First of all, I would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas in the circumstances. This is a very unusual year and one that we all hope will not see the light of day again. Here is hoping for some sort of normality to return sometime soon. We have a full sailing programme planned for the summer which we can’t wait to deliver.
In the meantime the club is now in a Tier 4. Our understanding is that outdoor sport is still allowed but we have taken the view to cancel all organised sailing and racing. Putting us back into where we were in May of just allowing Buddy Sailing with no duty teams allocated. So please only sail on days you think you can manage the conditions without needing any safety boat. By sailing, you are opting in to understanding the risks. Normal buddy rules apply on any day, but please adhere to the government guidelines as they apply to your area.
The clubhouse will be closed with the outside loo the only facility available. However in the case of an emergency, the clubhouse could be opened if a key holder was on site. Please come and go to the club ready changed if you can, or change outside if you travel a distance. It will be time ashore and around the clubhouse where the biggest risk will be.
Tier 4 requires even more vigilance and we take the view that each member must take the responsibility for all you do. Not only for their own protection but for that of fellow members, their family and the wider community. This means that everyone should assume that everything they touch and everyone they meet is infectious and will potentially contaminate them with the virus. Equally, members should also consider that they themselves could be infectious and so minimise their contact with items and people. Remember that 1 in 3 infected people have no symptoms and may not be aware they are infectious. Stay safe and remember Hands, Face and Space.
Please check the website for the changes to the traffic light system and other activities as they change.
Finally, this is a fast moving situation and the guidance may change further in the coming days. The best advice is to stay at home. We all hope the vaccine will arrive soon after which all this will be behind us.
Tim Hore, Commodore