A Paddlers View of COVID-19

(From the Paddler Newsletter - April 2020)

For many of us, paddling is more than a hobby and the people that we paddle with are more than friends. We are part of an amazing community, and in the face of the coronavirus and COVID-19, we are all adapting to a new reality that will reshape this community for months to come. 

This is usually the time of year when we all come out of our winter hibernation and begin the planning for the upcoming year. For me, the whitewater season should be in full swing and flatwater trips should be starting. Not this year!

A few weeks ago the term “social distancing” was just coming into our vocabulary. Initially we thought padding would be unaffected since we are pretty much always 6-feet apart anyway. As the outbreak grew, though, we began to realize that social distancing isn’t just about paddling. We had to think about shuttles, surface spread on gear, and socializing before and after the trip. As our understanding of the virus evolved, “social distancing” morphed into “self-isolating” and paddling ground to a halt.

All of this is based on the hope of “flattening the curve”. The science of what's happening with COVID-19 shows that we all need to take these extraordinary measures to slow the spread of the virus and to protect vulnerable members of the community. Flattening the curve will keep us from overwhelming our healthcare systems and reduce fatalities.

Like many, my thinking on this has changed over time as I have gone from ignorance to skepticism to the realization that we have no other choice. As we look at the risks from coronavirus, it is clear that they are catastrophic. To use a paddling metaphor, there is no gear that can protect us (vaccine) and no rescue that can save us (treatment) from this deadly virus.

Of course the ramifications of self-isolating are also enormous – layoffs, school and church closures, and event cancellations. Most of us are now under “stay at home” orders and our sphere of travel has narrowed to a radius of our homes. Stress and social isolation are high. Getting outside can help relieve our stress an increase our physical and mental health.

So how do we walk the fine line between safety, social responsibility, and not going crazy by staying in the house? The best choice is to stay close to home and enjoy fresh air and sunshine in our own neighborhoods. With travel across state lines prohibited and many state and town parks closed our choices are limited anyway. 

What about paddling?  Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures, and for our community that is going to mean less paddling. Many of us will find that difficult, but with the continued spread of COVID-19 there is really no option. The water will wait for us. One of the best justifications that I have seen for this approach came from Doug Welch, Executive Director at the Maine Island Trail:

“Beyond the surface-level isolation, the act of social distancing is actually:

• a powerful, widespread act of love for friends, family, colleagues, and strangers
• an epic collective action to protect the weakest among us
• an opportunity to think differently for a while
• a chance to help people who really need it now
• an invitation to get outside and breathe the spring air
• a break in which to plan new adventures.”

Leave it to a Mainer to get that right. Will I be getting out to paddle anytime soon? Probably alone and close to home. Will I be seeing any of you in person at the put-in? Probably not for a while. Now is the time to do whatever we can to help flatten the curve of COVID-19's spread. Paddling will resume when this passes, and I look forward to seeing you then.