Apparently cruising is categorised as ‘Boat Maintenance in exotic locations’. Ruffian has arrived in an exotic location where palm trees gentle sway in the trade winds and the waters are alive with colourful fishies who dart around coral strewn reefs. It’s therefore time to do some more maintenance and clear up after our 900 mile blast south. There has also been a big decision to make; a decision that will affect our future for months and years to come.

The word ‘wet’ hardly goes anyway to describe the trip south. As we emptied Ruffian the truth of just how wet the trip was revealed itself. All our charts, which had been carefully wrapped in bags, our expensive pocket sprung mattress and all our clothes had done a great job at soaking up the sea water that had found its way into the forepeak and the story was no different at the back of the boat. The ocean had got everywhere.

As we delved into the lockers we felt like we were emptying Dr Who’s tardis. The lockers seemed bottomless and slowly every square inch of Ruffian was turned into a drying surface. Drying everything however was only treating the symptom of leaks and we had to create a cure. There was nothing for it but to take out the windows and hatches and reseal everything.

We’d usually be able to knock off jobs like this in a matter of days, but we hadn’t reckoned on the social program of the reunited ‘Stray Dawgs’ and the ‘Salty Dawgs’. There was the happy hour at Saba Rock, the Fat Virgin had to be visited and the super posh Yacht Club Costa Smerelda, which has been picked straight out of chic Sardinia, had to be frequented.

To burn off some of the beer induced Calories the Salty Dawgs had organised morning Yoga at the Biras Creek Hotel and in a beer infused state Iain & Phil from ‘Rum Runner’ made a pact to attend. With morning the full horror of his commitment hit Iain. Could the Salty Dawgs deal with the sight of Iain in Lycra? And would the thought of it drive Larry to yet unreached highs.

Everyone was clad in spandex and Phil using his worldly wise experience took a position at the back of the class, Iain however threw caution to the wind and took a front row mat. In no time we were bending parts of our bodies that were not meant to be bent and contorted into potions that are usually only seen in low end 1980’s blue movies. The class ended with a position that both Iain and Phil excelled in. This was the ‘lying down with your eyes shut and relaxing pose’. With that we decided that we rocked at this yoga antics.

With all our focus on fixing and cleaning Ruffian and socialising in swanky bars we were managing to avoid the ‘elephant in the room’ decision. The elephant was, what was our plan now that it had taken a month to get to the Virgins and time was now not on our side?

We had two choices, stick to plan A; head to the western Caribbean at breakneck speed, always keeping a watchful eye on the calendar before having a really difficult 1500 mile sail from Mexico to Bermuda or change to plan B and simply chill out in the eastern Caribbean, seeing all the places we’ve previously missed and revisiting the places we loved. We wrestled and wrestled with the question almost resorting to tossing a coin. Finally we settled on the chilled out Eastern Caribbean option.

With our new route sorted and the jobs list nearing completion it is time to head towards the rising, instead of the setting sun. Sailing towards the setting sun, the western Caribbean and the Pacific will have to wait for another year and another, bigger, boat.

Thug is released from his spot in the locker.


962 miles, 6.1/2 days. We rock.


Hmmmm. A nice cup of tea, and homemade biscuits (thank you ‘Saralane’).


The ‘Stray Dawgs’ arrive.


Yo yo yo. Selfie.


That’ll all be quite scenic then.


Larry takes his depravities to a new level.


Artistic opportunities are everywhere.


At last Ruffian is once again in blue water.


The dreaded list.


The drying out starts. (Thank you ‘Flight Plan’ for the wonderful steam cleaner!)


And takes up the whole boat.


We thought we’d left these behind in Bermuda.


Windows out, hatches out. We’re not going to have leaks any more.


The benefit of rain is you get rainbows.


Underwater scenery.


Is observed by millions of fishies.


Ruffian & Saralane escape North Sound.