It could have happened in the middle of the Atlantic – imagine that. But then, I don’t suppose I would have been in a hurry in mid-Atlantic. Not like I was in a hurry after seeing off my son Hugo on the plane from Grenada back to the UK, and promptly dashing up to Antigua … Read more
Monday 20th April 2026 Just coming up to Antigua Sailing the direct route is all very well, but the wind shadows in the lee of the islands stretch for miles – and they’re not even proper shadows: one minute you’re in a flat calm, the next, you’re pulling down two reefs, and the boat’s putting … Read more
Sunday 19th April 2026 20 miles west of Dominica Wind: E2. Barometer 1016 Distance to Antigua; 98M It’s hardly going to be more than three days, but it seems like a voyage already. The last time I looked, we were doing seven knots bang on course for English Harbour. Of course, if I did … Read more
Saturday 18th April 2026 30 miles west of St Vincent Wind: NE 4. Barometer: 1013 Distance to Antigua: 212M Why does it always have to be a race? I’m on the way from Grenada to Antigua. I have 3 ½ days to do it. I should be all right, it’s 350 miles, and the trade … Read more
With enormous pride, I can tell you that my autobiography Faster, Louder, Riskier, Sexier – a Wonderful Life with ADHD, is now available on Audible, read by the inimitable Charles Robert Fox, who narrated Old Man Sailing, the Good Stuff and at least two of the Voyage books. But this is the big one. This … Read more
The consensus was that we would be mad to sail from Grenada to Carriacou on Wednesday and then all the way back again on Friday. This Caribbean wisdom was assembled around a table in the One Love Bar in Prickly Bay. The table was for four but already accommodated five old West Indies hands – … Read more
Explain to me the logic: I have a flight booked to join the family for a week’s skiing in Austria. Actually, I have three flights booked – Grenada to Toronto with Air Canada (5hrs), Toronto to Frankfurt again with Air Canada (6hrs), Frankfurt to Salzburg with Austrian Airlines/ Lufthansa (55 minutes). This is the sort … Read more
How about this: 3,747 miles in 29 days. That’s an average of 129 miles a day, or 5.4kts. That’s what you get sailing from St Helena to Grenada. It would have been faster if I’d gone inside the island of Fernando de Noronha off the corner of Brazil, but I had the twin headsails up, … Read more
After seven years and racking up 21,000 views, it is time to retire the oldmansailing “Good Health” video. I have just spent two days in the South Atlantic recording the new one, and doing a good deal of swearing every time I fluffed my lines and had to start again – including an absolute paroxysm … Read more
For those who have been following my track on Polarsteps, an explanation might be helpful. Yes, I did disappear deep into the South Atlantic for no obvious reason – and then, without any explanation, turned sharp left. And now, after a voyage of two months, two days, and 4,341 miles from the Canaries, I am … Read more
