Captain a Bit Cuckoo Over COVID Confinement

Yacht crew usually get confined to the boat or a hotel if they have COVID at work. Not so in Italy, according to Capt. Alan Tookey. The 42-year veteran captain found himself in a 12-day lockdown at a sanitarium after testing positive for the virus before Christmas. He described it as similar to the institutional setting in the 1975 film, “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.”

“I expected to see Jack Nicholson and the Chief,” he said with a laugh.

The crew on the yacht had followed safe protocol, but a contractor tested positive. Then Capt. Tookey did also on the day the yacht was to leave port. “Covid doesn’t care about your schedule,” he said.

Fortunately, he only had a sore throat and congestion, but two days later an ambulance arrived to take him away to the room where he watched Italian TV, started an online language course, and was grateful for internet access. Although the staff were professional and nice, it was a long 12 days, he said.

“I lived mealtime to mealtime, and waited for a test,” Capt. Tookey said with a laugh. “If I see another bowtie pasta before I’m put in the ground, it’s too soon.”