Farewell to Biggles

Peejay
Paul and Pat Marriage
Tue 22 Jun 2010 11:00

37:06.65N 08:40.55W

 

Margery will probably never forgive me for a) kidnapping her husband b) keeping him for a year or so and c) leading him astray and teaching him lots of bad habits.

 

I’m sorry your bathroom never got finished Margery but I know you’ll beat him back into shape eventually.

 

It all kicked off in May 2009 when we drove overland to Greece to start work preparing the boat for a big voyage. It finished in June 2010 when we reached Portugal via the Caribbean.

 

Barrie’s vital statistics.

 

Over 10,000 miles sailed. Crossed the Atlantic in both directions – one easy – one tough. Bragging rights earned with the West to East trip.

 

11 National boundaries - Italy, Spain, Gibraltar, Portugal, St Lucia, The Grenadines, Antigua, France, Dutch Antilles, British Virgin Islands, Bermuda

 

28 Islands – Sicily, Menorca, Formentera, Porto Santo, Madeira, Desertas Grande, Selvagem Grande, Gran Canaria, St Lucia, Bequia, Union Island, Petit St Vincent, Petit St Martinique, Palm Island,  Baradal Island, Petit Bateau, Antigua, Guadeloupe, Marie Galante, Martinique, Terre-de-Haut, Barbuda, St Maarten, Virgin Gorda, Anegada, Tortola, Bermuda, Horta

 

Swam mid Atlantic 1,000 miles from anywhere and then again in the Sargasso Sea.

 

Survived Portuguese men of war, Sargasso seaweed, 50 knot winds, 5 metre seas, the Bermuda triangle, Bermudian mopeds, maggots in the raisins and the mafia.

 

Did the entire return crossing and became a super-hero. Biggles was born.

 

Picked up lots of bad habits from the skipper – now has an appetite for dark rum and ginger ale, Caribbean women, growing a beard – the list is endless but I’ll stop there!

 

I’ll miss you mate – you’ve been a fantastic crew member – never complaining and doing lots of the jobs nobody else wanted to do. Who’s going to clean the bright steelwork now?

 

So Biggles – in no particular order - this is your life. Enjoy.

 

 

My over-riding memory of Barrie - lovingly tweaking the sails – note the lack of beard

 

 

 

Back to the start of it all – Barrie beefing up the battery bank

 

 

 

That’s a big word – I wonder what it means?

 

 

 

I’ve just thought of something – wish I could remember what it was.

 

 

Now I remember – must be having one of my lucid moments

 

 

 

Barrie showing off his 10 finger typing skills

 

 

Lots of time to grow a beard while you’re sailing

 

 

 

 

 

First 600 miles of Atlantic under the belt – arriving in Porto Santo

 

 

 

All those art evening classes paid off then!

 

 

 

I swear the cabins are getting smaller these days

 

 

 

 

Selvagem Grande – Peejay in the background

 

 

Putting Peejay’s name on the boom in Las Palmas

 

 

 

Nice tights! Las Palmas before the start

 

 

That’s the deepest swimming pool you’ll ever swim in – I guarantee it- Mid ocean

 

 

 

Ate too much on the crossing!

 

 

Exciting moment – Arriving at dawn – the other side of the Atlantic

 

 

 

Sweet success!

 

 

 

 

Beats yachting any day! Zip lining St Lucia

 

 

 

 

 

 

Baradal island - in the Grenadines

 

 

 

Another bad habit picked up from skipper – Caribbean women!

 

 

 

 

Loblolly Bay – Anegada – Skipper’s favourite beach in the world

 

 

 

See what I mean about bad habits?

 

 

 

 

 

But this was what the year was really all about! Congratulations on your achievement.

 

 

 

Biggles – the hero – Atlantic crossing – the hard way – bragging rights earned