by air or car via the Tsawwassen Ferry.   The ferry dock is closer to Point Roberts than the city of Vancouver. Therefore, if you need accommodations overnight while waiting for your ferry reservation, consider a trip to Point Roberts. It is more convenient and cheaper than staying in Vancouver.

People travelling from the British Columbia mainland to their capital city or other places on Vancouver Island do not realize that they will pass through the United States en route.   This is due to the strange way the border was drawn (see the border on the map above).

Where to stay in Point Roberts

There are many places to rent in Point Roberts. My favourite is the Gingerbread Cottage.   This cute little cottage is located on the edge of a park with walking trails right behind the house. It has a nice deck on the second floor where you can watch for birds while having dinner.   Nestled in a private wooded area, we loved our stay in the Gingerbread cottage.

Contact Pat at http://lilypointparklodges.com/home/index

He also has other cottages for rent.

Add a day or two in Point Roberts to your Vancouver trip.