Boating is banned in Palm Beach County

Depending on the location, government regulation is seeking to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. While social distancing has been the blanket order, how well people follow that instruction determines the amount of additional draconian measures.

While boating provides the opportunity for a lot of social distance, the authorities in charge of Palm Beach County in Florida were not impressed with the degree of disregard that were witnessing.

So they took the nuclear option, closing all boat ramps and marinas to all recreational boating activities to include boat launching, in/out storage activities, and boat rentals. Aside from licensed commercial fishermen, all other boating was now banned.

“This order is necessary in response to people gathering in large groups on the sandbars, Intracoastal lands and waterways without observing social distancing to prevent community spread of COVID-19,” said the statement.

Stretching from Florida’s Atlantic coast into the state’s rural center, with a population of approximately 1.5 million, it’s the third-most populous county in the state of Florida.

Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office and other law enforcement agencies will be enforcing the closures and monitoring waterways. Current guidelines call for gatherings to be limited to groups of 10 or fewer with social distancing of six feet apart.

If you want to preserve boating in your area, keep your distance and advise others to do the same.

MORE: Rhode Island Governor Gina M. Raimondo signed an order demanding all travelers coming into Rhode Island to self-quarantine for 14 days in hopes to stop the spread of coronavirus. Considering the state is a major hub for the marine industry and boating enthusiasts, this order is going to impact our sport.