Don’t be this person

With boating banned in the United Kingdom, the English government was the first to remove the restriction, allowing unlimited outdoor activity – including all forms of boating – on May 13 as long as people follow social distancing guidelines.

However, what is giveth can be taketh away, and this headline and story speaks of how that can happen:

Idiot sailor sparks huge rescue operation hours after lockdown was relaxed
Suffolk, England (May 13, 2020) – A ‘foolish’ sailor sparked a huge water rescue when his boat capsized just hours after coronavirus lockdown restrictions were eased. The man, who had gone out alone, fell into Oulton Broad in Suffolk after a gust of wind caught his vessel.

An ambulance, five fire engines and the coastguard were called to the scene at around 11am this morning. The man was pulled from the water by other members of the public. Ben Falat, chairman of the Norfolk and Suffolk Boating Association, made the 999 call after he saw the man in the water.

Falat said the sailor’s actions were “foolish in whatever circumstances, let alone during COVID. He drags the whole community of competent sailors down by doing what he did. His boat was barely seaworthy, let alone to go on the Broad in gusty conditions. When he capsized he lost key equipment from the boat because it wasn’t tied in. He didn’t do a good enough risk assessment for going sailing at any time, let alone in these times.”

Falat said people wanting to sail should be supported for the benefit of their mental and physical health, but he said this must be done in a “sensible manner.”