We haven’t posted to our website for quite some time but thought it might be worth jotting down some notes regarding our particular ‘shelter in place’ environment.
We returned To Silver Wings from the Pacific NW in February. This was a totally unexpected delay after Liz was diagnosed with breast cancer. After successful lumpectomy and radiation therapy, she is doing well and nursing her immune system back to health.
Our short cruising season was to focus on local jaunts around the Banderas Bay area before sailing to Mazatlán at the end of May. With the uncertainty due to the Coronavirus situation, we loaded up with provisions and have decided to just live at anchor for the next month or two. We will, no doubt, need to go ashore occasionally for groceries, but not often. We are currently anchored at Punta de Mita with 25-30 other boats. As self sufficient cruisers, we find that we are all pretty used to solitude. We are able to socialize a bit as we paddle board around the fleet. We all are really doing what we normally do. That being said, it is different. We all know that we are dependent on each other in a pinch, but it seems that we all a bit closer as a community of very independent people.
Many of us have plans to leave our boats at some point in the spring to travel to other places for the summer months. With the coronavirus in varying stages of development in the US and not (yet) exploding here in Mexico, we all feel that the safest place to be is on our boats. We are, however, watching the development in Mexico. We fear that things could change rapidly for the worse. Liz and I know that at some point in mid May we will want to get to the US but are not relishing the prospect of traveling through airports. With that in mind, I was thing about making some masks. I realized we had a few replacement filters for our dust masks, but no elastic. Liz pointed out that underwear has elastic! So after sacrificing a few pairs and breaking out the sewing machine, PRESTO! A supply of very good masks.
We feel very fortunate to be where we are, living our life as we do. We never feel our space to be small and value each other’s company.
Very strange time for all of us.
Be well and stay safe.