Sunday, March 22, 2020

Day 8. First week in self isolation

Lefkas town inner harbour.
It's been one week since Greece has been under lockdown and I've been in self-isolation. As an introvert, a writer and a solo sailor, so far, I haven't found it difficult. 
With my boat in a marina, I get enough interaction from my neighbors on boats nearby, yet they're all at least two meters away for safety. When I get off the boat to drop the trash off, have a shower or go for a run, I see other people but we make sure to keep our distance. 
I did a big shop before all this started, so have enough food onboard for now. A young family on another boat has offered to shop for anyone who needs anything and they bought some bananas and cooking gas for me a few days ago. I baked my own bread and made lentil soup and still have some eggs left. As of today, none of the fruit and vegetables I bought a week ago at the farmers' market have spoiled. 
What I miss the most is the cafe social life that's so important to everyone in Greece. With the sunny, spring weather, the outside tables are usually full of people but for the past week, they are either empty or have been put away. The diehards line up two meters apart in front of takeaways and then sit on benches alone or in small groups. The rest of us drink coffee at home or in the cockpit of our boats. But today, the clouds cover the sky and rain is expected. I wonder how this will affect everyone's mental health.
Here are some of the chores I've been meaning to do which are waiting for this second week of isolation: 
Keep varnishing inside as long as it's possible to ventilate the boat well.

Clean the bottoms of the pots and pans with baking soda and vinegar.

Nice!

Sort clothes and put away winter ones.

Return stuff to the now varnished v-berth.
This morning, we have been advised by the manager of the marina that we may be allowed to move our boats once to reposition. This is good news because many of us can't afford the summer rates at the marina and people have made other arrangements and reservations to take care of that. Even though I have been happy staying in the marina all winter, I can't afford it during the summer and so hope to be allowed to move Eidos to Vonitsa where I was last summer.
Sadly, in Greece now 530 people have contracted the virus and 13 have died. Fortunately none of them in Lefkas. There is some talk of closing the swinging bridge connecting us with the mainland to all but residents just as other islands in Greece have done it to try and contain the virus. What next?

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