Jellyfish advisory
During a spike in Covid-19 cases, the isolation of a beach trip becomes even more attractive. But a Beaconite will pass along a Virgin Islands Search and Rescue advisory that jellyfish are moving through the area, including possible moon jellyfish at some Virgin Gorda beaches. Having a jug of vinegar in the car to help treat stings is a useful bit of kit, but the best insurance is always having a buddy while out on the water. VISAR offered a reminder that a lifeguard is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Smugglers Cove, but it said there is no lifeguard on duty at Josiahs Bay. Stay safe and have fun!
Buried history
A Beaconite was saddened to learn of the hundreds of unmarked graves of indigenous children found in Canada at a Catholic boarding school. There have been two such discoveries in less than a month, shining light on an abusive and violent chapter of Canada’s history. Hundreds of thousands of Native American, Metis and Inuit children were forced to these schools up until the 1990s. The discovery reminds the reporter of the bones found on a Tortola beach shortly after Hurricane Irma. Those too were unmarked, and their status hasn’t been fully disclosed in recent years. Canada has taken some measures of reparations. The reporter wonders if the same could happen here in the Virgin Islands.
Not a fraud
Several times in the Covid-19 era, there’s been a strange clamouring to release private medical information of people who tested positive. In the past, names have been leaked via social media, presumably from medical professionals who should know better. Now with the most recent outbreak, a Beaconite is hearing social media commentators demanding the identities be released to prove the outbreak isn’t a “fraud.” She would like to point out that this would be an egregious violation of patient privacy, and medical professionals can lose their jobs — or even face criminal penalties — for revealing that information. It’s also not necessary, given that contact tracers will get in touch with those who have been exposed. The bottom line is that it is nobody else’s business, especially in a small community where the social stigma can be high. She wishes people would stop bringing it up.
Anegada trip
On Sunday, a Beaconite ferried over to Anegada for a day-long reporting trip. After spending so much time covering the Commission of Inquiry, which necessitates long days of watching YouTube videos and listening to hours of recordings, the Beaconite was happy for some good old-fashioned, boots-on-the-ground reporting. Zipping around on his rented scooter, his first stop was The Settlement, where he rode carefully along a bumpy dirt path to photograph what is supposed to be an active construction site but currently is a shrubby field void of construction materials of any sort. The scooter wasn’t his only mode of transportation, however. After a quick brunch at Anegada Reef Hotel, the Beaconite hopped aboard a boat bound for Conch Island, conducting an interview over the whir of the boat’s engine. He rounded out his day with a stop at a lesser travelled beachside bar for a couple more interviews before climbing aboard the ferry and dozing off during the smooth trip back to Tortola.