COVID19 Wilderness Quarantine

In these crazy days, one thing is sure, the gator going by ain't gonna give you COVID19, and you're not going to give it to the blue Heron!

So the time is right to get into your boat, boots or bike and get out into the open! Besides, it's good to stretch and exercise your lungs to get them strong for the potential fight ahead!

Let's enjoy the outdoors, alone or in small groups preferably, before it gets hot. If nothing else, it can help with the sanity and the stircraziness that comes from shutting down our usual routines.

Get out and let the rest of us know what you did!

For me the idea for this post came during a 10 mile predawn bike ride where i didn't come in contact with a single potential contaminating source!

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Permalink Reply by yakmaster on March 17, 2020 at 9:15am

VC's are closed, but the gates are open!!!

Get out there!!

National Parks and Preserve Remain Open, Visitor Facilities and Programs Closing

Homestead, Fla. – The four National Park Service (NPS) sites in South Florida—Everglades, Biscayne, and Dry Tortugas National Parks and Big Cypress National Preserve—remain open at this time. However, in order to protect our visitors and employees and minimize transmission of the coronavirus (COVID-19), all visitor contact stations, including visitor centers, will be closed starting Mar. 17 until further notice. Visitor activities, including ranger-led programs and guided tours and activities operated by our concession and partners are also suspended until further notice. The Long Pine Key and Flamingo campgrounds in Everglades National Park will also be closing.

The NPS is focused on ensuring our visitors, employees, volunteers, and partners are safe by following the most current guidance and data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), state and local public health authorities, and the Department of Interior’s Office of Emergency Management. U.S. Public Health Service officers assigned to the NPS are closely monitoring the situation and keeping staff informed. Updates about NPS park and facility closures will be posted on www.nps.gov/coronavirus

Restrooms remain open at this time and NPS and concession staff are working to maintain clean and healthy facilities in accordance with CDC guidance.

While our NPS sites provide great opportunities for outdoor recreation, we encourage all visitors to follow CDC guidance to help reduce the spread of COVID-19. These measures include following routine precautions like washing your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds; not touching your eyes, nose, and mouth; covering your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze; and most importantly, staying home if you feel sick.

For more information and updates about the South Florida NPS sites, visit our websites. Links to our social media can also be found on the websites.

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Permalink Reply by Flex Kayakfari.com on March 17, 2020 at 11:01pm

Many good paddlers already practice social distancing and self-quarantining as part of their regular healthy exercise program.

Safety first starts with the Safety Sombrero v2.0 along with a proper fitting face mask.

Also, I am testing this beverage as a new homeopathic method to prevent the Corona virus from replicating ..

Be Safe, Paddle Well and with Intention!

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/thematic/lets-take-a-ranger-led-pou...

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Permalink Reply by yakmaster on March 18, 2020 at 9:05am

Like the Hat!

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Permalink Reply by Flex Kayakfari.com on March 23, 2020 at 10:59am

With all the water access closures and restrictions, I had to get creative to find new places to kayak!

Kayaking the 2020 Covid-19 Pandemic Worldwide Shutdown and Lockout.

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Permalink Reply by yakmaster on March 23, 2020 at 11:25am

Looking Sweet!

Is that the roof at Shark Valley?

BTW, update on the COVID wilderness quarantine...

National Parks now closed! So no quarantine in the park, but if you like to get on a bike, the aerojet is still out there...nice way to spend a few hours

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Permalink Reply by yakmaster on March 23, 2020 at 2:37pm

OK, just realized that the background, while sawgrass colored, is not sawgrass...it's the neighbor's roof.

The science projects i thought i saw in teh grass are actually roof vents!

Dang this COVID lockdown is getting to my brain!

I see the wilderness everywhere...except around me!

yakmaster said:

Looking Sweet!

Is that the roof at Shark Valley?

BTW, update on the COVID wilderness quarantine...

National Parks now closed! So no quarantine in the park, but if you like to get on a bike, the aerojet is still out there...nice way to spend a few hours

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Permalink Reply by Flex Kayakfari.com on March 24, 2020 at 1:12pm

I sure would like some of what you're having! ;)

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Permalink Reply by yakmaster on May 14, 2020 at 9:37am

The gate is open and now you can do stuff!!!

Everglades National Park increases recreational access to Homestead entrance

Homestead, Fla. – Following guidance from the White House, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and state and local public health authorities, Everglades National Park is increasing recreational access. The National Park Service (NPS) is working servicewide with federal, state, and local public health authorities to closely monitor the COVID-19 pandemic and using a phased approach to increase access on a park-by-park basis.
Beginning May 14, Everglades National Park will reopen access to:
• Royal Palm, including the Anhinga Trail
• Research Road
• Long Pine Key picnic area and trails
• West Lake
• Guy Bradley Trail and Flamingo Day Use Area
• Coastal Prairie Trail
• Canoe, kayak and skiff rentals at Flamingo
In addition, entry fees are waived, and the following spaces continue to be available:
• Main Park Road from the Homestead entrance to Flamingo
• External restrooms at the Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center
• Flamingo Marina and boat launch ramps
• Flamingo Marina Store, restrooms, and gas pumps
• Flamingo Fish Cleaning Station and restroom
• East Everglades, accessible by SW 168th St. (9 a.m. - 5 p.m.)
• Marine waters of Everglades National Park
• Beach campsites in wilderness
With public health in mind, the following facilities remain closed at this time:
• All visitor centers
• Shark Valley
• Gulf Coast
• Nike Missile Historic Site
• Long Pine Key and Flamingo campgrounds
• Concession tours and houseboat rentals
• Wilderness campsites (ground sites and chickees)
“We recognize that recreating outdoors on our public lands is important to our community,” said Superintendent Pedro Ramos. “Acknowledging that our visitors are following public health guidance, we are expanding recreational access just a little more, while keeping health and safety a priority.”
The health and safety of our visitors, employees, volunteers, and partners continues to be paramount. At Everglades National Park, our operational approach will be to examine each facility function and service provided to ensure those operations comply with current public health guidance and will be regularly monitored. We continue to work closely with the NPS Office of Public Health using CDC guidance to ensure public and workspaces are safe and clean for visitors, employees, partners, and volunteers.
While these areas are accessible for visitors to enjoy, a return to full operations will continue to be phased and services may be limited. When recreating, the public should follow local area health orders, including the regulations listed in the Miami-Dade County Emergency Order 21-20 for marinas, boat ramps, fish cleaning stations, and fishing piers. In addition, visitors should practice Leave No Trace principles, avoid crowding and avoid high-risk outdoor activities.
The CDC has offered guidance to help people recreating in parks and open spaces prevent the spread of infectious diseases. We will continue to monitor all park functions to ensure that visitors adhere to CDC guidance for mitigating risks associated with the transmission of COVID-19, and take any additional steps necessary to protect public health.
Details and updates on park operations will continue to be posted on our website and social media channels. Updates about NPS operations will be posted on www.nps.gov/coronavirus.