Forced to change plans - where to go now?

[Timlich]

Originally Posted by HuR

Maryland just closed to any form of sailing, and others are surely soon behind. This is not going away quickly. My own boat is stuck in Panama, I just got out before they closed the airport in mid-March. My cruising dreams, just starting having bought the boat recently, are on hold for the foreseeable future.

Hur - welcome to the club! I recently purchased a yacht. I've seen her but haven't yet enjoyed a maiden voyage. I intended to sail home over the next 3 or 4 years. I live in New Zealand. My boat is laid up in The Med (Spain). I was due to arrive in Spain at the beginning of April and planned to cross the Atlantic in December. Now I'm stuck in NZ and have no idea when I'll be able to collect her. I'm guessing that the rest of 2020 is a write off from an international travel perspective. My timing was bad! But I'm just going to hang in there until things get better and then pick up from where I left off.

[Timlich]

Originally Posted by bensolomon

Hello, everyone. As an intensive care unit physician, Covid 19 is no joke. In two recently published articles, the mortality from this, once on a ventilator is as high as 98%. Males do much worse than females. Just like you don't get to choose the strength of your hurricane or its path, you don't get to choose if you are going to be the one requiring a mechanical ventilator and life support should you get covid-19. Best to not get exposed at all.

Here's the thing about doing anything that's non-essential. Should something happen to you or the people you are with, treating you will deplete sn already depleted healthcare workforce. We are maxed out, and out of many essential medications. we don't have enough personal protective equipment in are reusing disposable items.

The stay-at-home order is twofold: keep the disease from spreading, and to prevent unnecessary hospitalizations that will deplete our resources. Please stay home and stay safe. There are much worse things than missing out on one sailing season.

All the best,
Ben

I totally support this advice from @bensolomon. I'm not a health worker and therfore I'm happy to concede to the advice of the experts. The ONLY real value I can add to these dreadful times is compliance so I'm going to do my bit and stay put. As responsible people (and most sailors are responsible in my experience) we should all do the same. Life will resume in due course and hopefully most of our friends and family will still be alive and healthy when that time comes. We're all on here either soliciting or offering advice so why wouldn't we listen to the advice of the health experts?

[LEOCAT66]

Just wondering if anyone is attempting to cruise the upper Gulf Coast, Tex To Fl.
And if so what are you finding, concerning fuel, supplies, and everyday items?

We can provision now, in Slidell, LA. and will be heading to Pensacola area initially, and will be on the hook every night.

[Off Trail]

We're currently in St Pete but were in the Pensacola area two weeks ago. Great area to stay supplied during the shutdown. The fuel dock at Santa Rosa marina was open and friendly for water and pumpouts, and there is access to Publix in Gulf Breeze. Cruising and anchoring out along the bay side in Santa Rosa Sound and Pensacola Bay was great.