A couple living on a sailboat had plans to cross the Indian Ocean before lockdowns put their journey on hold in Malaysia

• Jarrad Laver and Bonita Herewane have been sailing around the world for the last three years.
• The couple had plans to travel across the Indian Ocean, but the coronavirus closed borders and put their journey on hold.
• The couple doesn't know if they'll be able to accomplish their planned route or if they should sail back home to Australia.
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Bonita Herewane and Jarrad Laver aren't used to having a routine.

Weather, wind patterns, and tides guide their life.

The Australian couple has spent the last three years living on their 40-foot sailboat Nandji, a word that translates to joy in Hindu. Their journeys are dictated by weather, but since the coronavirus has closed borders, they remain docked in Malaysia for the indefinite future.

The couple bought the boat in 2016, with nearly no sailing experience.

"I think Nandji was the second yacht I'd ever been on," Herewane told Insider. Although Laver had a little more experience, there was still a steep learning curve for them both.

The couple had been traveling around Australia in a van when they realized a sailboat would give them more freedom

"If we lived on the ocean, we could sail around the world," Laver told Insider.

And that was the plan. For the last few years, they have journeyed from the Phi Phi Islands in Thailand to volcanoes in Papua New Guinea.

The couple was preparing for one of their biggest journeys: to travel across the Indian Ocean. They had planned to leave Indonesia and head to Sri Lanka, Madagascar, and South Africa.

As the coronavirus spread, borders closed and their journey was put on pause

The couple had been on holiday in Australia when the first heard about the virus. Their plan was to go to Thailand, Indonesia, and a few other countries in the South Pacific where they would finish boat maintenance and prepare to travel across the Indian Ocean.

When they left Australia at the beginning of the year, the couple wasn't too concerned about the coronavirus.

But once they arrived in Thailand, they realized the seriousness of the situation. When they entered the city, everyone was wearing masks and taking precautions.

Borders began closing in early March, and Laver and Herewane had to make a quick decision on where to go next.

Fortunately, the sailing community is tight-knit, so after reading through Facebook posts and travel forums they settled on Malaysia.

It was a community that they had heard was welcoming, and a place where they could get a three-month travel visa.

The reached the island of Langkawi two days before its borders closed. They've been stationed there ever since.

Now, Herewane and Laver are docked off the island waiting to see if they'll be able to start their planned trip across the ocean.

If the lockdown continues much longer, the couple will miss the window for sailing to Sri Lanka. They currently have a month left on their visa, but Malaysia's stay-at-home order has been extended until mid-May, and they're unsure if their visa will be extended.

"If things don't start opening up, we'll have to change our plan," Herewane said.

Laver and Herewane have also considered sailing back home to Australia, but the trip would be against wind and it would take a minimum of two weeks.

Preparing for lockdown didn't look much different than preparing for a trip, Laver explained

Although the coronavirus shifted their sailing plans, the couple said that their lifestyle is structured for an emergency like a pandemic.

"We were definitely prepared for some sort of pandemic," Herewane said. "We're quite used to living in a small space. We're always around each other, and we're used to provisioning as well."

On their bus or boat, the two would travel for weeks at a time without stopping at a grocery store.

"Provisioning for us generally means hundreds and hundreds of canned foods," Herewane explained. They stock up on pretty much every type of canned good, chickpeas, beans, lentils, tomatoes, and corn. They've learned to pickle vegetables and create tasty meals without fresh produce. Their boat currently has enough food to last six months.

The couple also has a water filter, so freshwater is accessible.

Living on a boat presents a constant opportunity for something to go wrong.

"We're generally used to being quite self-sufficient," they both said.

Now, the couple has formed a routine for the first time in years

Herewane wakes up and exercises on the bow of the boat while Laver answers emails.

They work as video editors, so they'll spend their day editing and doing maintenance on the boat. Luckily, they still have access to a beach where they can walk, swim, and play with their dog, Marley.

"It's a time to slow down, a time to stop," Herewane said. "We haven't stopped sailing and moving around for years."

Before the lockdown, the couple was constantly on the go.

If they weren't sailing to their next destination, they'd be off diving or surfing somewhere. Since weather dictated when they should sail and when they should dock, the couple learned to adapt to what each day offered.

"It sucks that we can't start our trip," Herewane said. "But there are so many people in worse situations."

The couple explained that they travel to explore, and moving from one lockdown city to another isn't the experience they're looking for.

"We travel to see places," Herewane said. "What's the point of leaving and going there if you can't get off your boat?"

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