Getting caught overseas during a pandemic isn't all bad, but getting caught out can be terminal.
The Wharton family made the tough decision to stay put in Thailand as COVID-19 was declared a pandemic.
The young family left Darwin in September for a one-to-three-year gap break aboard their 12-metre catamaran Troppo.
Even though the Northern Territory was, at the time, relatively safe from COVID-19, mum Ayla said that was not the concern.
"We could sail the best part of 2,500 miles back to Australia with two young children, but that's not a risk we're prepared to take with no safe havens if there were any breakages or if anyone got sick," she said.
"Some of the yachts which chose to leave here and sail to Australia had some very disagreeable experiences sailing through Malaysia and Indonesia as locals began to get fearful that foreigners would bring coronavirus into their villages.
"Everything happened so quickly and yachts didn't have time to make decisions."
Don't go where the wind blows
They were originally considering following the easterly trade winds across the Indian Ocean in March, but fortunately were not prepared to weigh anchor.
"Other yachts with children on board left here and two weeks later arrived at the Maldives and weren't allowed in," she said.
"No small yachts have strong enough satellite communications to receive general news.
"They really have no choice but to keep going, with the possible result that they're stranded at sea.
"It's absolutely devastating that people are forced into these situations where they have to make tough decisions."
Temporary landlubbers
The Whartons have been renewing temporary visas and are enjoying a tourist-free Thailand.
The kids are in a local international school and they have since started renting on dry land while they work on the boat to make it more sustainable for life on the water.
"We began to realise how reliant we were on marinas and power consumption," she said.
"As soon as the pandemic started we were very concerned that we would struggle with our power before the lockdown.
"You don't want to be worried about your fridge and freezers when you don't want to make many trips to the shops."
'Pack up. Go. No-one's allowed here'
One of those people who had to make a similar decision was retired Aussie electrical engineer Joe Cumming and wife, teacher Kirsten Bennett, who have been cruising for the last three years aboard their 14-metre yacht Halo.
When COVID-19 was declared a pandemic they were in an anchorage in Misool, Raja Ampat, Indonesia.
"We were all moved on unceremoniously. Told to leave. 'Pack up. Go straight away. The marine park's closed, no-one's allowed here'," Mr Cumming said.
"And so then we had a pretty uncertain time."
And to add to the uncertainty, this was following a robbery.
"Our boat was boarded while we were out diving and some alcohol was stolen," Mr Cumming said.
"It was one of the few times we left our vessel unlocked as we were in a remote anchorage."
Locals say 'move on'
They then sailed to the Kai islands where they stayed for about a month.
But they had a hairy voyage.
"We did have armed locals intercept us when we were trying to anchor or land," he said.
"Some other yachts have stories of people firing shots across their bows and telling them to move on
"They're trying to protect their village, they see a vessel coming and they were straight out in whatever means they had to tell you, 'Please go. Move on. Don't stop: COVID, COVID!'"
Darwin was the scariest part
In the Kai islands they were welcomed by the islanders after passing a public COVID-19 test, but the winds changed after about a month and the anchorage was less comfortable.
So they made the tough decision to steer for Darwin, made difficult by Ms Bennett's UK citizenship, and the Asian-bought boat.
"We would need to import our vessel and incur extra expense," he said.
They quarantined ashore in Darwin while the boat was anchored in Fannie Bay.
"That was one of the scariest issues for us," he said.
"You're only insured if you're on your vessel at anchor at night."
