Med boaters - will you get to your boat this year?

[julians]

I think It's currently looking unlikely that we'll be allowed to go abroad this year without very onerous restrictions like quarantining, expensive testing etc (maybe autumn we might be able to travel) , just wondering what others are thinking?

Even if the UK vaccinate the whole of the UK v quickly, whether we are allowed to travel is probably going to depend on the country you're travelling to, and most of Europe is looking dodgy imo.

What are your expectations?

 

[starfire]

From the other side.

I'm in the med, looking after boats, clients have no idea when they will next see their boats.

Please, if you are unsure, get someone to look after your boat in the interim.

It could get expensive if you don't

 

[Hooligan]

I think we will be boating. My only hesitation is France where there seems a desire to punish the Brits for Brexit and being slightly more efficient re the vax. The simple fact is that many EU countries like Spain, Greece, Italy etc want to and need to see the British tourist. The yanks wont be travelling, the German press is already saying that only the Brits will be on Spanish beaches this summer because of our vax programme, so when push comes to shove I believe that we will be able to boat. My worry is the regime here that seem to want to continue to exercise whatever powers they can to stop people travelling. It is my personal belief that it is totally illegal preventing me from travelling but they can of course do things to make it hard to return without great cost and inconvenience. this may put some people off but I will take my chances personally and as long as the country where my boat is is willing to have me, as they were last year, then i will go. Who knows, it may even be better to just stay until the dictatorship here eases!!!! Of course one has to ask the question as to if we have all had the jab and can not travel either within or out of the UK - as Herr Shapps is suggesting, then why bother with the jab. Certainly the jab would have provided few benefits in terms of safe travel even if entirely safe so to do. So I remain optimistic.

 

[DavidJ]

I’m starting to think that a summer visit to the boat is unlikely (let alone before that)
Even though I’ve had the jab, I’m still not happy about taking a crossing to Spain ( to avoid France) with 24 hrs of recirculating cabin air and chance close contact.
I‘m happier with the Chunnel and driving with one stop over so it all hinges on the French

 

[Hooligan]

I’m starting to think that a summer visit to the boat is unlikely (let alone before that)
Even though I’ve had the jab, I’m still not happy about taking a crossing to Spain ( to avoid France) with 24 hrs of recirculating cabin air and chance close contact.
I‘m happier with the Chunnel and driving with one stop over so it all hinges on the French

Hi David. I have been on planes a lot during the past year - work travel due to what i do - and i think despite perhaps not logical, it is very safe IMO. Certainly the evidence would suggest that there has been very low transmission on planes (I appreciate that there are exceptions and that sadly this is what the press focuses on). The air circulating in the cabin is about as efficient as any place ie air flow is constantly changing, and one can be sensible in airports etc. and everyone observes masks etc. Given you have had the jab I would have thought that any risk of catching the illness, or transiting it, are statistically very low all things factored in. That said, of course it is important that each person feels comfortable and that is their decision so I am not questioning your choice. Certainly I would rather be on a plane than a ferry.

 

[dune16]

I haven't seen my boat since August and since then it's been taken by a crew back to France for repairs and returned back to Spain. As soon as Spain allow UK travellers in (next review March 2nd) I will be going to the boat, to me this is "essential travel" as I have no idea of the state of repairs or how the boat has been left and therefore I am going to secure my property, not just holiday. I am happy to do the Covid test outbound and inbound. I'm just hoping Spain doesn't get added to the "red list" of countries as I don't want to be locked in a hotel for 10 day's, I'd rather do the 10 days at home. If that happens then I guess I'll have to look at options for someone in Spain to check things over for me.

In hindsight I picked a bad time to buy a brand new boat in the Med. It will be 1 year old in March and I've seen it twice

 

[DavidJ]

In hindsight I picked a bad time to buy a brand new boat in the Med. It will be 1 year old in March and I've seen it twice

I really feel for you, at least I can look back at the last 20 years with the boat and discount a couple of COVID years.

 

[dune16]

I really feel for you, at least I can look back at the last 20 years with the boat and discount a couple of COVID years.

Yeh, its a bit rubbish but a minor issue compared to the deaths etc.

 

[MedMilo]

I’m pretty hopeful too. Last year it seemed a bit gloomy and doomy in March / April, but we managed to fly down to Corfu on July 4th (appropriately enough!) and didn’t return to the UK until Oct 1st. We ended up having one of our best ever seasons, covering about 1000 nm around the Ionians and able to enjoy things more than ever, in part thanks to being able to get into restaurants and anchorages more easily that usual! So, fingers crossed for all of us that as our Covid numbers plummet on the back of our incredible vaccine programme (which they’re pretty certain to over the next few weeks), we’ll be welcomed into Europe again this summer!

 

[Moonstruck]

I think it’s far to early to know what is going to happen. Things have improved greatly in the last six weeks thankfully and hopefully a few more weeks of pain will really knock this horrible disease on the head when combined with vaccines. We share a boat in Majorca and didn’t get to it last year but our friends did. Really hoping that we can this summer. I suspect it will be more summer than spring if we can visit but fingers crossed. As previously mentioned I suspect it will be returning to the U.K. that will be difficult as all the “experts” seem to predict international travel seems in the distance at the moment.

 

[markc]

I am holding out hope of getting there this year. We have flights in April but I suspect they will be cancelled, so I'll transfer my optimism to the trip we have planned at the beginning on June. With over 14million jabs given already, I think we'll have seen a drastic fall in number by Easter, opening up the summer. I also think there will be a 'proof of vaccine' or vaccine passport launched in the not too distant future.

 

[TonyR123]

I am hopeful (80%+) to get out to the boat this year. Managed one weekend last year. I think with vaccines and the summer itself helping to reduce transmission. I may well have to pay for a vaccine around May time to get a vaccine passport as I don't think under 50s will get one anytime soon. If I have to isolate when coming back then so be it. I do have my boat regularly cleaned/maintained and have a boat lift booked for early April.

 

[Seastoke]

From the other side.

I'm in the med, looking after boats, clients have no idea when they will next see their boats.

Please, if you are unsure, get someone to look after your boat in the interim.

It could get expensive if you don't

Nice advert.

 

[Portofino]

A working vaccination means you will not get ill and use the local medical services .It does not mean you will not spread it .You could carry a low subclinical dose and act as a a symptomatic spreader .

So hundreds of thousands or millions of vexed up Brits to be accurate descending on a relatively unvaccinated population, particularly if they are more likely vulnerable .......ask yourself if you will be welcome.
Thats the destinations problem .

The UKs problem is when theses swarming hoards return after freely mixing ( arguably maybe spreading it ? ) they may bring back mutant strains .
1- with symptoms because the mutant s by passed the new antibodies. = easily identified
2- a symptomatic , with or without a neg test = introduce the mutant .

Having said this if the swarming hoards descend on a similarly vaccinated population, ie one that’s kept up with U.K. roll out then the risk of the above is neutral .
But and it’s a big “but “Portugal and I guess you can wrap Spain in ......call it Iberia is particularly at risk from the Brazilian strain .

Politically I can not see fine tuning .I mean a ban on Iberia because of the P Brazil link , yet it’s ok to go to Italy , Greece , Adriatic, France.

They could and will use the red list though for Iberia ..........your £2 K hotel Bill on rtn ?

 

[julians]

Yeah, just because all Brits are vaccinated does not mean that Spain France etc will be happy to have you.

But also if Spain France etc are still suffering and are all locked down, everything shut,curfews, stay at home orders, they're not going to let us in, and would you want to go?

 

[julians]

Who knows though, could all change in a couple of months.

I haven't booked any flights yet....

 

[petem]

By the end of April, over 50's in the UK will have had their first vaccine dose and should already benefiting from improved immunity. By the end of may, over 70's and those with severe medical will have had their second doses. By this time, hospitals in the UK should have a fraction of Covid patients that they do today.

Hopefully, Spring and Summer and the ensuing warm weather will see UK case numbers drop to very low numbers as they did last year. Even without this, we have already seen case numbers decline steadily in the last few weeks.

Greece have already said that they expect to welcome vaccinated Brits this summer.

Are Spain really going to see Brits enjoying holidays in Greece whilst they keep their bars and restaurants closed all summer instead of simply asking UK tourists to prove that they have been vaccinated with perhaps a negative Covid test within the preceding 7 days?

 

[Momac]

Hi David. I have been on planes a lot during the past year - work travel due to what i do - and i think despite perhaps not logical, it is very safe IMO. Certainly the evidence would suggest that there has been very low transmission on planes (I appreciate that there are exceptions and that sadly this is what the press focuses on). The air circulating in the cabin is about as efficient as any place ie air flow is constantly changing, and one can be sensible in airports etc. and everyone observes masks etc. Given you have had the jab I would have thought that any risk of catching the illness, or transiting it, are statistically very low all things factored in. That said, of course it is important that each person feels comfortable and that is their decision so I am not questioning your choice. Certainly I would rather be on a plane than a ferry.

It seems most governments disagree with you.

 

[julians]

Are Spain really going to see Brits enjoying holidays in Greece whilst they keep their bars and restaurants closed all summer instead of simply asking UK tourists to prove that they have been vaccinated with perhaps a negative Covid test within the preceding 7 days?

They would if their own population aren't also vaccinated, can't have the Brits having fun in the sun while their own people are locked indoors, or catching covid and dying in large numbers.

 

[Simi]

I read somewhere a couple of weeks ago a Spanish politician said Spain would not allow tourists in until at least the end of September
I can’t think the uk government wants people visiting country’s that are not at a similar stage as us with vaccination I’m sure a lot of what people want to hear on the 22nd will not be happening