Lockdown in Nuku Hiva
06 May 2020
Richard Hayward
We arrived with admirable timing, just as the lockdown was being relaxed. The day we arrived, people were allowed off their boats to go shopping, but there were checkpoints every 100 metres or so, where your papers were checked, and where a list of the boats that had checked in were kept, so that it was known if you weren’t supposed to be there. So, the first day we went ashore for food, and got chatting to the guys on the first checkpoint, had a good laugh about the boat name, which is always a good icebreaker, and they just waved us through. Next day all the checkpoints were taken down, and free movement on the island was allowed. There is still no travel between the islands, but we are free to walk around as much as we like.
We decided that we would stay as long as possible, but that if the gendarmes came and said we had to leave, we would. So far, 3 weeks later, we have seen no sign of them. Very pleased about that, as the only place they would have sent us is Tahiti, which is the only place that actually has the virus. There is none on the outlying islands, and all the boats that have arrived have, by definition self isolated for at least 3 weeks, and usually longer. Lots of rumours flying around, but it could be that inter island travel becomes possible in the not too distant future.
What will happen when we eventually do have to check in should be interesting!