COVID-19 at the Beach

Staying at Home on the Crystal Coast 

Today we face a new challenge, COVID-19 (Coronavirus). While it is a little like watching a distant hurricane head your way, it is different in that there is no escape, not even here in our world of salt, sea, and sand that stretch your imagination.

Last weekend, the Emerald Isle Saint Patrick's Day Festival was cancelled. Late this week Emerald Isle closed the parking areas for its public beach areas. Driving on the beach is also forbidden. Carteret County has also asked visitors to not come to the area. Dare County is blocking non-residents from traveling through the county to the Outer Banks and Ocracoke Island. Wrightsville and some of the other southern beaches have also closed.

Today Carteret County asked hotels and vacation rental companies to not allow new reservations between March 22 and April 6.  My suspicion is that this request will be extended.

Some Crystal Coast area restaurants have closed completely and others are offering take-out service or drive-thru service.  Even Riverside Steak and Seafood is doing takeout service.

This morning I went to Swansboro  to get some allergy medicine. Walgreen's was a ghost town. Gas was down to $1.89 a gallon. The busiest place I saw was a garden center.  Front Street in Swansboro was practically empty.

The grocery hoarding seems to be dying down - toilet paper, hand sanitizer, and paper towels being the remaining exceptions. Publix on the Island had chicken, bread, and eggs. The bread was only store brand and the chicken and eggs were limited to two packages per customer. Publix had the Florida strawberries that I had hoped to find. I have heard the other stores have most items with some limits. We are fortunate that behind our house is a small garden full of lettuce, spinach, broccoli, and onions that will last us for the next six weeks unless the weather gets very hot.

In just a little over a week the atmosphere has changed dramatically.  On Saturday, March 14, a large group of college girls went into Publix just before me.  Today, I saw no sign of spring-break people in the grocery store.

We can only hope this crisis subsides soon. A spring without visitors will hurt but a summer without tourists would be devastating to the Crystal Coast. I am lucky to continue my working from home.  I have done this for most of my professional career. I am also fortunate that our fiber network company can continue to work during this crisis.

I thought it might turn out that the Crystal Coast would be a good place to be during these trying times but we already have five confirmed cases. This rapidly evolving situation has us in almost the same boat as everyone else. Even the advantages of  living on the edge of the continent cannot protect us from COVID-19.

If you are thinking about visiting, wait for a better time. Our stores are just as empty of toilet paper as yours.