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Paul

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Ian,

This is the latest advice for anyone who falls into the extremely vulnerable group, not sure if you class your COPD as severe or normal, but worth a read anyway. I think the government is following up the advice issued today by sending a letter to the 1.5 million people they think fall into the category. It says you should receive a letter by the 29th March if you are considered to be on the extremely vulnerable group.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19

Apart from that there does seem to be a growing backlash / resentment from certain areas of people leaving London and seeking refuge in their second or holiday home. Cornwall, East Lincs and parts of Kent have regularly featured today. The locals are worried about an influx of people potentially bringing the virus and overwhelming the local facilities.

I'm in a similar predicament as you to some degree as I can work from the boat and had wondered about spending more time on the boat. I don't live in London, but Essex. The thing I had considered is the boat fridge is relatively small compared to home which will mean more frequent visits to the supermarket to stock up. In the immediate future the shelves are fairly bare and hopefully once the panic buying calms down that should ease, but it will still mean more frequent visits to the supermarket than if I was at home. Given the message again reinforced today for everyone to stay indoors as much as possible and stay away from crowded places being at home is probably easier.

I'm so used to stocking the fridge with the essentials for a week aboard and eating out every night that the size of the fridge has never presented a problem before.

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similarly, when I go for a break on the broads, I will have food supplies planned for every meal being eaten on board, if i then go out for a meal, or find something nice when moored at a local shop for a treat, it just means the food i brought with me goes home with me. i only take basic stuff, after all a fray bentos pie and a sachet of instant mash with a tin of mixed veg counts as a square meal. bacon will always get used up by the last day, and I can bake my own bread rolls onboard, other than that I would be happy just mudweighted up in the middle of nowhere, just as that would mean peaceful days out on the water.

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I have spent long periods on a boat in my 20s and 30s either cruising between ports or on passage with a goal in sight. 

I have also (usually having spent a winter planning a passage) spent three weeks storm bound in the marina and going out in the car.

But to spent a few weeks at anchor, would give me "Cabin Fever" being alone in the house and not going out in civilisation is going to be hard for me and my itchy feet.

Luckily I can walk straight onto the Paston Way from my home and go for miles across open farmland. Walking can be very therapeutic.

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1022632158_storeslist.thumb.jpeg.7cfd321c4caac549036056a0d228c0a9.jpeg

 

This was the shopping list in Blakes catalogue of 1916. A long time before they had fridges!

Gas fridges first appeared in about 1964 and before then Blakes had an icebox system, where each boat had a cold box, called an ISOKOOL and each Blakes yard (and some shops and pubs) had a freezer full of Blakes plastic ice bottles, about a litre and a half in size. These could be exchanged free of charge, as often as you liked but at least once a day. It worked well!

 

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1 hour ago, grendel said:

similarly, when I go for a break on the broads, I will have food supplies planned for every meal being eaten on board, if i then go out for a meal, or find something nice when moored at a local shop for a treat, it just means the food i brought with me goes home with me. i only take basic stuff, after all a fray bentos pie and a sachet of instant mash with a tin of mixed veg counts as a square meal. bacon will always get used up by the last day, and I can bake my own bread rolls onboard, other than that I would be happy just mudweighted up in the middle of nowhere, just as that would mean peaceful days out on the water.

We are a couple in our 40’s and have a boat booked for 10 days from middle of May and I really don’t know what to do for the best. Apart from going to work we haven’t been out the house for a week and intend to continue to follow the government’s advice. We have been looking forward to our holiday for a long time. If we go we would cook on board for the duration and wouldn’t really have any contact with anyone. For me it would be perfect isolation. Should I change the booking or still go as planned? What are peoples thoughts. I appreciate the decision could be taken out of our hands by May!!

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27 minutes ago, Steve2604 said:

Should I change the booking or still go as planned? What are peoples thoughts. I appreciate the decision could be taken out of our hands by May!!

A really tough decision, the boatyard seem very helpful and you could check whether their option to change the date is good right up to the last minute. More likely the last few days as they have to prepare the boat, but this will give you another month before you have to decide and you can see how the general situation develops.

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I have a week booked in mid may too, from marthams, unless i hear otherwise, i will continue as long as that doesnt contravene any government regulations in force by then, I feel the boatyards are going to need all the support we can give them, i will be raiding my store cupboards for the weeks supplies, having literally just spent an hour sorting through them, discarding anything outside its use by date, but retaining tinned goods that were outside the best before, (but only less than 12 months past as a backup supply and following canadian food bank guidelines, also any tins that were dented or appeared to bulge by any amount, were also discarded.

following these guidelines i have now added an additional 2 week minimum to my reserves.

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I have 25 days holiday a year. I have a 10 day holiday booked in Scotland next year and if I change my Broads holiday to next year aswell that would total 20 days. We have to keep 5 days for a shutdown at Christmas. This would leave me with days left for the year.

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18 minutes ago, Ray said:

A really tough decision, the boatyard seem very helpful and you could check whether their option to change the date is good right up to the last minute. More likely the last few days as they have to prepare the boat, but this will give you another month before you have to decide and you can see how the general situation develops.

Ray is spot on. Find out when you can hold your decision till and then make your choice at that time. Chances are someone or something else could effect that decision by then.

I believe the rivers will be one of the safest places to be as long as you are covid free on arrival.

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22 minutes ago, grendel said:

we will all need our yellow flags to stop others approaching us.

Yellow and black (L) for under quarantine, plain yellow (Q) " my vessel is free from disease and I request free pratique". If no Q flag a knot in the ensign can (used to) have the same meaning. I spent 15 years being first up the gangway in search of a boarding tot. ( wink emoji)

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36 minutes ago, JanetAnne said:

as long as you are covid free on arrival.

There’s the rub, how do you know? You could be harbouring the virus and not have any symptoms yet or you could be a carrier. We are apparently 3 weeks behind Italy where there have now been nearly 5000 deaths. The worry for many seems to be that holidaying elsewhere could mean that you become a drain on stretched local health services should you fall ill. There is no easy answer to this and we all have to do what our consciences tell us. 

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So if there was to be a total lockdown as I have heard there is a good chance then what. I can’t defy government advice. I think it will just sit tight and see what happens over the next 5 or 6 weeks. We didn’t have a holiday last year due to my wife having to have a back operation which is why we are looking forward to it so much. What will be will be I guess.

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2 hours ago, Vaughan said:

I may have been wrong there - I think it was an OSOKOOL. Anyone remember them?

Just for those who have freezers stuffed with food. This will still work in a power cut. :default_biggrin:

image.thumb.jpeg.b7da2dbfc34dc21ce74ec3f49f352cae.jpegimage.thumb.jpeg.8620bfed7d0ce85348d5c7b3c2693446.jpeg

One of these and Blakes stores list and you are well sorted.

Colin :default_beerchug:

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1 hour ago, Steve2604 said:

I have 25 days holiday a year. I have a 10 day holiday booked in Scotland next year and if I change my Broads holiday to next year aswell that would total 20 days. We have to keep 5 days for a shutdown at Christmas. This would leave me with days left for the year.

A tricky decision to make until nearer the time that you have booked I suspect. However now that my team are working from home, and depending on the restrictions in place over the next few months, I can't see many of them taking leave. Our workload is uncertain as we work with schools and don't know yet how the closures will impact that. if we take a leap of faith that we are starting to come out of this in September, then that will be a lot of leave for everyone to cram in before end of December (our leave year goes with the calendar year). I'm hoping that carrying over leave will be allowed and then issues such as yours will be easier to manage.

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