Reflections on the Pandemic – 19-Months Later

It has been 19-months since this pandemic began, and it continues to turn our lives upside down. We now have effective vaccines to stop the spread of this deadly virus, but with vaccine resistance hospitals are still full and people continue to die. Tragically, COVID-19 has killed more people in the US than in all the wars of the 20th century combined. 

If we have learned anything from this pandemic, though, it is the devastating effect of social isolation and the importance of physical activity. Throughout this pandemic paddling has been a lifeline for me. Now that I work at home, there is no better way to escape the house than to paddle.

During the initial lock-down, I did my paddling alone and close to home. As restrictions were lifted, we started to meet in small groups for up-and-back trips that didn’t involve a shuttle, often early in the morning before the crowds filled the parking lots. Now that I am vaccinated, my trips have a more normal feel. We are outside and socially distant. If we need to shuttle, we can roll down the windows and wear masks. The risk seems relatively low.

The restrictions of the pandemic forced all of us to look at familiar places in new ways. We realized that it is not necessary to travel to enjoy a day on the water. Lately, whitewater trips have taken a backseat to local flatwater trips. Crashing waves have been replaced with easy currents as I once again explore the twists and turns of nearby rivers and streams. No matter where we are it is great to be outside with friends and disconnected from depressing news and social media.

Paddling in a World of COVID-19

(From the Paddler Newsletter - May 2020)

It has been a month since I last sat down to update the Paddler newsletter, and what a long, strange month it has been. For me as RICKA’s newsletter editor, May should be a busy month – editing trip reports and updating trip listings. Like everyone else, with a quick look at the Paddler I usually begin deciding on upcoming trips - but not this year!

This year, like everyone else, I have settled into a strange routine. The window to my new home office looks out on a bird feeder, so I can watch the birds and squirrels outside even if I don’t spend a lot of time there myself. I have been able to get my canoe out for a couple of solo runs on the Blackstone, so things could be worse.

As the warm weather approaches, though, we are entering a critical new phase in the fight against coronavirus and COVID-19. In Rhode Island, Governor Raimondo has indicated that she hopes to lift the stay-at-home order later this month, and begin a phased reopening of economy. For our community, the big question is how will this effect paddling.

One thing is certain; the fight against COVID-19 is far from over. As we move forward, physical distancing will still be required, limitations on group gatherings will still be in place, and we will still be encouraged to stay close to home. The large group trips that we know and love will not be an option.  Still, if this pandemic has shown us anything it is the importance of outdoor recreation to our physical and mental health. 

So assuming the stay-at-home order is lifted, how do we move forward in a way that is socially responsible, and that protects our health and the health of others? Like everything else, the answer is slowly and carefully. As a community that means that we must:

• Stay local– if you need to stop for gas or a bathroom break you are probably travelling too far.
• Keep the trip well within your skill level – our health care system is busy enough without having to deal with accidental injuries.
• If you paddle in a group, keep the group small– while size limits on groups may also be increased, at least for the moment we should still be paddling in small groups.
• Avoid group shuttles– if you can’t arrange to shuttle with a family member, skip the trip. (This is the tough one for me.)
• Avoid congregating at the put in– get on the water, do your trip, and be on your way. Social gatherings can return once the pandemic has passed.
• Be responsible for your own gear– coronavirus can spread on surfaces, and it is more difficult to maintain social distancing while helping someone with their boat or other gear.
• And of course,maintain social distancing at all times– at the put in, on the water, and at the take out. 

This is a critical time in the fight against coronavirus, so we encourage everyone to be patient, stay safe and stay distant. We are making progress, and we look forward to getting everyone back together again - eventually…

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.