Bay Pelican
Moderator Emeritus
While our group of friends, all retired, does not have to worry about the threat of Zika to unborn children we have been hit hard by this virus. In the last two weeks four friends have come down with strong symptoms. Yesterday one was taken to a hospital (and released). So far these are cases in St. Lucia and Martinique.
While life does not seem be threatened, the problem come in when the person who does the mechanical work on the boat is incapacitated. Leaks, broken pumps, water making all are ignored or left undone for ten days. We are all at anchor. So far we have all covered for each other.
I have long advocated that the woman on board should be able to launch and operate the dinghy and start the outboard. We have a case now where the woman is unable to do so and her husband is laid up. We are providing taxi service, but it is unsettling as to how isolated she has become.
Our anchorage does not have a marina. There is one in a neighboring town and yesterday the boat with the fellow who went into the hospital was moved to the marina by a couple of friends (med mooring is fun they say - like a parachute jump). But most of the cases have stayed at anchor.
While life does not seem be threatened, the problem come in when the person who does the mechanical work on the boat is incapacitated. Leaks, broken pumps, water making all are ignored or left undone for ten days. We are all at anchor. So far we have all covered for each other.
I have long advocated that the woman on board should be able to launch and operate the dinghy and start the outboard. We have a case now where the woman is unable to do so and her husband is laid up. We are providing taxi service, but it is unsettling as to how isolated she has become.
Our anchorage does not have a marina. There is one in a neighboring town and yesterday the boat with the fellow who went into the hospital was moved to the marina by a couple of friends (med mooring is fun they say - like a parachute jump). But most of the cases have stayed at anchor.