Boaters happy to get back out on the water in Maryland as restrictions lifted
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (FOX 5 DC) - Recreational boating is allowed in Maryland again for the first time in more than a month, and Thursday, boaters wasted no time getting back out on the water.
“We’ve been going nuts,” boater Gene Gregory said. It’s a similar story for businesses that depend on boaters too.
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John Norton owns Annapolis Harbor Boat Yard, where they winterize boats, store them, and get them ready to go again for the season. He said things have been chaotic since Governor Larry Hogan’s announcement Wednesday night, so much so, he’s now looking to hire more staff.
“A week ago you wouldn’t see a single boat going out behind us. That’s it, I mean there was nothing out here,” Norton explained. “Today, we’ve probably seen 20 boats since you guys have been here in the last 10 minutes.”
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Although that’s not to say things are totally back to normal. For instance, boaters can only go out with immediate family members or people they live with, boats have to be 10 feet apart, you can’t dock at a restaurant or bar, and there’s a whole list of best practices for marinas to follow too.
Still, for a lot of boaters, like Chris Bent, there’s no better place to be socially distant.
“This is why people buy boats,” he said, “to get away.”
For more information about Maryland’s current boating rules, you can click here.
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