The Chappy golf course, formally known as the Royal and Ancient Chappaquiddick Links, will be the scene of the hallowed Championship Tournament on Saturday, June 4 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Twosomes will compete for the much coveted, though fabled, “Striped Jacket.” Prizes, food, drink, awards and status will be abundant. Sign up on-line at royalchappy.com. Click on The Championship logo. Singles will be paired up.

This is a great opportunity for newcomers to the course to become acquainted with the century-old, one-of-a-kind, steeped-in-tradition nine-hole course on North Neck. It is open to the public 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. seven days a week. Sign up for a tee time online. Stay up to date with announcements at #thechampionship and #chappyroyalty.

Last Thursday, I awoke with a stuffed-up head and a scratchy throat. Friday afternoon, my home test kit branded me Covid positive. I had gotten the full array of vaccines and boosters so I didn’t feel too bad. I was looking forward eagerly to an obligatory five-day stay at home isolation vacation. So many things to do and now time to get started on them.

Then, wouldn’t you know it, Saturday evening I started getting a dull annoying cramp in my side. We had heard that Covid will reawaken old pains from injuries. It made sense. All of my broken ribs had been in that region. By nightfall, we were headed for the emergency room, thinking that this could be the beginning of a quick descent into other serious symptoms of the virus.

What started out as a distracting and concerning ache became a stabbing and overwhelming torment. Thanks to the resident CAT scan machine, a 3mm kidney stone was discovered. Not Covid-related other than that I had gradually become dehydrated from not feeling well. So, my isolation vacation plans went on a temporary pause while the jagged shard of calcium made its intermittent journey through my innards.

I leave you with the following advice. Drink plenty of water, especially if you don’t feel well. Get the vaccines. I was a candidate, by age and underlying medical conditions, for a final lonely hospital stay on a respirator. If not for the darn kidney stone, my bout with Covid was no more troubling than a common cold, thanks to the vaccines.

Good news for you late nighters! The Chappy Ferry summer schedule begins Thursday, May 26. This means that, weather permitting, the ferry runs continuously from 6:30 a.m. to midnight.