Isla Mujeres and the ‘Rona

Isla Mujeres is one of the few places left in the Western Caribbean that is allowing boats to come in and shelter. There has only been one case of COVID on Isla Mujeres, and they are working to keep it that way.

The Port Captain established these rules:

– You need to fly Mexican courtesy and Q when entering territorial waters

– Call the Port Captain Isla Mujeres on VHF 16

– Anchor in the outer bay for your 14 day quarantine

– While waiting for an official to meet him the skipper is not allowed to leave the dock area.

– A trash truck is coming to the Port Captain’s dock twice weekly, water truck (bottles) if ordered

– Crews that are cleared in must use the Port Captain’s dock only if and when going ashore. Only one person per boat can go ashore. Before you do so you have to call the Port Captain on 16 and get approval. At the Port Captain’s dock you have to check in with the soldier on duty. Take your documents. Only the stores in the direct vicinity can be used.

– No touristic activities are allowed, such as surfing, kayaking, snorkeling. All beaches are closed.

– Holding tanks must be emptied six miles East of Isla Mujeres. Short day sails to do that are permitted.

– Boats that want to check out have to call the Port Captain on 16 and wait for instructions.

We arrived late on Friday night, contacted the port captain Saturday and were told to wait on our boat until Monday to come and check in. Finally Monday afternoon we were able to go to shore where we were met in a tent by the health department (for our Certificate of Sanity–which never stops being funny to me), followed by immigration. Then Kim had to go to the Harbormaster’s office for the last permit. We didn’t have any masks on board so we used our neck gaiters.

It actually was a pretty quick and easy process, much more streamlined now than when we came in last December. And it isn’t a bad place to be, at least we can get groceries, hit the ATM, get water, fuel, and empty trash.

First order of business–repair our port keel. We had hit a reef while in Belize and had a small crack in our port keel. Well, with the trip from Belize to Mexico what was a small crack had opened wider and the repair couldn’t wait. We contacted Benito and he made phone calls–no marina in Mexico was available to perform repairs or a haulout. But Benito found a professional diver in Isla Mujeres who usually works at the marina there and he agreed to come and do the job. They were not allowed to do it in the Isla Mujeres harbor, so we took the boat the hour trip to Cancun and picked up Benito and the diver on shore.

The diver filled the fiberglass with an underwater epoxy and then attached sheet metal so it would not continue to spread with the water pressure. At least now we know it is safe until we are able to make it to Savannah to be repaired.

In the meantime we wait. There is a nice community here of people. Everyone is confined to their boats, but they arrange fresh juice deliveries from town, trash runs, drop supplies off on each other boats, and help each other out as they can. Although we are separated by space we aren’t alone.