‘The day begins to break, and night is fled,
William Shakespeare; Henry VI, Part I (1589)
Whose pitchy mantle over-veil’d the earth.’
Shakespeare put it mellifluously, albeit under different circumstances: there is light at the end of the Covid-19 tunnel, and the veil is lifting. Slowly the beleaguered human race is gaining the upper hand over the pandemic, and ‘the pitchy mantle’ of disease is being beaten back. This week Waterfront Charters were very happy to announce that cruises were going to be resumed on Sunday the 16th of August, and frankly, it’s about time. We have noted that other forms of transport have been allowed to operate, and there is no doubt that the safety interventions we will put in place on our boats far exceed those of the fully-loaded taxis that ply the roads. We do appreciate that getting to work is a fundamental right, but we also believe that every person has that right to work, and this includes the hundreds of thousands in the tourist industry. Apart from that, all work and no play makes for a very stressed society; it’s time for South Africans to be allowed the freedom to relax again, to enjoy the wide-open Atlantic Ocean, and its magnificent views of Cape Town. What better antidote to lockdown frustrations?
With the resumption of our cruises comes the ability to charter any (or all) of our range of vessels. It bears repeating that this is the perfect way to host a gathering of any nature: whether it is a business that is getting its sales back on track, two people sharing their wedding reception with family and friends, an overdue birthday party or any excuse for a celebration – what better venue than a luxury catamaran cruising on the gentle swells in the deliciously healthy ocean air? Away from random passers-by, free from extraneous noise and the detritus of landlocked life – it’s the life on the ocean waves, and surrounded by your special guests you’ll be safe, relaxed, and pampered by our crew. Waterfront Charters have made it even easier to book your chartered cruise by putting a special offer in place: book online before the end of September to take your cruise any time before the end of November and we’ll give you a full 30% discount on the normal charter rate. That’s thirty percent, nearly a third, or in technical terms: a lot, a huge saving, an unbeatable bargain. You’ve got a full three and a half months to take advantage of this offer, but don’t forget that there are lots of other frustrated South Africans looking for incredible cruise adventures; book early to make sure you get your chosen date and vessel.
The V&A Waterfront has put protocols in place as well; although the flow of guests is understandably reduced, the management has still ensured that visitors are well protected from the ongoing (if reduced) Covid-19 threat. This ensures that when you book for a Waterfront Charters cruise you are covered from a safety aspect from the time you leave your vehicle to the time you return. There is no cutting of corners or ignoring of critical aspects of ‘flattening the curve’; the sooner this time of viral infection is over, the better for us all.
Whether it is a chartered cruise or one of our scheduled regular trips, we know you will abide by the measures we put in place. At the time of writing we are still not sure whether alcohol restrictions are going to be loosened; we will stick to governmental regulations as well as sensible precautions (and you can read into that sentence what you will.)
Spring and summer will be upon us shortly. At Waterfront Charters we cannot wait to see a full resumption of activities, a return to normality. It’s been a very, very strange year, but one thing you can be sure of: it will pass. There is no ‘new normal’; humans have been through far worse experiences than the current pandemic, and have always come out stronger, hopefully, wiser, and ready to take on life. We look forward to celebrating with all our guests, old and new, local and international, before the end of 2020.
Here’s to health and happiness and the freedom to enjoy both!
