Can Boating and Fishing Save Summer?

You may have had to scrap your vacation plans for the summer of 2020, but thank goodness, boating vacations are an excellent alternative. The kid’s summer camp may have been cancelled, but you can still go on an adventurous and awesome boat camping trip. And perhaps the local gym has been closed, but you can still get some great exercise by enjoying some boat yoga out on the water.

The bottom line? A boat (and a fishing pole) is your silver lining when it comes to saving the summer.

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Summer Vacations During the Age of COVID-19

Naturally, boating isn’t the only option for vacations and recreation this summer. It is, however, surely one of the safest and easiest to enjoy. Boating during COVID-19 lets you and your family enjoy some serious down-time whenever you’ like, without being exposed to hordes of people.

Consider it in contrast to taking a road trip to a national park, for example. According to the National Park Service, although demand is high access, services are open on a “park by park basis” and some campgrounds are expected to remain closed while other open on a rolling basis, or with reduced capacity. Use permits are being issued in some places, and not issued in others. Planning a trip will not be easy, and staying away from crowds may be problematic.

According to the latest Longwoods International survey, 69-percent of those planning to travel within the next six months will have to change their plans and 44-percent are expected to cancel travel completely. Airlines have had to shift or cancel flights, hotels are trying to deal with ever-changing restrictions and limitations, and destinations like theme parks and beaches are constantly in question.

Now consider stopping at numerous roadside rest stops filled with other road warriors, on your way to a surprisingly packed beach, campground, or park. On the flip side of the equation, picture yourself and your family anchored out in a secluded cove, cruising across an open bay, or pulled up on a deserted beach. Which options sound best, to you?

Start Planning Your Boating and Fishing Adventure Right Now

The best news is, with a boat at your disposal, these are just a few of the activities you could be enjoying all summer long. Let’s take a quick peek at some of the options:

Instead of camping on dry land in a crowded campground, pick out a more isolated location that can only be reached by water and go on a boat camping trip.
If roughing it isn’t your style and you have a boat like a cabin cruiser, a motor yacht, a trawler, or a sailboat, you can enjoy some leisurely overnight cruising.
If the kids are bummed that summer camp has been cancelled, create one of your own—you can start your own family watersports regime and give them the outdoor recreation and exercise they deserve. Whether it’s wakesurfing, water skiing, kneeboarding, or some other form of watersports, you can bet that this is one summer-saving adventure that the kids can get behind.
Hold your own inter-family fishing tournament, or compete boat-to-boat against some boating friends you know who also enjoy fishing. Whether saltwater fishing is your game or freshwater fishing is more your style, you can turn your addiction into a fun competition that can run all day, all week, or even all summer long.
Use your boat as a platform for learning. Summer camps not only keep the kids busy, but also represent an important learning experience. And there’s no reason they should miss out on the fun learning that takes place at camp. For some ideas on how to bring it back into the mix, see 5 Ways to Bring Learning Onboard for the Kids This Summer.

Considering all of the above, we’re ready to make the call: Yes, boating can indeed save the summer. In fact, it could make the summer of 2020 one of the happiest, healthiest, most adventurous summers you and your family will ever enjoy—because owning a boat or getting a boat club membership is like having an on-demand summer vacation that you can enjoy whenever you want, all summer long.

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