RoRC report on lockdown in New Zealand
by Sarah and Phil Tadd 14 Sep 2020 00:08 UTC
The boatyard is locked down © Sarah and Phil Tadd
We ended our last report by saying that plans are made to be changed; little did we know how everybody's plans would change within a couple of months.
We were at the end of a month's refit in the boatyard extended into five weeks by an engine problem when it was announced that New Zealand would be going into total lockdown. We had two days' notice to prepare ourselves and Serenity for isolation. We were, of course, very lucky to be in a safe country with the necessary essential services still available; the population generally accepted the situation and followed the rules to slow and stop the spread of Coronavirus. Within the boatyard, a WhatsApp group was established for sharing knowledge, advice and assistance and more generally in the area a local lockdown liveaboard Facebook page.
After just five weeks, restrictions started to be eased. We were launched and moved upriver to Whangarei town basin marina to join a new 'bubble' of boats including OCC members Vandy and Eric Schrader on Scoots, Julie and Lee Glenn on Stray Cat and Colin Crips Villiers on Burmese Breeze. Whangarei has a very sociable group of international cruisers with a regular morning net and social activities on offer. A cruisers band, yoga classes, belly dancing class (yes really!) a regular weekly bring and share and so far two large parties. There is also a loose-knit group planning to have a break skiing on South Island. The winter solstice was celebrated with a 'Coming out of Lockdown and Thank you to Whangarei Party' and, of course, with so many Americans here, July the fourth could not be missed. The band played at both events.
Our thoughts go out to those who are not so lucky, whose cruising plans have been seriously altered, those moved on from island to island or who have had to make long passages away from the hurricane areas, those separated from partners due to travel plans being altered and of course those who have suffered with COVID-19. We hope that we can stay in New Zealand now until next year when we will continue with our cruising.
This article has been provided by the courtesy of Ocean Cruising Club.