Spot the difference; Statia, St Marteen, St Barts, St Kitts, Nevis, White Rhino, Antigua, Guadalupe. White Rhino? Don’t be ridiculous, that would be way too obvious. The odd one out is Guadalupe. What makes this different is that we had close encounters with all the rest as we battled upwind from the BVIs to our final destination of Guadalupe, all ready to meet, our friend and legendary sailor Pip Hare as she completes the most bonkers of races across the Atlantic, the MiniTransat.

With our engine finally happy and with an email from Chris Parker we made the decision to leave the sanctuary of the BVIs and head to any number of destinations en route to Guadeloupe. Any journey heading east in the Caribbean isn’t easy and this was going to be particularly hard as sleep on Ruffian the night before we left was very limited. It was like trying to sleep inside a disco which was inside an engine. Ashore the music pumped until the wee hours and we were surrounded by charter boats which ran their generators all night.

In a sleep deprived state we left the Bitter End Yacht Club with high hopes of an easy passage and we motored along in only 5 knots of wind with flat warm seas. This was all about to change. Quick as a flash we were engulfed in a squall that went on forever. The wind built and built and the rain fell out of the sky as heavy as when Noah was building his Ark. As Iain sat outside driving Ruffian the rain felt like needles were being driven into his skin and his hands were so wet they turned into those of a 90 year old, all this while Fiona cowered downstairs looking for any cover from the wind and rain she could find.

We thought that things couldn’t get any worse but suddenly the skies were lit from horizon to horizon with lightening and thunder boomed so loudly that Ruffian was shaken to her core. Fiona busied herself downstairs filling the oven with all our expensive electrical equipment and as she did so she discovered that the galley window was doing a great impression of a sieve. Water was pouring in. From her cover she bravely ventured out into the lashing rain, screwdriver in hand and tightened up all the screws. Then BOOM. It was raining so hard and there was so much water on deck her lifejacket inflated and she looked like the Goodyear blimp.

With the hours passing we finally emerged out of the edge of the squall, soaked though, seasick and very unsure of our destination. There were many options as to where to stop, but we needed to get east and didn’t want to go through the stress of anther night entry. We came to St Marteen in pitch darkness and pressed on through all the cruise liner traffic and made for Antigua. If we didn’t make Antigua in daylight we’d be pressing on yet another 60 miles to Guadeloupe. Antigua was the ideal as we really wanted the chore of going upwind to be over, dry ourselves out and get some well deserved rest.

The race was on and we had competition in the form of White Rhino, a big powerful Swan. She blasted past us and was close enough for us to see the whites of the skipper’s eyes. Our eyes however were firmly on the countdown to sunset and the ticking down of miles. As sunset came, after a great turn of speed, we found ourselves happily anchored in Antigua ready for some rest and knowing we had just a ‘short hop’ to Guadeloupe.

As the sun rose a revitalised Iain sprung up and started doing his chores readying for the 60 mile sail, Fiona however was still content with having more sleep and was most disappointed to remember the new plan involved an early start and making for the most northerly of the French islands. The sail was blisteringly quick and dry, but was marred by Fiona having an impending sense of doom, perhaps brought on by her new impediment, sea sickness, or the fact that we were now bound for an Island that is nicknamed ‘The Cursed Isle’ on Ruffian after our last visit.

In Guadeloupe we knew that we’d finally arrived in France in the sun, as we are surrounded by boats that don’t show anchor lights, men who feel Speedos are compulsory evening attire and shipwrecks that are considered ocean going vessels. The main point of being here however is in preparation for seeing Pip complete her 2013 MiniTransat campaign and giving her a massive long awaited hug.

This is not what we are used to. Where are the blue seas and sunshine?


There be yet more rain in them there clouds.


Finally finding our way into an unlit unmarked bay.


When oh when will we have a non howling passage.


Goodbye Antigua. Short and sweet.


Hello Guadeloupe.


And we are given a sensational sunset.