Sand

[Jackie55]

I want to bring back a small bottle of sand from the beach. Will I have a problem with customs?

[leaveitallbehind]

If it is Bermuda, the answer is yes. Bermuda regulations prohibit you from bringing sand you gathered yourself on board from there. If ship security finds it when you are boarding it will be confiscated. Only sand purchased as part of a souvenir is permitted to be taken.

 

Not aware of similar regulations from other islands, however. Perhaps others can confirm.

Edited August 23, 2015 by leaveitallbehind

[Jackie55]

It would be probably, Bahama, St Maartens,

[cb at sea]

It always pays to get a guidebook on your ports. it will detail any rule/laws you need to be aware of....like sand/rock/shell removal, or no camouflage clothing, etc....

[spookwife]

even if not illegal it is still not a good idea unless you buy commercially.. untreated sand has icky gross critters in it that are dangerous to any ecosystem they are not native to.

[Jackie55]

Thank you all. I'll buy commercially.

[uncle John]

I want to bring back a small bottle of sand from the beach. Will I have a problem with customs?

Check with LOCAL authority but here is the official answer,

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/1226/~/seashells,-sand,-pebbles,-driftwood-for-personal-use

[John&LaLa]

It would be probably, Bahama, St Maartens,

This is the bottle Art was in. We spread his ashes in Coco Cay.

Then I filled the bottle with sand and brought it home. No problem, man

[MarkSeattle]

I want to bring back a small bottle of sand from the beach. Will I have a problem with customs?

 

I've looked this up before. It's actually not allowed to bring raw/untreated sand or soil back to the US without a research permit and needs to be declared. Whether the agent actually cares or not is debatable and probably depends on the port.

 

It's also illegal to take it from most places, although people do it and bring sand back all the time, and I've never heard of an issue at US Customs...

[Keith1010]

I know that security at the cruise ship does not always let you bring sand or shells back on board because of parasites.

 

Keith

[steveru621]

I have to admit I have taken shells back on to the ship. Even though signs started to appear (or I never noticed) when we boarded from an excursion. No rocks or shells.

 

Usually I have enough sand in my bathing suit to fill a small bottle. ;)

 

Perhaps they should invoke a curse.

 

Pele's Curse. Thousands of pounds of rocks stolen from Hawaii are returned by mail to the island each year because former tourists fear their ...

[Robinola]

Dang, I was stopped by security scan last cruise. No more sand. 😂😂

[RadioRob]

I always end up with a ton of sand in my dive shoes, etc. I imagine it being enough to put in a small bottle and save if one was so inclined. But I always just end up shaking them out over the trash can at home. Lol

[shellunderwater]

This is the bottle Art was in. We spread his ashes in Coco Cay.

Then I filled the bottle with sand and brought it home. No problem, man

 

There is a difference between doing it and being allowed to do it.

[gram2kids]

Pele's Curse. Thousands of pounds of rocks stolen from Hawaii are returned by mail to the island each year because former tourists fear their ...

 

As I was reading the above posts I was reminded of my first time visiting the black beach on the road to Hana on Maui. You brought me back to the time I took some black sand home with me and when I showed it to my daughter she said there was a curse for taking sand off the Hawaiian islands...OMG!..What to do now?, I asked her. So I immediately put the sand into a double zip bag and sent it back to the Maui Island Visitors Center with a long letter of apology for taking their precious sand back home with me. I have never taken any sand from any beach since that trip. Just knowing that I had the privilege to visit such beautiful island beaches have been enough memories I will ever need.

Edited August 23, 2015 by gram2kids

[Jackie55]

This all makes sense. Thank you all.

[krazy4kruisin]

even if not illegal it is still not a good idea unless you buy commercially.. untreated sand has icky gross critters in it that are dangerous to any ecosystem they are not native to.

 

Good point. Now I know where those little crabby things came from on our last beach vacation :D

[Flatbush Flyer]

States where agriculture is a prime mover (e.g., California and Hawaii) would appreciate it if you do not threaten our ecology with uninspected sand, shells, dirt, food, etc.

 

The real problem is the stuff you can't see hitch-hiking in your "souvenirs" and "snacks."

[Krazy Kruizers]

Many, many times we have seen tons of sand in the elevators and in the hallways from people just getting back from the beach. Especially on the private islands.