Covid-19: Kiwis risking it on the high seas to get back home – Stuff.co.nz

Kiwis stuck overseas are risking the high seas in order to get through New Zealand's iron-clad borders.

These include seven strangers only one with open sea mariner qualifications who took a motorised catamaran from Australia to New Zealand. However, the group hit bad weather and a passenger was left with a broken rib.

Joseph Davidson, who was on board, said they were not alone. Another left Australia and arrived at Opua in the Bay of Islands after them, and he was aware of others doing or planning similar trips.

The idea was to take at least 14 days in international waters, effectively meaning their managed isolation and quarantine (MIQ) was served on the ship.

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It comes as a group of New Zealanders, known as Grounded Kiwis, in the country and abroad launch a legal challenge about the legality of the design and operation of the New Zealand MIQ system.

The most feasible way for New Zealanders to get home is by trying their luck in the Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employments virtual lobbies, in which people around the world log in to try for an MIQ spot.

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The catamaran carrying seven strangers sailed from Coffs Harbour in Australia to Opua in the Bay of Islands, New Zealand.

There have so far been five of these lobbies. Each time thousands more logged on than there were rooms available, and the ministry would not confirm when another virtual lobby would come. MIQ joint head Megan Main said there were still several thousand rooms to be released through to the end of January.

Davidson said he had tried and failed in each virtual lobby so, after 10 months stuck in Australia, he saw a Facebook group arranging to sail back and joined up. I was the only qualified seafarer on the vessel, he said.

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The catamaran making its way from Australia to New Zealand.

The seven met on a Facebook group and met for the first time on the catamaran. While the captain had sailing experience, he did not have any notable experience on a motorised boat, such as the one they crossed on.

[The crossing] can be really dangerous, Davidson, a commercial marine engineer, said.

People are desperate now, but people can leave on a boat without any experience. It can open up a can of worms.

That can of worms opened up in 3-metre swells off the Three Kings islands, during which a woman was flung to the ground and broke a rib. That meant the crossing timed for 12 days, which would have meant two days on board at Opua to serve the 14-day MIQ process on board had to be shortened so that the woman could get medical help.

They are now serving the final four days of MIQ at an Auckland facility.

Bay of Islands Marina in Opua, where recreational vessels have to land, would not comment.

Grounded Kiwis spokesman Martin Newell said the case showed the lengths stranded Kiwis were willing to go through to see loved ones, and a change in the MIQ system was needed.

Grounded Kiwis on Tuesday suggested a two-phase system to allow more Kiwis home.

Phase one would mean fully vaccinated returnees from low-risk places could self-isolate for five days, and fully vaccinated returnees from medium-risk places would self-isolate for 10 days, with regular testing. High-risk returnees would still enter MIQ.

As vaccination rates increased, self-isolation would become more common and low-risk returnees with negative Covid-19 tests could avoid isolation all together.

New Zealand Government rules state that people can do 14 days of MIQ on a ship but private ships need permission to enter New Zealand, which is granted on a case-by-case basis.

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Covid-19: Kiwis risking it on the high seas to get back home - Stuff.co.nz