@Ian Yes, I think they probably are a good holiday destination… Just not so much for boaters! Which is a shame, because they could be the premier stop for Atlantic crossings if they invested in infrastructure, and scrapped things like their $50 clearance fee… Nice place though, and I’m doing my best to smile at everyone
@Jane Thank you very much! Yes, a singlehanded crossing of the Atlantic… I can only aim higher! The nature of the human spirit… Never satisfied. (!)

If nothing else, you’ve completed a singlehanded crossing of the Atlantic! Which already puts you in an elite group - this isn’t something most people would even dream of doing! You should have an enormous sense of achievement, my friend, a warm fuzzy glow inside. If you don’t, hit yourself about the head a few times until you get the warm fuzzies, then live off the glow when things get rough. Believe me, those of us living vicariously share in your sense of achievement.

Many heartfelt congratulations and very best of wishes for your continued voyage. And big virtual hugs of celebration on Stage 2 done & dusted!
jane xxx

A very long time since I was in Barbados. They have done a great job of marketing themselves as a genuinely friendly holiday destination, but it seems some customs officers are the same the world over.

Unless things have changed dramatically the officialdom will be the same if not worse in the rest of the Caribbean. Grin and bear it politely as possible, with a bit of pleading as you have tried is the way I think.

Have a good sail to St Lucia

Cheers

Ian

Just thought you might want to save up for that. You’ll have trouble (wild understatement) getting into the States if you go to Cuba, and that leaves a bit of a routing problem for you.

Roger, well, I guess it’s lucky I had 60 days of food, and 90 days of water on board then, isn’t it? Also, I’m not sailing in outer-space - There is traffic out there, and in the event that I was somehow caught in a wind hole for weeks or months, I think I could call up one of the several tankers that went past me mid-Atlantic for assistance. It’s ludicrous to think I’d just sit there and starve to death. I have a sat phone and epirb, in well trafficked area. I think you’re just perpetuating fears along with everyone else that loves sea horror stories, and makes sure they warn everyone umpteen times about rare scenarios, even though 99% of Atlantic crossings are uneventful and quite successful.

That’s not to say it couldn’t happen, and one shouldn’t prepare for it - I had considerable oversupplies (and that’s 60 days of food without rationing) and was still within acceptable crossing dates according to all the authoritative sources.

Anyway, I’ve crossed with success, and thank you to everyone who has supported my efforts…

Congratulations, bloody well done and good on you mate!!

Iain.

If I remember correctly this happened in the late 90’s

You know Nick … this logbookdiary reads like humanities message to extra terrestials.
Very inspiring and humane ! … to label it: Its philosophic/natuaralism … no, better not label it.
Michael
P.S. I met Stirling Hayden at an american photographers party on Isle St. Louis n Paris in 1980 …
He was reflecting, not acting ..:-)

Keep it up, Nick! And thank you for your blog.