KAREN MACDONALD

CAPTAIN COOK RESIDENT

PHOTO ONE: I was on a lifetime adventure when COVID-19 closed the world's doors. I had been at sea for 50 days. We saw the east coast of South America and the coast of Chile. Antarctica was a feast for the eyes; all 7 continents now visited. We crossed the Pacific, stopping in Tahiti, Tonga, Rapa Nui and New Zealand. The Polynesian triangle was complete. 

PHOTO TWO: We were in our own cocoon, healthy and sailing to Australia. When we arrived in Sydney, the world started to scrape away at our future course. Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Seychelles and Singapore were now closed. Kenya was canceled due to unrest and our safari canceled. Our new course was to include Reunion, more stops in Africa and Mumbai. We left Sydney headed north to Darwin with stops along the way. Before we arrived in Darwin, Australia started closing ports. Darwin and the other stops on the west coast were now closed to us. We were now headed to Perth to be put ashore, cross the Australian continent by plane and sent home.

PHOTO THREE: While all this chaos was happening abroad the MS Amsterdam and all other cruise ships, I got word my mother had a massive stroke on March 18. It was March 24 before I was on land and heading home. Before I went on the trip, I asked her what she would like me to do if she had such a health emergency while I was away. She replied,“Sail on."

When I saw her on March 24, she was nonverbal and in home hospice care. It was a waiting game. She still had some recognition when we sat together. I told her about the trip and the crew members that remembered her. I told her the whole world had to go home so I was able to be with her in her final days.

This was extremely difficult and I’m glad I was forced to do it. I don’t know what I would have done or how I would have felt if we had continued on. Three of us attended her interment at Kona Memorial Park. After she passed, I isolated myself for the 14 days.
We had been in quarantine 14 days on the ship, but then I had been in a taxi, a hotel, on three airplanes and to fours airports just to get home.

Back in Kona, I used a grocery’s delivery service and stayed home. I live alone. It has been very isolated, but I am a bit of an introvert and hermit so not too trying. I’m lucky that I have no debt and a roof over my head and that my social security covers my expenses. Others are not so lucky.

I’m not afraid for our future health locally until the doors are opened to visitors. I hope this economy forces leaders and entrepreneurs to look at other business opportunities for Hawaii to soften the one industry economy. Stay well all and appreciate our bit of paradise.