When the Hatch reopens...

[windfind]

Hi Gang,
Beginning May 5, the governor has authorized partial reopening of certain recreational activities. This reopening could include the Hatchery.

Below are some details about the opening of State Parks like the Hatchery. Reading them it is clear that if we don’t maintain distancing the Hatch will be shut down again.

The latest data from Iceland, prisons in the USA, cruise ships is that between 18-96% of people carrying COVID-19 are asymptomatic. These people feel fine but they are releasing the virus when they cough, sneeze or talk.

Why the huge range in asymptomatic carriers? Here is a hint… the 18% asymptomatic figure comes from cruise ships where the majority of people are older. The 96% asymptomatic figure comes from prisons where the population is much younger. Younger people’s immune systems are more likely to battle the virus to a stalemate so they don’t get sick but still carry the virus.

This means that when the Hatch reopens there is a chance there will be people rigging that are unknowingly asymptomatic.

Windsurfing by its nature enforces social distancing on the water so we have to focus on the parking and launch areas where it will be hardest to maintain 6 feet.

The Hatchery is on the authority's radar as a place where a few people think the rules don’t apply to them. So I think we need to make a statement during the early season. One easy way is to park our cars at 6 feet apart. That way you can maintain distancing while loading and you can still chat with others from 6 feet.

The only launch area where maintaining 6 feet will take some thought is the cove.

Looking at the Oregon and Washington COVID maps below you can see that the Hatchery is surrounded by counties where COVID is much more common. Since the virus is not going on vacation you would be smart to avoid close contact with people coming from areas where COVID is more common.

It would be nice to believe that people living in those areas, especially younger ones, would sail closer to home for a while. I doubt that will happen so use caution.

Mike Godsey

The outdoor activities include guidelines and restrictions.
https://medium.com/wagovernor/inslee-announces-easing-of-outdoor-restrictions-8ed2c3d62050

1) Anyone exhibiting any cold or flu-like symptoms shall not participate in outdoor recreation activities.
2) Any state parks, state public lands, hunting and fishing seasons, golf facilities, trails, and other public parks, public lands and trails may be closed at any time if there is reason to believe unsafe conditions exist or social distancing practices are not being adhered to.
3) People must recreate locally: Do not travel farther than necessary and do not stay overnight to recreate.
4) Limit your recreation partners to only those who live within your household unit.
5) Practice social distancing at trailheads, boat launches, and all areas where you encounter others.
6) Utilize facial coverings in any situation where social distancing is not possible.
7) Bring your own food and supplies when possible. This will help protect others in your community.

[vientomas]

If parking vehicles 6 feet apart, that will reduce the number of vehicle parking spots by what? Perhaps 30% to 50%? Gonna be a race to the launch everyday just to secure parking at the Hatch and Doug's. With the new kite launch at Doug's the parking issues will be more pronounced than in prior years even without the 6 feet being imposed.

[windfind]

[vientomas]

[windfind]

Since I never win the Dougs parking race I always use the west side parallel parking so I forgot about the E. side parking where cars are packed side by side. So maybe 6 feet apart would be a good idea there. Plus there is always lots of parking on the parallel parking area.

Sure it is a longer walk but we have to burn off the extra fat that is a side effect of the pandemic.

But seriously... We don't want this to happen to our sites after the opening. This is what happened at Crissy Field today:

[U2U2U2]

Hey Gang,
Just think , you can change your username
To
Parkfind

[vientomas]

[U2U2U2]

The Outer Banks NC has been closed to,all except permanent residents.
Access dictated by a address in one of the villages.
Easily enforced at the bridge.Those that own property were / are not considered as locals. This is changing about soon enough. Visitors will still not be permitted.
With serious discussions on when how.
A local is someone who lives there. Not part of the year.
Since they pay taxes , they of course will have a different opinion. You only get one vote in an election, no matter how many houses you own.

[isobars]

The protection and practicality of some of these restraints seem pretty low, which, IMO, encourages people to make their own rules.

"Recreate as close to home as possible", for example. Our recreation depends on where the wind is. If it's 200 miles away, we may drive 400 miles. And, no, Guv'nor ... jogging around our own block is neither recreation nor isolation for most of us.

"Don't stay overnight". What? Why? Whose business is it if we stay overnight in our own rig? Why waste driving time and fuel to double that 400 to 800?

Not to worry. The Hatchery parking (and clean swell) race will never be anything like it was "back in the day" ... when parking in blackness and rigging as soon as we could see a faint glow in the eastern sky paid off DRAMATICALLY. The same sometimes still pays off today at some eastern Gorge spots.

The worst statistics seem to come from enclosed spaces, not outdoors where the half-life of the coronavirus is cut by 99.5%. Everybody is safer when I'm windsurfing alone 70 miles from home than when I'm shopping for food a few blocks away.

I've had a dry cough and endless sniffles since the day I began taking a dozen meds, many known to produce exactly those symptoms, in about 2016. Sorry, guv'nor, but medical science trumps administrative paranoia in my book. I'm sure many other people have similar departures from what politicians define as the norm, and (I hope) my solution may help me and others: carrying documentation of any exceptions. For example, when I fly, I carry doctors' orders justifying my syringes, meds, and treatment-induced radioactivity.

And why is it non-essential, thus forbidden in many states, to go to a hospital for life-saving cancer treatments? By definition, "non-essential" means "can be scheduled", and many cancer treatments are scheduled months in advance.

If we aren't allowed SOME room for using our head and science, and if some higher-office seeking politicians keep arresting people for playing catch outdoors with their children or holding a fishing rod in solitude, why, some people just might be tempted to assemble in protest of losing income, careers, homes, recreation, family bonding time, etc. for no scientifically valid reason. I fully understand that broad laws make enforcement easier, but shouldn't part of easing up restrictions include room for regional and maybe even individual circumstances?

I saw two guys fishing on a spit of land jutting out into the Columbia. They were 100 feet apart, 200 yards from me, and at least thousands of feet from the nearest other person. Should I have approached them, demanded their I.D., and reported them; gotten out my hypothetical deer rifle and shot them; or at least gotten out my cell phone, called Gov Inslee, and said "Hello ... hello ... HELLO (this is a cell phone, mind you) ... I'd like to report two people who are not panic-stricken?" All this because some ocean-shore piers and clambeds west of Seattle 300 miles and millions of people away got crowded?

We're not all urban rats with eyes on living in the White House.

[windfind]

We reached a sad milestone today, April 28.

As of today, COVID-19 has killed more Americans in 4 months than were killed in the entire 8 years of our war with Vietnam.

58,300 Americans dead from COVID versus 58,220 KIA in Vietnam.

And sadly, many of those who died were of that Vietnam generation.

At a time like this, we have to remember the brave men and women health professionals who are risking their lives and sometimes dying trying to save American lives.

Since my wife and my best friend are amongst those people this issue is dear to my heart.

Today those EMTs, Nurses and Doctors were honored by Blue Angel and Thunderbird flybys in New York City. With the Navy and Air Force encouraging social distancing by everyone watching.

Perhaps we should all remember that now is not the time to whine about our windsurfing deprivation and the unfairness of social distancing. I think those on the front lines would have a certain amount of contempt.

Mike Godsey