Aleria's Adventures

This article was originally written and published by me on the Ocean Cruising Club website. I am posting here as well just to keep from losing it.  Main Photo (c) Caroline Dobbs. The vessels departing from Antigua (left to right)   Nebula, Fathom   and   Balou , all UK registered and heading home. Pandemic in Paradise  Daria Blackwell  |    27/05/2020 As reports of Covid-19 outbreaks began to circulate, the OCC was monitoring the situation in the Atlantic, Caribbean, and IndoPacific regions. What could we do to assist stranded cruisers? Reports from China of a highly contagious novel coronavirus began circulating in January. But China was far away from most places in paradise. At first, tourism remained active and cruisers went about their business blissfully unaware of the mounting threat of a pandemic. As tourists flying in from severely affected European nations began to show signs of infection and coronavirus began to spread...

Okay. I think I have it figured out now. Here's a good, practical summary that should clear up all of the ambiguity and rampant confusion about the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, and Covid-19. The Rules (at least according to me in the Republic of Ireland): 1. Basically, if you're 70 or older you can't leave the house for any reason; but if you get sick, then you can. This is called cocooning. Wash your hands. 2. Under 70, you can only travel 2 km from home except if you need groceries or medicines or are caring for someone over 70, then you can travel as far as you need to. Wash your hands. 3. Stores are closed, except those that are open. 4. Morning hours in stores are reserved for older people, except you can't buy booze then so you have to go later or suffer. There is no shortage of groceries in the supermarkets, but there are things missing when you go there, but not in the morning. Sometimes. How old is older? 5. Masks are useless, but all healt...

I started writing this about a month ago. My how the world has changed since then. Racing is cancelled. Community frostbiting is stopped. Yachting facilities are closed. Cruisers are turned back or denied entry. https://www.noonsite.com/news/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov-special-procedures-being-introduced-in-ports-of-entry-worldwide/ Sailing programs are cancelled. https://www.communityboating.com/covid-19-update/ Others are stocking up in case they have to spend quarantine time at sea or at anchor. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpsd2eIYuRw Youth summer sailing program registrations are going forward but who knows when this pandemic will enable 'normal' life to continue, if ever. https://www.ussailing.org/news/coronavirus-information/ Cruise ships continue sailing from port to port after being denied docking permission. https://www.guelphtoday.com/around-ontario/covid-19-canada-watching-70-cruise-ships-still-sailing-with-4000-canadians-on-board-2184664 N...

RUMINATING IN THE WEST OF IRELAND DURING THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC The 2 km zone we are permitted to wander Just a very long month ago, the first cases of a novel Coronavirus began trickling into Ireland. China had experienced a severe outbreak beginning in January, and by February it had spread into several countries including Italy in the midst of ski season. Kids on holidays brought it back home while neighbours of China also had outbreaks. Having had several scares before, the Far Eastern nations reacted swiftly and decisively. The Europeans didn't, and Trump called it a Democratic hoax to divert attention from the US elections. Now the entire world -- 200 countries and several cruise ships -- is in the midst of a pandemic. Hitting a million confirmed cases and thousands of deaths today. As borders closed around the world, I was working on behalf of members of the Ocean Cruising Club (OCC) to assist members getting stuck in places insurance wouldn't let them be duri...

Editor's Note: I wrote this for the OCC AWE Facebook Group. I am posting it here in case it helps others in need.  Welcome to the AWE Group! If you’ve joined this group, then you share with your fellow members several unfortunate circumstances. Chances are, you are stuck somewhere you didn’t plan to be and are evaluating what to do next to stay a step ahead of the repercussions of the Covid-19 pandemic. The OCC has been working with Noonsite to gather information from our helpful Port Officers around the world and make the information available to cruisers in one central location. Noonsite’s listing of Port Restrictions is the most complete and up-to-date information available. If you see something that needs updating, please send it to Sue Richards at Noonsite@noonsite.com . The OCC has also petitioned World Sailing to represent cruisers in countries where draconian measures are being put into place that endanger cruisers’ safety, and we have encouraged other organisa...