Well we gone n done it…This is how we rolled for 21 days and cwoooor did we roll!
Our shift pattern recommended by droid was alternating so we swapped our night shifts every other night

Day 1 Day 2
05.00-09.00 Amy +Ben Droid and Andy
09.00-12.00 Droid and Andy Amy and Ben
12.00-15.00 Amy +Ben Droid and Andy
15.00-18.00 Droid and Andy Amy and Ben
18.00-21.00 Amy +Ben Droid and Andy
21.00-01.00 Droid and Andy Amy and Ben
01.00-05.00 Amy +Ben Droid and Andy

Worked really well making each night and day a wee bit different and every other day catching the sunrise. Droid pre-made dinner for the first night so we wouldn’t have to worry about that as the first day or 2 can be a bit sea sicky. Andy was the only one who suffered mainly on the 3rd day not managing his dinner and having to go to bed. Droid kindly did his night shift. Lots of fishing going on, some getting away but had a few meals of Dorado inc dorado kedgeree and risotto. Droid is very keen on fishing and they all get pretty excited while I hide below once it’s on deck avoiding the blood n guts.
Barometric pressure dropped on the 2nd day which could indicate bad weather. Luckily a ship was in range so Ben radioed them and they gave us a weather report…we all good.

Halo’s around the sun and stars by night…Very peaceful doing the night shifts as calm with little wind. Been motoring but I block this out with me headphones. Keep tearing up as I think about events and people I don’t always have the head space to let in … me emotions are going wild in this wild world.
Very special moments- 4 days in some dolphins sidle up to the boat and 1 gives the best jump at least 3 meters out of the water wagging his tale to get more height and looking right at us grinning! Later Ben hears a whale blow and a huge fin crosses the bow of the boat..next a mother and calf surface on the port side right next to babs. ORCAS!! Lifelong dream accomplished! Proper incredible as we see them glide off into the dusk.

Next day was Benny bois bday! Made him a carrot cake and lasagne for dins. Gave him a couple of shitty lil prezzis… the whales were his real prezzi I’d conjured up…mwahhahaha. Still motoring and everyone’s hoping to hit the trade winds soon! Not sleeping all that well due to engine being an arms distance away from me beddykins. All got our separate beds as on different shifts. Droid up in the front, Ben and Andy in the saloon on couches and moi (queenie) in the pilots berth (best for engine noise and a cool breeze through the hatch)
On the 6th day I baked me first white loaf-everyone’s talking about how we aint gunna lose any weight with my cooking…lolz- I’d been counting on losing weight this trip as droid says you generally do on crossings. Woopsy! Finished me 2nd book of the trip enjoying the sunbathing weather.
7 days after leaving droid unblocked the toilet and instigated mass washing of bodies. Felt lush chucking buckets of sea water over meself sitting on the overturned dinghy at Bab’s bow. Ben and Andy start on making a cockpit table and Andy joined me in 1 of only 2 butt and core workouts we managed on this very rolley polley trip across the ocean. He then requested some music to be put on…Andy Harman!... who likes peace and quiet while sailing!...changed man…his beards growing nicely aswell. Droid opting out of a beard off. 🧔
Wind is finally here nearly a week after starting…feels grand having the engine off but the rolls are more frequent. Doing 6-7knts and we’ve kept this up for over a week. Started taking a pro-biotic hoping it’d help my digestion but made me unusually tired so quit after a few days….think it’s die-off symptoms but can’t handle it on this crossing so will try another time.

Me and droid have been doing most of the cooking so I showed Ben and Andy how to make bread …came out good but neither have offered to do it again..lolz like father like son…one (sporadic) dish wonders. A strap has been put across the galley to keep us from flying all over the place while trying to make meals…way better-at least 70% less frustrating.
My ipad which I’v had for years and years has finally broke so music is limited..taken to reading me book by red head torch on me night shifts if calm enough. We’ve split our shift team so only doing 2 hours each on a 4 hour shift so getting lots of sleep in. Did me 1st bit of washing 12 days in as totes out of pants. Lots of wind and white crests, 2 reefs in the main sail. Found another dried up flying fish on the foredeck. Seen tonnes of them flying across the water..look just like tiny lil birds.
Defo feeling the need to stretch me limbs and use them how they sposed to be used-long strides and swimming, looking forward to land. Had another wash in the cockpit as my hair was more matted than I’ve ever known it…took bout half hour (harms helping) to get through the knots with conditioner and a tangle teezer! Have kept it in a tight plait ever since coated in coconut oil!
2 weeks into the trip we finally see whales again just before dusk cruising around the boat. They came back the next day-2 of them circling the boat and riding the waves. Droid reckons they were Fin whales and stayed for about 3 hours surfacing right next to the boat and swimming underneath. At one point, while surfaced a couple of arms reaches away I saw the blow hole contract as he breathed…like a big ol’ bum-ole…and barnacles on his skin…truly incrediblllaaaah!

Fresh fruit and veg has lasted pretty well. Still got a bit left on day 17 (Gorging on Vege wellington, all da trimmings and apple crumble) we’ve eaten like fat bastards!! Got frozen fruit and veg when we run out and me mums delish dried fruit she made us. All day sweat fest was had today as the toilet was blocked…not happy boys on the road to fixing it…I luckily had the ‘cooking excuse’ which got me out of it nicely. Caught a massive dorado which was too big for us and he luckily managed to get away.
Made a Grenada flag out of a rag and fabric pens…looks ooooo.k as longs as its far away up the rigging. Andy fried up some flying fish he'd harvested off the deck in the morning-Everyone quite enjoyed them but bit bony and scaly for moi liking. Did a bit more motoring in the night and spinnaker by day 2 days before arriving and a bit of rain came our way .My last night shift was the most beautiful full moon iv ever seen. (I felt like I was in Enid Blyton land) truly magical! Setting just as the sun started to rise. Land spotted at 6.30am on Saturday the 22nd of December 2018…wahooooo. I had a lil sleepette as knackered and woke to a beautiful green, hilly island in front of us! As we sailed into prickly bay we saw Jane (Bens mum) and co waving and jumping up n down by the lighthouse. Real exciting and a mega welcome to delicious Grenada. Anchored up and jumped straight in for a swim in slightly murky, green water…fucking heaven! Boys got dingoe ready and we signed into immigration. It’s rum time mofo’s…Lil congrats crew rum back on babs before meeting all the fam in the beach bar leaving us all pretty wonky!

An amazing 21 days…Didn’t know I could sit down so much..got through about 5 books and put on 1.5 inches round my belly button (blaming this on my upcoming period).. Gotta stop with my man portions…lolz. Droid losing 3 inchs in total. Seeing Whales was the most incredible thing ever and having the delish nights all to yourself was pretty frikin special! Feel very lucky n privileged…thanks to everyone for their support…hope to see some more of you out here soon!
Big love me ol’ bum chuckles.