Plan I (eye)

It was finally time to make a decision - a decision among the fog of fluid data, The Movement Control Order in Malaysia has lightened up enough to allow most businesses to operate provided they apply for a permit and follow the Covid-19 Standard Operating Procedures for their industry. For a typical shop the SOP includes waiting chairs spaced appropriately outside the door for the mask-wearing clients, a log at the door to record your name and phone number, an employee to take your forehead temperature and write it on the log and, finally, some alcohol to wash your hands. I suppose we could follow a similar SOP in the US along with adding a bottle of Lysol or Clorox to take a swig from before entering the store.

The haul out yard at the Rebak Marina started operating late last week, so we decided to haul Georgia. After hauling her put we spent a day and half wrapping her in landscape fabric to give some protection from the scorching heat in the yard.

Now I'm not saying this is a calibrated thermometer, but it sure is representative of how hot it gets here. The remote sensor for this display is in a line-bag in our cockpit. For those more metrically inclined 126*F is about 52*C.

Along with hauling Georgia we purchased flights back to the US of A. We decided that we weren't going to see an opening to move the boat to another country for the next couple of months, at least-- but that's anyone's guess. Top on our list would be the opening of countries across the Indian Ocean on the way to South Africa. We still have a valid permit to stop for awhile in the Chagos Islands in mid-ocean. But we would also need Madagascar or Mayotte to open for foreign yachts to stop, at least to wait for weather and/or to get supplies, and South Africa to open as our final destination. It's not clear these will occur anytime soon.

In addition to checking country closure rules and rumors daily, we looked into shipping Georgia to the Mediterranean. The most cost-effective port and passage would be Thailand to Genoa, Italy. Both of which are currently closed to us. Shipping is very expensive, but it has some appeal as leaving the boat for a year or more in SE Asia isn't cheap or desirable.

Adding to our decision making process was weighing the visa situation in Malaysia. Our visas are up on June 4th and the MCO is up on June 9th. The current understanding of the rules is that we have 14 days after the MCO to leave the country (or possibly 30 days after our visa expiration). You can apply for an in-person meeting with Immigration and ask for an extension with extenuating circumstances -- but no one knows how these are going to go. So we figured we might as well get out early instead of blow another month in lockdown in Malaysia. As much as Rebak Island was a good choice for being locked-down, it's a part of our life we are never going to get back. The big risk for us is that we will not be able to re-enter Malaysia until they ease the entry requirements, which may not be for a long time. Especially if you are coming from a country whose new daily coronavirus cases are 8 to 10 times higher per capita than Malaysia's (that would be the USA).

One reason we decided to haul in Rebak was because they recently have increased the hardstand security by hiring more Security Monitors (Lizards).

Langkawi is located in Kedah state while Kuala Lumpur and the international airport is in Selangor state. Interstate transport is not allowed during the MCO without police permission. Since we are flying through five airports on four flights (Langkawi and Kuala Lumpur Malaysia, Narita Japan, San Francisco and Seattle US) we decided to get some we are healthy paperwork. Above is the results of our 15 minute antibody test: NEGATIVE. The doctor who gave us the test was well gowned in his PPE gear. As I watched the results of the blood sample work its way up the test strip the doctor explained to me how it works. If at the end of the strip there is a single dark line, I'm negative. If the there are two dark lines then we sit there till the ambulance arrives to take me and the doctor to the hospital for a PCR test. (The antibody test was 250 ringgits, usd$57 including office visit and letters at Global Doctors, Cenang.)  

Along with the test paperwork the doctor threw in a Fit to Fly letter with his stamp. We took this letter, along with the letter we received from the US Embassy Kuala Lumpur to the main police station in Kuah, Langkawi (3rd floor on the left). There we got the police travel stamp on the paperwork too.

Masked, Documented and Ready to Fly.

It's the rainy season, or at least one of the rainy seasons, in this part of Asia now. Brings out lots of flowers.

Paul