13:05.51N  59:36.92W

It always seems to happen, when we finally arrive somewhere it takes me a while to let you know we got here! Partly it's because we go plomp, partly because there's so much to do, and partly because we're waiting 'till we've got internet, or got pictures. So, sorry for those of you who were waiting with bated breath, now you know for sure: we did it! We made it across the Atlantic to Barbados, mon.

It was a straightforward night time approach, no problems, round to Carlisle Bay, Bridgetown, where we anchored for the night. We were straight over the side to swim in the wonderfully warm clear water that we'd been desperate to jump into for weeks, then after popping the Cava we slept well in the almost still boat. Next morning we woke up to find ourselves in a beautiful white sanded bay, with the sound of Big Ben ringing from a clock on the town hall. There were Frigate birds instead of Arthur and Wilson. We had to go around to the harbour to check in. We radioed them to ask if it was ok and they said to come and berth next to the cruise ship!! We went in to this huge harbour, and went alongside a giant bumper sort of thing, but the surge was vicious, pounding us against the side, and within a few minutes it had tipped us and thrown us against the pad so hard that it bent over a whole section of the caprail. Not nice. Finally a linesman turned up and directed us to another area with less surge. 

The health, passport and immigration officials had just gone off in a launch to a ship at anchor so we had a bit of a wait before getting our wonderous  'Lochmarin' Barbados passport stamps. 

Then it was back to the anchorage, to swim again, then go ashore, after getting the sails packed away, the awning up and a little of the debris cleared away below. Others like to swim in the bay too, the stable hands bring the horses down to ride along the beach then go for a cooling swim in the sea. Can't say I blame them!