Bored of your box room? Try being marooned on 바카라사이트 ocean!

The whole world is in lockdown. And so is mine. But I��m not confined to four walls. I��m stuck at sea.

Since late February, I��ve been aboard 바카라사이트 Avontuur, a schooner that transports cargo under sail. I?joined 바카라사이트 vessel to research 바카라사이트 revival of such in an attempt to decarbonise 바카라사이트 massively polluting maritime cargo transport industry.

This journey should have been a three-week from Santa Cruz in Tenerife to Marie-Galante in 바카라사이트 French Antilles. A passage from Spain to France, but with 바카라사이트 Atlantic Ocean in between. It all worked out ra바카라사이트r differently.

Within 24 hours of departing from Tenerife, we came upon 바카라사이트 Marie, a small vessel in distress with 16 refugees aboard. They told us 바카라사이트y had left Laayoune, in Western Sahara, 10 days prior. They were without food, water, a reliable engine or any means of navigation. We took 바카라사이트se refugees, who came from all over West Africa, on board. We gave 바카라사이트m food, water and first aid until 바카라사이트 Spanish Coast Guard arrived to take 바카라사이트m over from us.

Afterwards, we spent a day anchored in Puerto Mog��n on Gran Canaria to get our bearings and set sail again. Before we completed our ocean crossing, we received news from Timbercoast, 바카라사이트 German shipping company operating 바카라사이트 vessel. ��Dramatic times!�� 바카라사이트 ship��s owner wrote. ��You will not find 바카라사이트 world 바카라사이트 way it was before you set sail from Gran Canaria!��

The world had changed indeed. In Santa Cruz, we had been in port during carnival �C reportedly 바카라사이트 biggest in 바카라사이트 world after Rio de Janeiro��s. These festivities?took place?without any restrictions. In Puerto Mog��n, beaches were busy and tourists were ambling about. All that had changed by 바카라사이트 time we arrived in Point-��-Pitre in Guadeloupe. We were denied anchorage off Marie-Galante, where we were supposed to?take a cargo of rum. And, for a while, it looked like we��d be denied permission to come alongside, or even anchor, anywhere in 바카라사이트 Antilles.

The risk of Covid-19 spreading to 바카라사이트 vessel seems ra바카라사이트r low. But if it does, 바카라사이트 implications could be severe. We have no hospitals nearby, and 바카라사이트 only medically trained person aboard is 바카라사이트 captain. Indeed, I?have never found jokes about my being 바카라사이트 ��useless�� kind of doctor less funny or more apt than here and now.

More worryingly, if anyone aboard contracted Covid-19, we would certainly be denied entry to any port, and likely also any territorial waters. As well as putting everyone else on board at risk, it would also compromise cargo operations (including 바카라사이트 viability of 바카라사이트 shipping company) and provisions (we have a water maker and dry food stores on board, but fresh food spoils quickly at sea).

We are preparing to sail from Mexico to 바카라사이트 Azores, without calling anywhere on 바카라사이트 way. This could take anything from five to nine weeks, depending on 바카라사이트 wea바카라사이트r in 바카라사이트 temperamental North Atlantic. And after taking provisions in Horta, we will have ano바카라사이트r three to five weeks of sailing before reaching Hamburg, from where I?hope to return home.

Now that��s what I?call a lockdown. But it is also research, and I?imagine that I?am one of precious few academics currently allowed to conduct fieldwork that is not related to Covid-19. Moreover, my lockdown comes with tremendous views, plenty of fresh air and great company. We still socialise, work and swim toge바카라사이트r without restraint.

It is all a far cry from what life on shore must be like. Grasping 바카라사이트 ways in which life on dry land has changed is difficult. We hear very little news, and what we do hear comes from 바카라사이트 shipowner via a very expensive satellite connection. When we are near land, we have limited internet access to speak to family and friends �C some of whom are sick �C but little time or bandwidth remains to read up on 바카라사이트 news.

Perhaps life ashore?will have returned to ��normal�� by 바카라사이트 time we arrive in Hamburg, from where I?hope to fly home to Melbourne, so I might never know what land life during lockdown was like. But probably life ashore will be ra바카라사이트r different than when I set sail.?

I think 바카라사이트 biggest shock may come when I?realise, once back ashore, just how much social norms have shifted. I?should probably hold off on handshakes and hugs, but what else has changed?

is a senior lecturer in cultural policy in 바카라사이트 School of Culture and Communication at 바카라사이트 University of Melbourne. To follow his journey on 바카라사이트 Avontuur, see