Covid-19 and Cayman travel...

[Saboteur]

Government just announced that swimming is allowed, but not snorkeling, diving, paddleboarding, kayaking or any boating activities. I can’t see the difference between snorkeling and swimming, but it is what it is.

An example of draconian measures based on nothing...I’m sure there are more than a few shoppers in the grocery stores well within 2 meters but a kayaker can’t be on the ocean 200 meters from the nearest person.

 

[mi000ke]

Swim with goggles, or a mask on. Not too hard to make occasional excursions below the surface without a snorkel. Officer, I was just swimming, protecting my eyes from the salt water.

I always swim with my prescription mask anyway and sometimes flippers, so should be ok as long as there’s no tube stuck in my mouth. Officer, do you see a snorkel?

 

[mi000ke]

An example of draconian measures based on nothing...I’m sure there are more than a few shoppers in the grocery stores well within 2 meters but a kayaker can’t be on the ocean 200 meters from the nearest person.

It’s about not having enough emergency workers to respond to a marine emergency. They are all patrolling to monitor compliance with the curfew and social distancing regs.

And as a diehard cynic, I have to say the government is really doing a great job managing this craziness, and the citizens by and large are almost 100% in compliance. At the supermarket they limit the number of people inside, and every keeps their 6 ft distance in the entrance queue and inside the market. They report the number of people cited for prosecution each day for violating the curfew regs, and in a country of 65,000 it usually ranges between 5 and 10 people caught walking, driving or gathering in groups of more than 2 .

But the snorkeling ban still makes no sense.

 

[KathyV]

This article (originally posted by @grantwiscour) says that ocean spray could be a source of contamination, so that may be why they are telling folks to stay out of the water.

Coronavirus at beaches? Surfers, swimmers should stay away, scientist says - West Hawaii Today

 

[cgills]

It’s about not having enough emergency workers to respond to a marine emergency. They are all patrolling to monitor compliance with the curfew and social distancing regs.

And as a diehard cynic, I have to say the government is really doing a great job managing this craziness, and the citizens by and large are almost 100% in compliance. At the supermarket they limit the number of people inside, and every keeps their 6 ft distance in the entrance queue and inside the market. They report the number of people cited for prosecution each day for violating the curfew regs, and in a country of 65,000 it usually ranges between 5 and 10 people caught walking, driving or gathering in groups of more than 2 .

But the snorkeling ban still makes no sense.

You have to take into consideration that there are still those on island with a license to spearfish, which they can only do while on snorkel. Not enough marine patrols to manage. Also,snorkel and mask promotes further distancing from shoreline, again lack of marine patrols to respond to emergencies. I may not like it, but I get it. I agree, I think this government deserves an awful lot of cudos for how they have managed this crisis.

 

[mi000ke]

Well I surprised myself by being able to swim out 200 yards to the reef and back without a snorkel and without drowning. Was thinking I might wear an orally inflated BCD to make it a bit easier to float over the reef for a few minutes, but figured I would probably get busted for impersonating an inflatable boat.

 

[Doctorfish]

Just wear your wetsuit. That should you give you additional buoyancy.

 

[Calmseas]

Well I surprised myself by being able to swim out 200 yards to the reef and back without a snorkel and without drowning. Was thinking I might wear an orally inflated BCD to make it a bit easier to float over the reef for a few minutes, but figured I would probably get busted for impersonating an inflatable boat.

Hopefully it didn't take you more than 90 minutes.

Saw they reported no new cases on the island today so hopefully they are getting a hold of it.

 

[mi000ke]

Hopefully it didn't take you more than 90 minutes.

Saw they reported no new cases on the island today so hopefully they are getting a hold of it.

4 of about 100 returning students from overseas who were quarantined for 14 days at one of the local hotels tested positive at the end of the quarantine period . But that was from outside the country and well controlled. We seem to have community spread under control at the moment.

premier at this afternoon’s briefing said he hopes the tourism business can reopen by year-end. On the other hand, he also said he hoped borders could reopen in a few months depending on how the rest of the world is doing.

we’re wrestling with whether to stay here for the duration or try to jump on a repatriation flight to the US that might be arranged over the next couple of weeks. Seems safer here at the moment.

 

[BrackaFish]

4 of about 100 returning students from overseas who were quarantined for 14 days at one of the local hotels tested positive at the end of the quarantine period . But that was from outside the country and well controlled. We seem to have community spread under control at the moment.

premier at this afternoon’s briefing said he hopes the tourism business can reopen by year-end. On the other hand, he also said he hoped borders could reopen in a few months depending on how the rest of the world is doing.

we’re wrestling with whether to stay here for the duration or try to jump on a repatriation flight to the US that might be arranged over the next couple of weeks. Seems safer here at the moment.

Tend to agree with you that here is safer than most places in US. Today the Premier said borders may stay close until May 30. I am not sure I want to hang around here without being able to dive plus being away from family for that long. Mmm choices