The world has gone mad!

Mystic of Holyhead (successor to Lynn Rival)
Rachel and Paul Chandler
Sun 12 Jul 2020 19:26
Another month goes by and much of the world lives (really only exists) in fear of a virus which is no worse than we've coped with before.  Politicians and the media feed us a daily diet of doom, gloom and death porn, ignoring the devastation of our economic and social well-being.  They appear to enjoy the curtailment of our freedom, chasing the chimera of immortality and suppressing rational debate with no concern for the consequences.  Where is the leadership that can show the way out of this mess?

Less developed countries are facing the most severe consequences of the global shutdown.  Here in Grenada, where there have been just a few imported cases and no deaths, the government has gradually relaxed the restrictions.  Some restaurants and bars have opened but they have few customers.  The hotels and University are empty.  The anchorages have been filling up with yachts that have completed quarantine but most of their owners are desperate to get home to Canada or the US.  The airport will be opening up to commercial flights soon but with restrictions and the imposition of quarantine should in-coming passengers fail a Covid test.


A weekly treat - roti for lunch

We've been doing our bit to help the local economy.  Having to wear a mask is bearable if done in the way most of the locals have adopted - ie slung around the neck, but sometimes an over-zealous hand sprayer catches us unawares, so we avoid the supermarkets if we can.  Stalls run by local farmers provide an abundance of excellent fresh produce.  The French butcher has now run out of all the up-market produce imported direct from France (and most importantly sausage skins!) so opens less frequently.  The local micro-brewery - run by a British couple, now Grenadian citizens - is struggling to get going again, like so many small outlets that depend on tourists and students for footfall, and they are now being asked for protection money by local senior police officers!


A 20 minute walk takes us to the West Indies Beer Co, for a Windward IPA and tasty pub pizza

Will the hysteria ever subside?  Not until we accept that the virus cannot be eradicated.  So long as Governments can borrow (Grenada) or print helicopter money (UK) they can delay confronting reality but eventually the economic consequences will bite hard.  We all face a very uncomfortable future, muzzled both physically and in _expression_ of thought.

We still hope to get Mystic to Trinidad and us back to the UK before the end of the summer.  Some Caribbean islands, including Grenada, are tentatively opening up their borders, but not Trinidad.  They are having a general election on 10th August so are unlikely to do anything until then.  Their previously flourishing yacht service industry may never recover.

Meanwhile we continue to keep a watch out for tropical storms.  The ones likely to threaten us form in the Atlantic far to the east of the Windward Isles.  Troughs of low air pressure, called Tropical Waves, can develop into revolving storms and build up to hurricane strength.  But the last month has seen a prolonged and extensive Sahara dust cloud covering the ocean.  Although
our lungs and eyes suffer this has suppressed storm formation, but all good things come to an end - the forecasts show it clearing within the next few days.  The risk of hurricanes also increases significantly in August so we will remain vigilant - and ready to put to sea.                 


Murky or what?  All the way from Lake Chad

PS.  We have held on to our sanity with the help of hectordrummond.com, drmalcolmkendrick.org and lockdownsceptics.org among others - if you have retained the ability to reason give them a go (while you still can)!