So ol’ Babsy (shouldn’t say old coz she same age as me 🙈) was craned back into da water looking all spanky fresh n blue. Anchored back in Simpson bay…dingoed past Rajak-a cool, black piratey boat housing a French and Dutch family we keep coming across and swapped numbers. Picked up Propeller which had been with the welder. Electrolysis had caused it to decay so he had to weld a new bit back on. Still a rattle going on in the engine area but we’ve tried everything so just gunna have to live with it. Poor ol ben having mini breakdown he’s so frustrated. Piddled on down to the flea market and talked to a French couple who are sailing to Polynesia around the same time as us on a wooden boat they’ve just bought in the Caribbean. Had a lil barby on the cruisers island. Guy there called Pete was burning the roots of an invasive spiky bush to make way for fruit trees…..papaya seedlings being planted in lil pots. Fun, friendly time sharing Marshmallows with an eccentric Bulgarian carver who aint ever munched ‘em before!

After many a bad hangover in Sint marten I’ve decided after a bit of inspiration from Oneyearnobeer on Facebook to boot the booze for a year or try anyways…After me birthday I realised I’ve been binge-drinking every weekend (minus 3-4 months) for nearly 20 years- similar to many of my friends but my body has never taken it as well as them- always being sick or going Asian. Really noticed my lethargy and lack of motivation lately and have tried lots of detox’s, supplements etc over the last few years to try and make meself feel better-nuffins worked really so thinking giving up booze will be a good experiment.
Nearly got out of sint Maarten but was held up by the anchor winch not working properly...Took it to a bloke to get fixed but much da same when we got it back…bens breakdown swiftly approaching! Motor through the bridge into Marigot bay. Last bit of provisioning, a delish swim in turquoise sea’s-aint swum in a month apart from b-day as the lagoon was so scuzzy. Made a cake and chilli for the upcoming night shift so no need to cook on night shift tomoz.
Finally we leave at 16.45 on the 11/04/19…44 days after we arrived in the lagoon-feels fwwuccckin great! Rolley swell comin on the starboard (right) side makes me feel a wee bit queezy. First night shift just the 2 of us…hard as feel sick but after two 3 hour shifts each and a 2 hour shared shift we arrive in Anegada in the BVI’s at 7.30am. Beauts, deserted beach with lush water and turtles popping up to say cooey. I go back to bed for a few hours while ben naps/reads (yep ben reaaaading!) Had a walk on the beach and into a lil village-flat scrubby island…such a relaxed island, well needed change from sint maarten. Swim back to babs as benny boi rows Radda.
Take bikes and trot along the empty, main road. Great until we turn the corner into strong headwind, the road soon changing to a sandy track. Guy on a digger attempting to flatten/remove sand lolling at us! Found the Kite beach and had lil chat to local instructors….massive bay protected by reef but still pretty choppy. Ben went for a gusty kite back on our beach. Got a fire going later on and had baked tatties, baked ‘nana’s and marshys. Proper treat as our oven aint hot enough for baked tats. Barefoot run along the beach next morn before sailing past Necker (Richard bransons) island. Looking for kite spots but pretty gusty-best one in front of Richards island but don’t reckon we’re allowed there. Saw a couple of dolphins very briefly on way across. Loadsa charter boats anchored around the back of prickly pear island…totes amazeballs coloured waters.

Didn’t get up till 10am-felt fab! while ben got on with boaty jobs 😜👍 Flat, windy sail over to Tortola-cooked banana bread on the way- checked in, a long wait while a cruise boat came in made more interesting by chatting to an American bloke who captains charter boats. After a few different windows and $16.50 we were out of there. Used wifi at a bar and went for a food shop in the notoriously expensive BVI’s. No prices on the products so just went for things we hoped were cheap. After looking at the receipt we realised a bunch of bananas had cost $13! …in bloody banana land! Wtf! so it was extraordinarily good luck that some mega kind ppl stopped us on the way back to the boat offering us the remains of their stores from their week chartering a boat. Met Rick and his friends on their boat the next morn avin a chat about each other’s adventures. Lovely bloke, very enthusiastic asking questions about our journey. They gave us about 5 bags of grub and toiletries then came to look at Babs... I gave Ricks friend Brenda a book ‘Sarah Outen-taking on the world’ in which Sarah bikes through their homeland Canada and is a bloody great adventure to feast da mind. Pulled Ben up the mast which much moaning and swearing (literally dunno how he puts up with me 🤣) so he could change the anchor light. Flat sail over to Norman island- Quick snork spying lots of spiky black urchins but not much else. Only 5 other boats here... peaceful, magical feeling to the anchorage with steep cliffs and a stony beach. Had a run (mostly walking) along a rocky, grassy path to one end of the island-loadsa orange butterflies and lil lizards. Quick snork and I saw me first turtle under water on the trip so far. ‘Quick sail to ‘the Indians’ where we took a mooring ball and snorkelled around the rocks-few fish but seen better in other places. Sailed onto sandy spit- small area in-between boats to kite so had a little go but nearly stuck me kite in their masts twice one time having to release the safety so I didn’t tangle kite in mast. Ben found some waves and we had a rolley nights sleep. 4-5 hour upwind sail to Spanish town smarming ourselves through the reefs. Spoke to a bloke snorkeling with his kids…he told us they were all proficient kiters and often kite from island to island. Small provisioning, podcast downloading and weather update from restaurant in town. Sailed back to the magical anchorage at Norman and prepared boat for the passage to Panama. Boat is swinging 360 degrees in wind and we’re nearly on the beach so move to the outta bay. Couple of Angle fish on me snorkel.

Nest day we run to the other side of the island, Quick dip and shower- underway by 12pm Feeling in proper good mood and feeling lucky to be out here with da Harms. Had a feeling we’d see wildlife today-soon after a pod of pink bellied dolphinos show ‘emselves flipping and jumping about babsy. Am a bit on edge for me first night shift as had a yacht to slip past and dark clouds bringing in the winds. As I was relaxing pondering whether mermaids are good/evil/exist I nervously look over me shoulder into the depths and see phosphorescence glittering alongside-cheery moment! 🙌 Poor ol Harms weren’t getting much sleep in his time off but was "dozing" when I checked the time and saw it was my time to be on shift..lolz. 12-3am pretty easy devouring me book. Spent the next 7 days reading a LOT, listening to podcasts, baking and sleeping. Had a dip when we were about half way with no wind in 4000mtrs depth of water…very quick dip holding onto a rope trailing off bab’s stern. Calm seas for the first few days, spinnaker up going 4.5/5knts. Went through a massive blanket of weed and had to de’weed tezza’s rudder using the boat hook. De-frosted the freezer as the fridge weren’t working too well and stuff kept going off. Waking from a sweaty, dribbly nap I had me first shower on day 6---truly amazing feeling da cold-ish, refreshing water. Big waves coming up behind us, sailing fast throughout the day, put a reef in for the night but still going 6.5knts. Spotted grey dolphins visited us on the 8th day for 10-15mins…sooo clear in the deep blue waters. My last night watch was a bit bladder-dribbly as had 2 ships to avoid and we saw our first lightening over the Panamanian mainland. Ben got up and we gybed to avoid the 1st ship…me wee chicken legs were a trembling as the waves were knocking us sideways as I steered on the new gybe in da dark. Ben woke me up at 6.30am-looked out to see proper jungle covered hilly mainland and island greet us out of the mist. Immediately LOVE IT! Lots of people chilling on their decks already, as we look for a place to anchor the air is filled with sooooo much birdsong. Spot a small fin break the surface as well but not sure what it twas. Ben downs a beer to help him sleep and we have a long, glorious kipparoo till bout 2pm. Quiche for brekki!

Very humid here with cloud cover-hottest we’v been yet-constant drip from me mustache ben finds hillair! Talk to neighbors before an explore on land. Only a main road to walk along guarded by steep jungley hills and the sea. Best road walk evvvvvver though. First we spot leaf cutter ants soldiering across the earth. Massive, beautiful, varied trees everywhere-I’m literally in heaven! Hear loadsa birds chattering, coming across them in a mango tree and realise they are little green and yellow parrots-literally hundreds of ‘em! Sooooooo beautiful! Notice an avocado tree further on and pick one hanging low. Ben exclaims ‘no way-it’s Benji!’ (Fellow friend going by the name of Benguin who has sloth like features) There's only a bloody SLOTH curled up in a tree nearby! 2nd sloth I’ve seen in the wild, the first was in Guyana on a survival trip. Feeliiiing verrrrrry lucky! Different colored birds all around, one black with a bright yellow chest. On the way back we hear loud squawking and out of a tree flies 2 massive, original colored parrots. I’m literally hopping up and down in excitement for the whole walk with a mahooooosive grin and a sense of wholeness- this is ma place! Hear the impressive Howler monkeys from in the undergrowth-it just don’t get any better.
After a sweaty sleep I’m up at 7am-before ben for the first time ever- exercise sesh done in the cockpit before we go check in at the marina, leading onto a bus into Portobello for immigration. Bus is plastered with posters and large pics of who I’m guessing is the drivers baby. Get pizza and chips from a restaurant on the water front. The German owners parent to tonnes of once stray dogs, proper cute puppy with some sorta skin issue that they found in a shoe box. Few supplies and taxi back with a couple of random fellow boaters. Took babs to fuel point to fill up with water and petrol. Luckily 2 fruit n veggie trucks came by as there was nothing fresh/decent in Portobello. Bought looooads ready for our trip to San-blas. Used the free wifi from the marina and left for san-blas at 6.30 the next morn. Head wind but managed to fetch most of it. Nice n calm waters for 2nd half of the sail anchoring around 16.30. Lots of other boats surrounded by the 5 little islands and people bathing in the shallow, turquoise waters
Been sailing around the sandy, palm filled islands for 9 days, very chilled. Doing me exercises in the morn, supping around the islands and over some bright colored reefs and occasional spotted ray. Best sup was on a shallow reef where a lil turtle popped up his head and a puffa fish swam nearby. Found some green coconuts on a lil beach -As we got round the other side of the island to the mangrove lined cove we found loadsa orange and yellow starfish twinkling in the emerald waters. Defo felt like crocodile territory (which we late found out it was), saw a little stingray and a bird of prey screeching and flying around the lagoon. Proper decent like! Been searching for internet as need to check an email concerning the timing that we need to be in shelter bay for our passage through the Panama canal. Finally have luck at Povinir island-a local waving wildly at us paddles over in his dug out. Very friendly and speaks English. Ben does the talking and gives him the doller to go and get us a sim card, credit and bread from his neighbouring home island while I buy a handmade Mola from a couple of women and a kid in their dugout. Luckily he comes back with the goods…lush, still warm bread off his neighbour. Gave him a couple of beers and nuts as we try to understand the Spanish credit card-didn’t work so he paddled me over to the nearest island and interrupted his mate during lunch to work it for us. Very grateful-requested $5 for his troubles which I thought was a right ol’ deal. Proper happy, friendly, energetic bloke with 7 kids-apparently all from da same lady.🙃 Ben opens up the 3 green coconuts which have a lot of flesh inside- gunna avta freeze it there’s so much. Sail over to an island with a lot of backpackers and after a hot morning suppin and swimming we get our first real tropical rain storm with thunder and lightning- feeling very exposed on our little boat with TALL mast—eek! Have a rinse off in the rain and scrub the cockpit, then sit it out sweating inside with hatches closed.


Another day waiting out the rain before setting off to Linton bay- 3 dolphins lazing around the anchorage before we left around 7am, diving showing off their impressive tail fins. Motored most of 8 hour journey in mill pond flat waters. At least 3 large shoals of fish breaking the water with dolphins feeding on the final lot giving us a quick look over showing us their pink bellies n spotted sides. Sense of wholeness returns as we arrive at the beautiful Linton bay. Gotta say it’s predictably difficult spending all this time with just 1 other person-doing me in bit and arguments or silence are flowing after 2 months since our last vagabond (mumsky) left Babs. Longing for some friends and social contact, dancing to LIVE, decent music etc. Spose everything can’t be sandy beaches and mega wildlife though🦎🤔 . Gunna make an effort to make some friendys.
Used the Wifi at the marina to make contact with our agent and arrange the transit through Panama Canal. All sorted so go for another walk along the road seeing lots of birds, insects, mahoooosive bird-like butterflies and a dragon like epic iguana (ben saw it while I was happy snapping some ants 🐜 ) Tonnes of birdy life. Met a threesome who are also transiting the canal….social contact…wahhoooooo! Picked up some more fruit, veg n eggs from the truck and left the next morn, 6 hour motor towards the canal passing loadsa anchored ships waiting for their slot through the canal. Anchored up and took up the invite from our neighbors for happy hour. Brilliant night laughing and SPEAKING to different people….proper got me on a level again. Talkative ozzy couple who are very good at befriending everyone which is very helpful! I stayed sober coming back to babs for a late dinner and a perkier happiness
Simple procedure talking to our agent over whattsap, got the inspector onboard- originally from hong-kong he started out in panama working in the Chinese food stores that are all over the Caribbean leading onto agent work and now working for the canal authorities…seemed a right kind ol soul sweating in his uniform and rushing through the paperwork in a nervous kind of manner. All good inspection wise-just hope we can keep up 5knts motoring🤩 . Dinghy into the marina to meet with a couple who need line handlers on Saturday to help them through. Be good practice for us so sign our wee bum-holes up for da task. Another fun filled eve taking a walkies into the forest- MONKEYS jumping around, chomping on mangos and sending branches crashing to the ground. Hearing an amazing sound we carry on and ben spots (he’s very good at spotting!) tear drop shaped, grass bird nests hanging from the palms like Christmas decorations! The black birds with yellow tails are making this spectacular sound-can’t even describe it- ben has announced them as his best bird ever! Met up with the a big group again in the eve, more people joining all the time thanks to brads (ozzy) very welcoming, chatty nature. 4 friends sailing together- Irish, English and 2 ozzys were particularly funny and we spent most of the night talking to the Irish guy- very funny…..as 2 young kids got out their harp and violin playing titanic and game of thrones it was such a fucking great atmosphere, Irish guy (I’m shit with names) getting on the spoons and singing a fab Irish ditty. Me and the kids the only sober one but I defo enjoyed meself but dunno how many more nights I can do as feeling a nice lil gin would do me wonders! 🙈😁. Left at 10.30pm for a very late dins! Proper muggy and humid with rainclouds rolling in as it’s the rainy season but all is swell with new mates and family coming out soon to help us into the pacific to meet the sharks, krakens and pacific islanders!

Enjoy the summer my fellow favorite peoples…big love! xx