It's stay at home time—again

WITH virtually the whole country in Tier 4 and thus in lockdown, boating again is at a standstill.

'Stay at Home' is the message from the government, meaning that there can not only be no boat trips but no visits to boats and certainly no overnight stays whilst the lockdown is in force.

Resident boaters have to 'stay at home' on their boats except for emergency purposes, that are now well documented.

14 days rule suspended

As yet there is no advice from Canal & River Trust, but it is obvious that with continuous cruisers being unable to move the '14 days rule' will be suspended and they told to stay-put wherever they are, again leaving their boats only for essential services, in their case this also including pump-outs and obtaining fuel.

No doubt the Trust will again promote its towpaths for exercise and 'wellbeing' over the lockdown period, but as the huge percentage of these cannot allow the two metre distancing that the government demands, once again there is the possibility, especially in view of the more virulent strain of the virus, of people being infected, so they should be closed.  After all, 'Stay at Home' is the message.

At least it is the middle of winter and with the temperature hovering around freezing, there will perhaps not be the demand for cruising either by owners and certainly not by hirers.