Taxis & busses with pumping bass pouring out of open windows; motorcycles pulling wheelies for the length of the high street; coconut sellers dragging their wares through busy streets on massive trolleys; schoolboys dressed like little soldiers and schoolgirls dressed like nurses; strangers who say hello and want to become friends. These are our first impressions of the Caribbean and it’s so different from everything we have experienced on our travels so far.

After the nightmare that we had with power on our way to the Caribbean the task of buying of new batteries was very much at the top of our to do list before we could tick off; catching up with friends, kicking back and chilling, experiencing Barbados and finally getting involved in the Round Barbados race festivities.

The search for batteries started early one morning with a fast a furious morning scoot to the south of the island and after being unsuccessful we were pointed 5 miles north. Again we had failure but had a new lead and pushed to the east. The push east resulted in us getting very very lost and upon asking for directions in a rum bar (as you only can in the Caribbean) we were greeted like long lost friends. The occupants had seen us 3 hours and 10 miles earlier at the south end of the island and congratulated us on our perseverance but berated us for our lack of navigational skills. With new directions and after scooting for 4 hours and 15 miles we reached our destination where we found not only the batteries that we needed to give energy to Ruffian, but iced water to give energy to a very hot, tired and dusty Iain & Fiona. With batteries purchased and arrangements made to get them to Ruffian there was a final shock. The sting in the tail come when we came to leave, we once again asked for directions and found we were less than a mile from where we’d started!

With the batteries back onto the boat, the installation presented no problems. They magically fitted into the space that the old batteries occupied and even all the old cables reached the terminals. Someone was smiling on us and we now had a world of power where once again we could plug things in without fear of malfunction being mere minutes away.

With chores ticked off it was time for our first Carib beer of 2013 and we headed, like all good sailors, to the Barbados Cruising Club and they happened to be ramping up for their biggest event of the year. There were 3 days of festivities planned culminating in the 60 mile round the island race on Monday. The boats came in all shapes and sizes from a lowly laser 4.7 up to an 80 foot 1930’s classic called ‘The Blue Peter.’ As you’d expect we became friends with the owner and skipper of ‘The Blue Peter’ to the point whereby we negotiated a deal that he’d give us his old 250 square meter spinnaker if we made him just a little bag and this was all before the first Carib had been sunk.

Outside of our monster battery finding scootathon the island was asking to be explored and with busses being nearly free that was the transport medium that we adopted. Any and every bus journey, no matter the length or duration, costs the grand total of BD$2 and so we boarded a bus to the furthest point of the island. Fields of sugar cane and cotton wrapped around the roads as we left town and up hill and down dale we travelled. We took in the tourist trap of Harrisons Caves and from there we took to our usual medium of foot to walk through the dappled shade created by the over hanging tress which were swarming with both monkey’s and humming birds. Simply amazing.

When it was time to come home we once again happened across a bus which then stopped at the local school. With the final school bell of the day ringing, hoards of children boarded and the seating capacity rules were thrown out of the window. This was all fine until we tried to ascend one of the hills that we’d previously descended. Up we went, the bus struggled valiantly and then stopped, we reversed back for a longer run up and once again we stopped short of the summit. After a 3rd attempt the driver kicked off all the kids who then had to walk up the hill in the searing mid afternoon sun, once at the top they re-boarded, all hot and sweaty and we carried on to then test the brakes on the downhill part of the hill.

We’ve still some time to explore the island and sample its delights as one of the reasons we are in Barbados is to sort out visas to enter the US. We’re off to the embassy on Wednesday where we’ll hope to meet the ambassador, eat some Ferrero Rocher and be granted access to America where we hope to sail later this year.




Look, look, look. We found a mermaid. (Especially for Jason, Alison, Jessica & Amelia)


The Caribbean doesn’t seem to have changed in 100’s of years with the square riggers being silhouetted in sunsets.


Iain tries some ‘local’ Danish brew and once again shows that he can’t handle his hard liquor.


Larry steps ashore for the first time in a long time and surprisingly enough straight into a bar.


Ruffian happily sitting at anchor below yet another sunset.


Power power everywhere. Ode to power. We like power. We just need to get some onto Ruffian.


The anchorage is full of wildlife, turtles, fishies and even polo ponies.


Iain’s photography lessons proved to be valuable when we went underground.


Going underground underground.


Green fields, blue skies, fluffy clouds. We like Barbados.


Cheeky monkeys of the local varieties. We never expected to find them running wild.


Only mad dogs and English men go out in the midday sun.


Larry gets introduced to the game of cricket. (Especially for Will, Tom and Glen.)


And he gets to pine after yet another beverage, but the locals seem to have heard about Larry’s reputation before he arrived. (Especially for Simon.)


Ruffian has a new kite but we thing that the 250 square meters maybe a bit big to fly.


Iain gets busy bricking the sail before setting to work making new things out of it. He’s going to be one busy bunny making bags, wind scoops, dinghy covers and anything else to use up all that material.


Our new friends, on “The Blue Peter”, get going in the ‘Restaurant Race’ as a warm up to the ‘Round Barbados Race’ on Monday.