COMING AND GOING
After the Rains

Sunday, July 9, 2006

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WATER, WATER EVERYWHERE
After the Rains

If you're planning a trip in coming days that involves water sports in lakes or rivers along the Eastern Seaboard, check conditions before you go. The heavy rains of recent weeks may have spoiled your plans, or at least will require special caution.

The rains have swept everything from shopping carts to major appliances into rivers and streams, said Sgt. Ken Turner of the Maryland Natural Resources Police, and any of these items "can easily injure or trap a person."

Virginia's Department of Game and Inland Fisheries warns that debris has caused dangerous conditions requiring boaters and fishermen to take "extra caution" for "the next couple weeks."

Paddlers in canoes, kayaks and rafts should make sure that flooding hasn't created swifter waters than they can handle , even in rivers they think they know. Conversely, those looking for a whitewater thrill should check conditions before leaving home to make sure the whitewater hasn't disappeared . (Ironically, flooding can create whitewater, but can also eliminate it, making water levels so high that rocks that normally stir up the water are thoroughly submerged.)

Some jurisdictions require special high-water permits when water levels reach a given point. And one more thing to worry about: Flooding has caused sewage spills that can end up closing your favorite lake's swimming area long after the sun has returned, so call ahead.

State parks and state agencies that protect natural resources generally issue alerts about hazardous conditions or closings. In Maryland, get information at the Web site for the Department of Natural Resources, http://www.dnr.state.md.us. In Virginia, find alerts from the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries at http://www.dgif.virginia.gov.

HEALTH WATCH
Malaria Warning

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is temporarily recommending that visitors to the Bahamas' Great Exuma Island take anti-malarial medication.

Fifteen locals and one American have been diagnosed with the potentially fatal disease since the first case was reported last month. The Bahamian government has responded with intense surveillance and mosquito control measures. No other Bahamian island has reported any cases.

There is no risk of malaria on other islands in the Caribbean except for Haiti, where it is widespread, and in limited areas of the Dominican Republic, where just several cases have been reported in tourist areas since 2004.

Details: http://www.cdc.gov/travel.

AROUND THE WORLD
New World Wonders

Of the seven wonders of the ancient world, only one -- the Pyramids of Giza -- remains. Now you can vote on which of 21 nominees should win the unofficial title of the New Seven Wonders of the World.

Most of the new Seven Wonders nominees are either old or ancient. They include the ruins of ancient civilizations, like Machu Picchu and Angkor, the Great Wall of China and the Pyramids of Giza, and mysterious sites, like Easter Island and Stonehenge. The four most modern candidates -- the Statue of Liberty, the Eiffel Tower, the Kremlin and the Sydney Opera House -- seem to CoGo like weak contenders.

The contest is sponsored by the New Seven Wonders Foundation, which was created in 2001 by Swiss adventurer Bernard Weber. Weber and members of his foundation hope that the contest will focus attention on these international treasures and thus increase the odds that they are preserved for future generations.

You can vote at http://www.new7wonders.com/ . Even if you don't vote, seeing the nominees might help you make a travel wish list.

BARGAIN OF THE WEEK
Thai Tack

Cathay Pacific's "Deal of the Month" is a round-trip fare of $844 (plus $62 taxes) from New York to Bangkok. Deadline to purchase is by July 31 (or until sold out). Travel Sept. 1-Nov. 6. From New York, the fare on other airlines starts at $1,332 round trip; from Washington, the fare usually starts at $1,559. Purchase at www.cathay-usa.com/dotm.

Reporting: Cindy Loose.

Help feed CoGo. Send travel news, road reports and juicy tattles to: cogo@washpost.com. By fax: 202-912-3609. By mail: CoGo, Washington Post Travel Section, 1150 15th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20071.

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