With the Corona Virus scare in full swing right now, we’ve turned our thoughts to how we might quarantine ourselves… Ordinarily, the boat would seem like a really good place to quarantine oneself – we’re pretty self sufficient (though we did go and buy a few items from the fast depleting grocery store) – and we could simply sail off to a nice pretty destination and wait it out. Unfortunately, we can’t do that because the harbour we’re in is currently blocked: the opening bridge is in need of major maintenance, so they built (took only 1 month!) a new temporary bridge for while it’s out of action. However, in the dismantling of the old bridge, they’ve hit a snag and the “late March” completion date is now in jeopardy – and nobody can tell us when it’ll be resolved. Apparently a permit is required – a process which normally takes 27 weeks!!! (They say it won’t take that long…) So, the old bridge which now can’t open, is blocking our way…

Impressive – Google added the new bridge to their maps within a week of it being built!

So we can’t escape – but at least we can hunker down right here… however, we’re now a boat of 4 – Abigail and Greg arrived on Tuesday for a 3 or 4 day visit… Looks like it could turn into longer as the US halts flights from Europe to the US. It’s lovely to have them stay with us (though my liver is taking a serious hit!) but the food and drink becomes a more limiting factor! They’re going to try making a run for it tomorrow – by bus to London – which Trump seems to feel is a safer place and therefore not hit by the travel restrictions – then flying back to Texas. If Trump changes his mind quickly (no, that’s never happened has it?) Abs and Greg could find themselves stranded again… in which case, a trip back here or up to Yorkshire might be in order…

It’s all rather fun in an odd sort of way – though it might well mess up all our cruising plans this year as country after country decides to close it’s ports – or insist on lengthy quarantine requirements…

We’ll see…

The Dreaded Bug