Monday, March 30, 2020

What is NEW? everything?

Hey Skip;
Describe what it's like enduring social distancing on the boat when all of the places you would normally go are closed to the public. And it looks like the state of Florida  means it. Peggy saw where they are road blocking on I-10 keeping people from going to the beaches.  Do you have reservations back at the Ft Pierce Marina for June? Still think about the Pierced Cider‘s “sleepy pear cider”.  I know things didn’t go as you had planned working with your old company this spring but at least you averted the potential problems of sailing back to the Bahamas this Covid-19 pandemic...whether it turns out to be over blown or not.


Whether it be luck or skill, some folks just have it...    Doug 

Well Doug asked some great questions.  I imagine it's the same here as everywhere else in the USA except we are out on boats?  Our 'front yard' is the mooring field and people sit up in their cockpits and wave at their neighbors a 120' away.  Also friends drop by when they are out in their dinghy's to say hi.
 keeping social distance during a dinghy visit
 Prodigal viewed at the end of a city canal
The closest house on shore, about 100 yards away.
Prodigal in her line of mooring balls.

In response to Doug's 3 questions:
#1.) Enduring Social Distancing?  I still go to shore most days and ride my bicycle for exercise. (and mental health) There are much fewer people out.  With the highway closed at Miami coming south down the keys, the traffic on US1 is way down to a trickle of its normal self.  Instead of taking 4-5 minutes waiting for a gap to cross the highway, now i can sometimes look both directions and not see a car.  The marina is quarantined. (that may not be the official term, but i think it's the design.) IF you take your car and drive up to Miami, or further, you CANT come back to the marina.  No 'guests or visitors' are allowed into the marina or harbor. It's for the healthy to stay here separated from any sick from up in the states.  "IF you are caught with a visitor you will be kicked out of the marina." - The MARINA Staff



#2.) Fort Pierce Marina in june?  All bets are off at this point.  My last conversation with them was for a return and they said I am welcome.  Now all this crazy sickness has happened and I will see what the new rules are toward the end of May....  (what the rules are up there)  I expect and am planning to return to Fort Pierce.  (I'm thinking they will finally have the new restaurant open?  have the pump-outs fixed.)
 Dinghy Dock March 1st
Dinghy Dock March 28th
My local bar, at happy hour 5p, on a Friday!

#3.) sailing back to/from the Bahamas.  Yes, I'm glad that I'm not trapped over in the Bahamas with zero medical coverage and restricted entry upon return along with forced self quarantine.  I can only guess what the provisions are over there?  If all the produce and paper products were totally removed from the stores here, they must be gone over there too.  I feel lucky to be here in a good quarantine location.  We are geographically separated, then mooring balls separated....    Also I notice very few dinghys tied to the dock lately.  A month ago there was not an inch of dock space free.  Now it's like a ghost town at the marina.
daily checking for TP (2 wks)
Found the LAST pkg of TP
riding home my TP

Friday, March 27, 2020

Rum-brella Regatta photos

Back before Corona people came together...
This is two weeks ago when the marina held a race.







 Adult Prizes
 Kids won a Pizza Party
Fong and his lovely wife Asa put it together.

Wednesday, March 25, 2020

This is getting strange

Is this the new normal?


Doug, a farming friend from school, wrote me this week saying, "Send me your address and I can send you two red corn cobs that go with the white one you already have."

Dr. Tom MD, wrote me this in response to my question about the toilet paper, "Skip I can’t figure out the TP thing. I guess it’s because there are so many assholes out there."  Well he makes a good point.

Monday, March 23, 2020

Corona Monday - the new normal

Corona Testing set up today 
in the city park just outside our marina entrance.



I got word today that "people are driving down to Marathon from Miami to buy groceries."  That stuff is gone off the shelves up there.  I guess it's not as safe here as I assumed.  The disease might ride down with them!

Jess was out alone in the parking-lot folding a jib sail.  I stopped to help him.  After we got it folded and back into its sail bag he told me a story about 'when he sailed to Texas.'  He and his brother took a 16' Hobie Cat and sailed it from St. Augustine FL around the state and all the way to Galveston TX in 1975.  then they sailed it around Texas and "down Mexico for two days" before returning to Texas.  Next they "took the Hobie totally apart and put it on a truck."  They went to San Diego and put it back together and sailed up to Los Angeles.  I cant imagine all that.


Sunday, March 22, 2020

Corona WHAT?

What is the new normal today?



 Out of toilet paper?  No worries, just run to the store...  Oh Crap!  Today on the local cruiser boat radio net a boat asked if "anyone has some spare toilet paper we can use? we've run out."

I got to the Overseas Bar Friday exactly when they called last call at 4:30PM"The state of Florida is closing ALL bars and restaurants effective immediately."  (plus all: parks, beaches, hotels, and the public library.  The marina changed policy to 'no transients.' you MUST have a month rental to be here.)  All this to limit travel and the spread of the Covid 19 virus.

i didnt get any TP, but i got some ice cream!

I also gave myself a haircut.  One thing checked off my to-do list.



Thursday, March 19, 2020

What does Corona look like?

Things be a changing way down here...

 "Service Dogs Welcome" (i decided not to make him remove his dog.)  In the Winn Dixie.
His badge reads: 'Life is too short to ride with ugly women." 
 At home with a Rum and Coke (i read alcohol kills the virus)
 In the Marathon Library today as they cleaned tables. (~ 5ppl ttl inside)
The local dive bar, The Brass Monkey was locked today.  Oh the horror! 

Wednesday, March 18, 2020

Corona? what's next?

"It must be nice being retired! Y'all enjoy. Meanwhile, I've got absolute chaos, doctors getting canceled right and left and restricted flights to get them home...and a whole bunch of other clients needing ER, Hospitalist, urgent care & FP's....and limited flights to get them around and limited rental cars. Big fun! And I'm not even gonna get into what's going on with all my employees! Enjoy your retirement!"   (-an email i received)

It's OK here, but uncertain.  I heard today that the Marathon city park is now officially closed.  They also closed the local beaches.  (i noticed the library was open today) The grocery stores here are totally out of LOTS of stuff.  Why is there no toilet paper?  (what am i missing with that?)

One thing I noticed is that all the boats in our harbor use this one water tap to fill their tanks.  *It's on the far seawall.  See the three boats lined up as they use the hose to fill their water jugs.  If an "illness" were to spread from this point, almost everyone in Marathon would quickly catch it...

Where am i supposed to go for my news and correct info?  So far my best most accurate source is from people in the grocery store.  I'm feeling as confused as a Wall Street broker!

Healthy and already tired of this.           -Skip

Tuesday, March 17, 2020