social distancing at jarrell cove
Date: March 16, 2020
Time Start: 11:50 a.m.
Time Finish: 2:20 p.m.
Cruise From: Swantown Marina, Olympia
Cruise To: Jarrrell Cove
Engine Hours Start: 1150
Engine Hours Finish: 1152
Weather/sea conditions: Cold, clear, sunny morning warming to upper 50's, beautiful March day!
The novel Corona virus, known as COVID-19, has turned the world into something we have never experienced, and people are "social distancing" as a way to prevent spread of this deadly disease. What better place to do that than on our boat! Clear blue skies, plenty of sunshine, and spectacular snow covered mountains highlight our cruise today.
Time Start: 11:50 a.m.
Time Finish: 2:20 p.m.
Cruise From: Swantown Marina, Olympia
Cruise To: Jarrrell Cove
Engine Hours Start: 1150
Engine Hours Finish: 1152
Weather/sea conditions: Cold, clear, sunny morning warming to upper 50's, beautiful March day!
The novel Corona virus, known as COVID-19, has turned the world into something we have never experienced, and people are "social distancing" as a way to prevent spread of this deadly disease. What better place to do that than on our boat! Clear blue skies, plenty of sunshine, and spectacular snow covered mountains highlight our cruise today.
We turn into Jarrell Cove and settle North Star into a spot beside the long inner dock. Four sailboats are already here, and we enjoy some "social distancing" chats with crew members. George, Connie, and Greg and Allison are all retired teachers from Shelton. We all share a mutual friend, as well as many interests, and enjoy talking with all of them as we bask in the sunshine on this lovely day.
Boat cleaning begins to rid NORTH STAR of her winter collection of grunge. It isn't a job for just an hour or so, we will have lots of detailing and cleaning and waxing of the hull ahead of us! This is just the start to get our pride and joy looking spiffy again.
It's too nice not to hop in the dinghy for a row. A seal pup follows the dinghy, popping up continually to check things out. Like any toddler, it seems full of curiosity and is a fun playmate! Maybe the gray hull of our dinghy looks like a giant mother seal to it!
It's too nice not to hop in the dinghy for a row. A seal pup follows the dinghy, popping up continually to check things out. Like any toddler, it seems full of curiosity and is a fun playmate! Maybe the gray hull of our dinghy looks like a giant mother seal to it!
I text with our daughter, she and our granddaughter both have pneumonia and are under home care. Is it the COVID-19 virus? They have been ill for over two weeks, but no tests have been available to see if they have this dreadful disease. All of our grandchildren are home now, with classes canceled for the remainder of the year. Learning will take place online. Sad times, challenging times.
As the sun finally sets, the cormorants return once again to Jarrell Cove for their night of rest in the trees. This event still leaves us in awe when it happens.
As the sun finally sets, the cormorants return once again to Jarrell Cove for their night of rest in the trees. This event still leaves us in awe when it happens.
Date: March 17, 2020
Jarrell Cove Layover Day
Weather: 28 degrees at 8 a.m., Brr! Sunny, clear, warming to 56 degrees
Morning is chilly when we first get up, 28 degrees, with the sun rising over the cove and a low mist hanging over flat calm water. All of our sailboat companions leave, and the dock and state park grounds become a place of isolation for just us for the duration of our stay. Pretty wonderful social distancing!
We are off for a walk, first in the park to the short dock where park vessels moor. From there we walk the road to the head of the cove. Along the way, we enjoy some holiday decor on a local mailbox. Yes, today is St. Patrick's Day, and we are certainly surrounded by the color green!
Jarrell Cove Layover Day
Weather: 28 degrees at 8 a.m., Brr! Sunny, clear, warming to 56 degrees
Morning is chilly when we first get up, 28 degrees, with the sun rising over the cove and a low mist hanging over flat calm water. All of our sailboat companions leave, and the dock and state park grounds become a place of isolation for just us for the duration of our stay. Pretty wonderful social distancing!
We are off for a walk, first in the park to the short dock where park vessels moor. From there we walk the road to the head of the cove. Along the way, we enjoy some holiday decor on a local mailbox. Yes, today is St. Patrick's Day, and we are certainly surrounded by the color green!
A woodpecker noisily attacks a fir tree, and we see plenty of evidence of action by these birds, many snag trunks are riddled with holes. Other tree trunks host thick coverings of moss or act as hosts to epiphytic ferns. We tuck into the woods on the trail that leads from the road back into the park.
Back on NORTH STAR, we check our email messages. Social media is filled with talk about the virus. We are so glad to be in this peaceful spot for now.
The park has a good number of mooring buoys scattered in the cove. Today, empty of boats, they are pretty well filled with cormorants. We see them resting not only on the buoys, but on docks as well. They are so social, there is no viral-induced distancing for them!
The park has a good number of mooring buoys scattered in the cove. Today, empty of boats, they are pretty well filled with cormorants. We see them resting not only on the buoys, but on docks as well. They are so social, there is no viral-induced distancing for them!
After more exterior cleaning, NORTH STAR is looking better and better, losing that coat of winter grime.
And then it is rowing time. We take turns, and the seal pup is back to play with us. It loves to follow the dinghy and pop up for some eye contact with us. Pretty sweet!
And then it is rowing time. We take turns, and the seal pup is back to play with us. It loves to follow the dinghy and pop up for some eye contact with us. Pretty sweet!
Right on schedule, the cormorants fly in from every direction for their nightly siesta, and a beautiful day of social distancing fades into the darkness of night.
Date: March 18, 2020
Time Start: 1:20 p.m.
Time Finish: 4:20 p.m.
Cruise From: Jarrell Cove
Cruise To: Swantown Marina, Olympia
Engine Hours Start: 1152
Engine Hours Finish: 1155
Weather/sea conditions: A freezing, frosty morning, then mid 50's and nice
Frost is on the dock and covering the deck surfaces of NORTH STAR this morning. Mist hangs in the cove until the sun warms things up. It is an oatmeal morning, maybe some hot cocoa, too! We have time to row and walk before leaving our beautiful spot. Only time will tell when we will be able to come again, and we savor our final moments here. Buy the time we leave, the skies are blue and sun glasses are needed for the cruise home.
Date: March 18, 2020
Time Start: 1:20 p.m.
Time Finish: 4:20 p.m.
Cruise From: Jarrell Cove
Cruise To: Swantown Marina, Olympia
Engine Hours Start: 1152
Engine Hours Finish: 1155
Weather/sea conditions: A freezing, frosty morning, then mid 50's and nice
Frost is on the dock and covering the deck surfaces of NORTH STAR this morning. Mist hangs in the cove until the sun warms things up. It is an oatmeal morning, maybe some hot cocoa, too! We have time to row and walk before leaving our beautiful spot. Only time will tell when we will be able to come again, and we savor our final moments here. Buy the time we leave, the skies are blue and sun glasses are needed for the cruise home.
Follow up: We are into April as I post this, and COVID-19 is a pandemic spread around the world. Everyone is sheltering in place. Where we live, about the only places we can go are to the grocery store, pharmacy, medical facilities - places that are essential to our lives. Streets are empty as businesses and schools are closed. Parks are off limits. In our marina, the launch ramp is closed as are the offices, and restrooms are restricted to marina tenants. Park facilities including docks and buoys are closed. The list goes on and on.
On the bright side, all of this distancing seems to be helping. We all want to stay healthy, and the more we distance from one another, the more we keep the virus from spreading. Hand washing, over and over again, hand sanitizers, wipes and face masks have all become the new norm. It all seems so surreal.
Our hats are off to our factory support crew at Ranger Tugs and Cutwater boats. Unable to work right now, this amazing team has put together a weekly educational webinar for any of us who wish to watch. Every Thursday morning, we can all look forward to the next installment of "As the Prop Turns". Team members cover in depth topics such as our electrical systems, the Garmin chart plotters, etc. These guys are the greatest, BIG THANKS to them!!!
Keep distancing, stay healthy . . . looking forward to the day when we all cross wakes once again.
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On the bright side, all of this distancing seems to be helping. We all want to stay healthy, and the more we distance from one another, the more we keep the virus from spreading. Hand washing, over and over again, hand sanitizers, wipes and face masks have all become the new norm. It all seems so surreal.
Our hats are off to our factory support crew at Ranger Tugs and Cutwater boats. Unable to work right now, this amazing team has put together a weekly educational webinar for any of us who wish to watch. Every Thursday morning, we can all look forward to the next installment of "As the Prop Turns". Team members cover in depth topics such as our electrical systems, the Garmin chart plotters, etc. These guys are the greatest, BIG THANKS to them!!!
Keep distancing, stay healthy . . . looking forward to the day when we all cross wakes once again.
Return to Boat Days Index
Leave Questions or Comments
Continue to Next Entry