Slowly Heading Homeward-Royal Island
20 April 2020 | Royal Island
Stacey Meadows
We spent the past several weeks moving from the north side of the Rock Sound anchorage to the south, seeking protection from prevailing winds. On April 11, our family held a wonderful seder on Zoom, with each of us offering any two minute ritual, song or reading that moved us. It was Sara's first seder, and we explained that although every seder is different, this one was really unlike any other. We were all delighted to watch Juniper find the afikomen (the hidden matzah) several times. The next day we celebrated Easter with Sol Eier, a delicious way to eat hard-boiled eggs that reminds Christoph of his German childhood.
The benefits of being under curfew in the Bahamas during the COVID-19 crisis cannot be overstated. The government is doing an excellent job of managing the crisis. While the number of confirmed infections has grown to 60, they are primarily on New Providence Island, and the deaths have remained at 9 for several weeks. Residents are wearing masks and observing the 24-hr curfews, leaving their homes only to buy food, fuel or perform essential functions.
Until the lock-down was imposed in the days leading up to Easter, cruisers could walk on deserted beaches, swim and snorkel anywhere, and obtain deliveries of provisions at the dock. The Farm at CTI delivered our order of fresh veggies directly to Frigate's dock, and we were able to enjoy their delicious greens, beets, salad and radishes. Yum! Lock down now occurs every weekend, when residents are ordered to remain at home and cruisers are required to remain on board.
The government requested that all cruisers either shelter in place or provide a plan of departure to the Designated Government Official. Our plan of departure has been officially approved. We will proceed from Royal Island to the Berry Islands to the West End of Grand Bahama Island, as weather permits. We are fully provisioned and have no need to take on additional provisions or fuel before we cross the Gulf Stream.
Delfina and our friends on Safari and Jubilee left Rock Sound for Ten Baby on April 16, and were happy to be back at the beautiful beach. We saw dolphins and a large sea turtle as we approached the anchorage. Christoph and I had a wonderful snorkel to the rocks at the point, where we spotted a large green trunkfish, many grouper, tons of angelfish, and the obligatory barracuda.
We had been confused whether cruisers could proceed in accordance with their departure plans during the lockdown on weekends. We finally obtained clarification from another cruiser who had been in touch with the Designated Government Official: While we are expected to proceed with the least number of stops, we may proceed as weather permits. That was a very helpful clarification, which we took as permission to sail north to Royal Island. We sailed on a beam reach between 6-7 knots and anchored in the afternoon. A strong front is expected to bring squalls this evening and tomorrow, and we are now in an anchorage that is protected from all directions with about a dozen boats and one workboat. There are construction projects on the shore, but it's impossible to tell how much progress is being made.
I finished a first draft of my first novel, begun in November during National Novel Writing Month. My first readers were Julie and Carol on our buddy boats, and they have given me lots of encouragement to keep working on it and eventually look to publish it.
Days on board waiting out the weather provide opportunities for cleaning, cooking, repairs, laundry, reading and writing. This morning as I practiced yoga and Christoph defrosted the freezer, a load of laundry danced on the lifelines in 20 knots of wind, and dried in 1/2 hour.
We hope to leave for the Berry Islands on Wednesday, after the weather has passed. Until then, I stay on track with the passing days by the practice of counting the Omer, the 49 days between Passover and Shavuot, when, it is said, the Israelites received the Torah at Mt. Sinai. Each week and day of the week have a specific divine quality. Today is the 11th day, with the quality of Eternity within Courage. May we have the strength and courage required to come through this world-wide moment with greater recognition of our vulnerability and interdependence, and may that recognition lead us to build a world based on compassion and care.