Lockdown Entertainment in Antigua

Cruisers are a social bunch, so this “stay on your boat” business is wearing thin. I am sure everyone can relate no matter where you are social distancing. Fortunately, we cruisers are pretty ingenious too, and we’ve created our own fun. Learn what we’re doing for lockdown entertainment in Antigua.

Antigua Status Update

First, an update on what is going on in our part of the world. Antigua is ramping up efforts to test their citizens, and to protect them from the virus.

As of midnight on April 1st, the country locked down for everything except essential businesses which are open for limited hours. Supermarkets and pharmacies are considered essential, and are open daily from 7a-12n, which means very long lines to provision. Not that we would know: our last trip to the store was 2 weeks ago yesterday and we’ve been sequestered in a remote anchorage for over a week filling the time with useful projects.

On Tuesday, Antigua announced its first death from Covid-19, followed quickly by a second. The island wide lockdown is extended another week, and Easter weekend means full closures this Friday, Sunday and Monday.

Lockdown on Sava

Brian, Domino and I are anchored in a big beautiful protected bay alongside about 20 other boats. Our anchorage is outside of the public eye, away from towns, marinas and even the main island, but we have our boat buddies. We moved to this anchorage with 5 other boats we knew, and have since met the occupants of a few others, either via VHF, electronically, or from our dinghies. Social distancing rules apply on the water too.

It has been two weeks since we have been to the shops or seen anyone aside from our boat buddies.

We still have meat in our freezer and stores in our pantry. Jenn from Sanitas organized a bulk buy from a local farmer, which we are expecting today. With a fresh infusion of fruits and veggies, we’ll be good out here for at least another week, if not longer as we haven’t broken into our canned and frozen produce yet.

If we are flexible about what we drink, and don’t always reach for a beer or glass of wine, our nighttime beverage supply is good.

Our watermaker is working great – so well in fact, we’ve been donating to other boats who can’t make water. We’re all in this together, and we are trying to entertain each other and have some fun in the anchorage.

Lockdown Entertainment: Trivia

Our longest running source of entertainment is the nightly trivia, suggested last week by Cara on s/v Music. We use the VHF radio on a local channel to play trivia. Each night there’s a different theme, and all the boats make up their own questions which we take turns asking on the radio. There’s no scorekeeping; we just ask questions, tell stories and have a laugh, and even learn a thing or two. These cruisers are very smart, and some even have good memories!

Trivia starts at 5:30PM, just in time for happy hour. We sit outside in the cockpit so we can often hear other voices in stereo. After, or during, trivia, we toast the sunset together. So far, the topics have been music, movie quotes, food and home ports.

We are open to suggestions on topics so let me know in the comments.

Lockdown Entertainment: Poker Run

We whiled away an entire day going boat to boat on our paddleboards putting together a poker hand as another form of lockdown entertainment in Antigua.

It was a beautiful day in Antigua, and we got exercise and socialized while social distancing. 7 boats participated, so we each got to pick the best 5 of 7 cards. Everyone had a good time!

Dinghy Concert

Another way we are keeping entertained during lockdown is with music. Brian plays almost every night after sunset, while I am prepping dinner, so we figured if he’s doing it anyway, let’s invite the neighbors!

Yesterday, cruisers from 8 boats dinghied or paddled over to Sava for our first ever boat-side concert. Some tied along our boat, while others anchored a little further away, as we are trying to maintain social distancing.

Over an almost 90 minute set with one small break, Brian went through his repertoire of old and new tunes, and cruisers listened while consuming their own happy hour cocktails and even snacks.

Brian played great and everyone had a good time. It’s been a while since any of us has seen live music, so the concert was a welcome change and a lot of fun. He now has his own fan club, and some of these boats may be following us around for a while! They even came up with a nickname they’d call themselves: Sava-istas or Savans, I can’t remember.

If we’re out here a while longer, he may do a second show. Maybe we’ll move it to the starboard side of the boat for a change. Who knows?

Tuesday’s concert ended with sunset and a super moonrise, and everyone went back to their boats for dinner.

Last night we returned to our VHF for trivia, and we are looking for other ideas for safe socializing while distancing, for Easter weekend and beyond.

What’s your Covid-19 lockdown entertainment, whether on a boat or in an apartment or house? Share your ideas – we could use more lockdown entertainment in Antigua.

Covid is Serious

On a sad note, we learned this morning of a fellow cruiser who lost his life to Covid-19. If this is true, and I believe it is, our hearts go out to his family and friends and his wife who is still fighting the illness. This is real, and this is scary, and I hope by trying to have fun we don’t seem to be making light of this pandemic. We have already lost too many great people, including too many health care workers, and we are committed to staying on our boat as long as necessary to protect others. Please do the same, because we really are all in this together.