Your choice of beverage can paint a picture of your whole lifestyle. Iain is very much a warm brown beer man, which is best supped by a comforting fire in a thatched pub. Fiona on the other hand is always a surprise, opting for tipples as varied as it’s possible to be, making it impossible to read her mind. Our great friends, RoD, NoD & DoD, are in the opulent Veuve Clicquot camp and they took us wholeheartedly into this Veuve world.

We sailed south from the unspoiled paradise of Barbuda and knew we were entering the world of Veuve. Superfast internet beamed into Ruffian while we were far offshore and we were overtaken by 66m yachts that dwarfed everything around them. Entering Falmouth Harbour we were overwhelmed by this world as we could hear glasses being clinked on the sandy beaches and all around us towered masts that would be sporting red lights come dusk.

Retreating from this world we headed to St Johns for our first ‘shop’ since leaving America in November. Here the refined sounds of clinking glasses were replaced by blasting reggae music and instead of the manicured smells from restaurants our noses were overwhelmed by the smoke from BBQ’s which entered our every pore.

The ‘supermarket’ was as alive as the street and the full of local delicacies, but little else apart from empty shelves. Chickens feet poked out of cellophane wrappers and cheese that was so yellow it looked radioactive vied for our attention.

Back in Falmouth the main event was upon us. RoD, NoD & DoD were at ‘the place to be’, Catherine’s, right on the beach and home to the rich and famous. RoD & DoD bounded down the beach with beaming smiles and greeted us like long lost friends, while NoD sat looking regal with a smile that made RoD's & DoD’s look like mere grins. Seeing the OD’s was simply amazing.

With the ice buckets full to the brim cooling their contents we sat on luxurious beach chairs and staff fluttered around us. This was not the usual state of affairs for those from Ruffian as budget always comes before comfort, but this was the Veuve world and we were happy just to ‘fit in’.

The perfect accompaniment to Veuve is a boat and the OD’s were bound, with us, for the idyllic surroundings of Green Island. As we enjoy going upwind about as much as the jet set like seeing their Veuve bottles empty we left the OD’s to obtain their boat and left at dawn before the trades set in.

Ruffian was now nestling in waters that shone, our primary company were the fishies that frolicked around the reefs and were fascinated by Thug as he motored around the shallows. Everywhere we looked we found deserted beaches and when they weren’t deserted they were occupied by the ‘Veuve set’ who’d been dropped off on them for the afternoon by ‘their staff’. What the staff couldn’t book were the fishies and turtles who were as happy to play with us as anybody.

The OD’s never fail to surprise and from their yacht they buzzed around us on a rib that was bigger than Ruffian. Goodbyes are always sad and this was the saddest of all, we were bidding a fond farewell the OD’s and a connection to our old life, but that connection is now only 8 months away.

Phew. That’s not got a fin and there’s not a cello playing in the background.


You buddy are just one of thousands.


And you are not to be messed with.


Thug goes on an offshore expedition.


It’s not often that a J Yacht looks small, slow and inelegant.


Hmmm. That’ll be the august vintage then.


Everyone loves a rainbow.


Iain sews a prototype raincatcher. That means there will be no rain.


Larry joins the jet set. Glass of Veuve anyone?


The polishing is never ending.


Woohoo anther sunset.


Ah. It’s a species of bluefish. It’s a fish and it’s blue.


Just keep swimming.


The wonderful world of the underwater wildlife.


Wow. More lovely beaches.