Grenada: Lockdown, Curfew, Confinement To Boats Caused By The Corona-virus Covit-19.

Tuesday 7 April 2020:

Soon after arriving in Grenada the country went into a lockdown as an UK person that flew in from the UK was diagnosed with the Corona-virus. After a few days we sailed to Tyrrel Bay on the Carriacou Island, which I have visited before and is a nice island with friendly people. It is part of the three island nation of Grenada, which also include Petit Martinique.

We managed to do a small walk along the beach town and drop the laundry as well as visiting the supermarket. But the day after we had a complete lockdown as the UK person had been to a beach wedding on the island.

To get back the laundry the following day we needed a special permission from the immigration officer to go ashore. As soon as we got on land two police officers were quick to stop us, but we explained we had the permission to collect the laundry, so it was OK.

Back on the boat I noticed several items were missing from the laundry, but after calling the manager I was told they were aware of it and would keep these items till whenever I can collect them.

We bought some fish from a couple of fishing men. It was nice as we have had no fish on the menu for a while.

After a few days we sailed back to Prickly Bay on south coast. But after another few days Grenada island also went to a lockdown and a strict curfew. So we got stuck again. Aurora managed to get an evacuation flight back to the UK, at a huge cost.

Many of the bays are full of boats and as “we are all in the same boat” we try to occupy ourselves the best we can, not only with boat jobs, but also via the VHF radio. The mornings starts at 07:30 cruisers net with news, weather, security information and the latest lockdown information. It usually last about an hour and is very informative. By 16:00 a lady on a boat at Hog Island run a Yoga session which is followed by many cruisers and is very popular. At sunset around 18:19 a chap is running a trivial question session where we all can ask questions to be answered. It is good fun and I have participated a lot and even ran the session once. It is very interesting and informative with about 25-75 boats participating in a session lasting usually about an hour. During the day most boats monitor VHF Ch 68 where there are people that announces whatever is going on and latest news about the lockdown and its rules.

As I write this the PM is going to hold a press conference in about 30 minutes time and I expect he will inform us that the lockdown will be extended and thus not lifted tomorrow morning at 05:00. See below.

Today (06.04) I received an email from Peake Yard in Trinidad informing me that Trinidad will be on a complete lockdown to, at least, 30 April, three weeks from now.

Here the supermarkets were allowed to open for the first time in a week, between 08:00 to 17:00 and there were huge ques of 4+ hours to enter. They might open again in a few days time. I have ordered, through a friend who has a farmer friend, several items like vegetables, chicken breasts, broccoli, etc., but he needs a police permit to deliver it to the Prickly Bay. Hopefully he can deliver it soon as it will be nice to get fresh vegetables, but it is not really urgent as the boat is still well stocked from some big shopping done in Trinidad and I still have a lot of tins from South Africa and Brazil.

Other things to do is swimming and the Government has allowed us to swim maximum 15 meters from the boats and no one are allowed to visit other boats. We have been trying to fish for a week, but have caught nothing. I see hardly any birds, except for a few Frigate birds and seagulls, but no Pelicans here, which might mean that there are not many fish in this Bay. A pity.

As you might have seen, I made a couple of small videos for the blog, but as I am confined to the boat, I lack clips to do any video of interest.

The news from last night PM press conference was that Grenada extend the lockdown and curfew for another 14 days till 20 April, which is serious, but the good news is that the country has had no new cases of Covit-19, but more than 100 people has been arrested, or fined for not respecting the rules.

 The view from the cockpit.

Saturday 11 April 2020:

The Grenada Government Gives a daily update at 16:00, which is very informative and useful. They said yesterday that people seems to understand the rules as there were no new arrests and fines apart from the already 100 people sanctioned. Also the social distance seems to work and we are all required to wear face-masks in public.

So far 93 people has been tested for the Corona-virus and 14 were positive, i.e. two more during the last week. It seems that all 14 had been in contact with the person arriving by plane from the UK during the third week of March. Most seems to be in a steady condition and no one has yet died in Grenada from the Virus. Apparently Grenada can’t do the test and they have to send the samples to Trinidad, which, unfortunately, delay the results to arrive. A bit strange that they can’t do these tests on the Island.

Today I will drop the dustbin and collect the fruits, vegetables and bakery things I have ordered. Apart from collecting the gas bottle, it will be be my second time I have been on land for about one month and I hope to do a bit of walking on the 35 meters long Budget Parking, so a lot of up and down that parking. I need a bit of exercise as the lower legs mussels are stiff and painful from the little exercise one can get on board.  

Monday 13 April 2020:

The cruisers Net has been busy lately with Corona-virus related news, but also some very smart Grenada people making good money delivering groceries to the hundreds of boats anchored in the different bays in Grenada. Amazing the daily activities and one delivered yesterday a lot of “boxes” containing a whole chicken, fruits, vegetables, chicken breasts, etc., costing EC$ 195 (€ 65) and it seems people are satisfied with the selection.

In addition the small Prickly Bay Marina has started a Mini Market and has, I am told, an excellent selection for groceries as well as beer. The Manager Darren is very busy stocking up each day and he should soon be able to sell diesel and petrol, which I will soon need to top up as I am in particular running low in petrol for the tender.

Also the small Whisper Cove Marina in Clarkes Court Bay is highly active selling groceries, rum and prepared meals which people can pick up, but their restaurant and bar are closed. I have in previous years dined in that Marina and it was nice, but at that time it was manages by a French Canadian couple, which now run a butcher shop in the Phare Blue resort.

As to things to occupy us, Serena has a lot of energy and cooks well, arrange the kitchen, but we share the cleaning although she does a lot, does Yoga and is increasing her daily swimming performance and is now swimming over 2.000 meters daily.

We decorated a few eggs and hang them up in the cockpit.

For my part, I have some boat jobs, but failed yesterday to get the fuel transfer pump working and I think I will have to draw new electrical power cables from the switchboard to the pump, so as soon as Budget Marine is allowed to open I will try to get the wire. Today I plan to clean my aft bathroom as it is Desperately needed. 

In principal the lockdown should end in nine days time on 22.04.2020, but, as many other Caribbean Island are in lockdown till at least the end of April or even in May, I expect Grenada might extend it again. It is thus getting close to the start of the Hurricane season, that starts 1 June, and I still hope to get to St Martin to collect the new life raft and EPIRB as well as 1-2 crew and do some repairs and a big shopping for the Atlantic crossing. Failing that I might sail back to Trinidad where I have a reservation at Peake yard, just in case. It would be sad that my Caribbean trip would be compromised because of the Corona-virus.