Passenger Covid Protocol

DORCHESTER SKIPJACK COMMITTE COVID PROTOCOL  3/24/2022

The Dorchester Skipjack Committee (known as the DSC), who owns and operates the skipjack Nathan of Dorchester, is committed to providing an environment as safe as possible for passengers and volunteers. The Nathan of Dorchester will operate within the COVID-19 guidelines of the CDC and the State of Maryland. Local levels of transmission and prevalence will be monitored and used to update best practices.

All volunteers are encouraged to be up to date on vaccine recommendations for their personal conditions. They are also encouraged to be transparent regarding symptoms that could be related to active COVID infection and refrain from participating in activities that could cause exposure to others.

The Dorchester Skipjack Committee will encourage appropriate social distancing among non-related travel groups. Masking is currently optional for outdoor activities. Hand hygiene practices are encouraged while aiding in passenger embarkment/disembarkment as well as other activities during the sailing and dredging trip.

The following steps will be maintained as guidelines while:

1)Reservations: All passengers will be listed individually on the passenger roster. Those traveling together should identify themselves. Maximum passenger limits per trip may be adjusted based on community levels and trends in the disease, if necessary.

2) Screening: To ensure safety of crew and passengers, general wellness question may be asked during the check in process at Long Wharf. We encourage those traveling together to sit together to better enjoy the trip.

3)Passenger embarking and disembarking process: Passengers will be loaded by group and provided direction to appropriate seating once on board. Every passenger will be offered hand sanitizer prior to boarding. Red shirt crew will hand sanitize between interactions with “travel groups” during those processes.

Crew members and docents will use hand sanitizer prior to approaching families/children to apply PFDs which have been sanitized.

Expected seating is: forward starboard cabin, starboard and port deck box, and engine compartment cover.

Passenger safety announcements will include reminders of social distancing from red shirt crew and other passengers, as possible, and availability of sanitizing stations.

4) Vaccination: The Dorchester Skipjack Committee highly recommends all age eligible passengers be vaccinated.

It is understood that despite all precautions, transmission of COVID-19 is unlikely but still possible. The Dorchester Skipjack Committee will take reasonable precautions but is not responsible if a passenger acquired this virus secondary to on-board exposure