Rowers are 'chomping at the bit' to get back on the water.
By NANETTE LoBIONDO GALLOWAY
VENTNOR The city is relaxing restrictions on surfing and rowing, effective Wednesday, May 13. According to City Administrator Maria Mento, surfing and paddleboarding will be allowed, but surfers may not gather in groups and must change into their wetsuits in an area away from the beach and boardwalk.
Singles rowing and kayaking will also be permitted. However, doubles, quads and eight-boats must stay on the racks in the Doc Holland boathouse until further notice.
Viking Rowing Foundation President Larry Connell said there would be minimal activity allowed at the boathouse and members are required to abide by social distancing regulations.
We will minimize congregating and we agreed not to accept any new members at this time, he said.
The foundation's self-imposed guidelines include banning the use of ergs and weights until further notice.
Connell said foundation board members have been meeting with Commissioner of Public Safety Tim Kriebel, who is a member, to develop safety protocols.
But members are chomping at the bit to get out on the water, Connell said.
The club hopes to return to normal activities as soon as the governor and city allow it, he said.
The Ventnor Recreation Board is planning a Zoom meeting 6:30 p.m. Tuesday evening to discuss ways to make other recreational programs and sports safe enough to play amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Recreation Director Jerry Thomas said the city has installed new lighting at the volleyball court and restriped and painted the tennis courts.
Everything looks real good, if only we can open up, he said. But we want to be prepared to do it safely.
He said opening additional sports, such as tennis, which is normally open by Memorial Day, volleyball and summer camps will come in waves.
He said board members are discussing spacing, creating entrances and exit points and ways to keep people as separate as possible.
It's going to have to change from the way things used to be with people hanging out while they are waiting to play, he said.
Thomas said recreation will be ready whenever the commissioners agree to open the next sport.
Kriebel said he feels the stress of being one of the city's decision makers, and would like to be one of the first to get out on a scull.
I'll have to row alone. I don't think I have too many friends left, he said jokingly.
Kriebel said the city waited to see how the public reacted to the opening of the beach for limited physical activity this past weekend before deciding on relaxing additional sports.
We didn't see any harm in opening these singular activities on a limited basis as long as social distancing is followed, he said. But we are doing this on the backdrop of six more COVID-19 cases in Ventnor. There are a number of people being quarantined after contact tracing, so it is not behind us by any means. It's just a small step to normalcy.
He is hoping the public cooperates with the regulations to avoid the potential for a backslide.
Kriebel said the new regulations are meant to support the local community and he still discourages people from traveling to Ventnor.
We're still supposed to stay home to keep the curve as flat as possible. It's up to the health professionals to come up with the treatments and vaccines. We're just not there yet, he said.
The city is still not allowing rentals shorter than 21 days, but monthly and seasonal rentals are permitted.
That's more like the shore used to be when people would rent a place for the whole summer, he said.
Kriebel said the commissioners would continue with their week-to-week planning reviews. As commissioner of public safety, he meets every Thursday with Mento and Police Chief Douglas Biagi to talk about what has changed during the week and how the city can respond.
No promises, he said. "The situation is fluid."
Rowing and Surfing May 13 letter
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