Back Aboard

So after a year hiatus, back aboard Freebooter, currently located in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Quite a challenge moving from the house back to the boat, but accomplished. Currently spending time organising boat and re-comissioning for future adventures, and the dreaded hurricane season. Have sailing plans for the coming season albeit unspecific as yet. But still have a way to go. New Flag vessel main enroute from England. Meanwhile trying out new mobile blogging site to keep up with the latest on Freebooter! Lets see how well it works!

Summer Sail 2016

Prepping for the summer sail, departure on the weekend of the 5th of August 2016, destination Jost van Dyke/Tortola Islands of the British Virgin Islands. Journey + stay of approximatly 20 days. Currently apart swapping out batteries, and charging batteries, and installing new anchor link, followed by provisioning. Looking forward to prospect of adventure and open seas! 

Christmas in the Caribbean 3

And finally a ditty for the freebooting foray into festive frivolities of Christmas.

Christmas Cheer from the Caribbean 1

Heres wishing everyone all the best for the 2015 Christmas Season from the Island of Puerto Rico.

Back in Puerto Rico the Freebooter is chilling out to the sounds of Puerto Rican Jibaro music.

Christmas Cheer from the Caribbean 2

Some holiday carolling for those gnarly Freebooters out there. We have to make the most of these Festive Frivolities...

Review: Freebooter Aug-Sept

Sailing Adventures Ran a little offshore for the last week of the adventures after Nanny Cay. Headed for the Islands along the Sir Francis Drake Channel. Heading south from Nanny Cay headed to

So sailed to Norman Island, stayed a couple of days, sailed up past Peter Island, Dead Man's Chest and Salt Island, for a safe harbor at Cooper Island. After staying on Copper Island, and sailing the shore-boat to Salt Island for a day-trip, headed up north across the Sir Francis Drake Channel, past the east end of Beef Island, and sailed past Scrub Island to shelter in the lee of Marina Cay, the home of Pusser's Rum in the Virgin Islands.

From Marina Cay, sailed West past Greater and Lesser Camanoe, Guana Island to the North and Tortola to the south, we pushed onto Jost van Dyke. After staying over at Jost van Dyke for a while, made a ferry trip to a quick overnight visit of the US Virgin Island of St John, and the famous Cinnamon Bay and Cay.

Returning to Jost van Dyke via Sopper's Hole, Frenchman's Cay. Departed the following day for San Juan, Puerto Rico Direct, on a lovely downwind run overnight, Arrived San Juan late Saturday Evening (Sunday morning) August 9th. Marking the end of the 2015 Summers Adventures. Unfortunately, the ultimate sailing goal of 2015, was not reached. Namely of sailing to St Martin and Guadeloupe. Although this was not achieved, for various reasons, the sailing trip was enjoyable and we got to see more of the British Virgin Islands.

Nanny Cay Day 2

Stage 2 repairs all done well, rigging aligned, small deck repairs finished all ready for new adventures. Enjoying marina living, lunches and all services chandlery and everything at one spot... Except for large supermarket for provisioning. Full provisioning run tomorrow, to go off grid, along with cleaning up Freebooter full wash and clean, after the repairs, and to stow all loose items. Following day plan to head over to the Famous Norman Island, of Deadmans Bay fame and the basis of Stevensons "Treasure Island". Lots of lovely diving looking forward to taking The sailing dinghy out to reach the reefs for some snorkeling.

Nanny Cay

Appropriately named location for Freebooters to recover, rigging stage 1 repairs completed stage 2 hopefully tomorrow. The Cay marina is a bit of luxury after the last few days waiting in Road Town Harbor. Had the chance to attend the the Virgin Islands emancipation festival, and enjoy some of the local fare. Now chilling out to our own beach and the quiet waters of the protected marina and enjoying the luxuries. Freebooter is charging up and we are re-provisioned for a run through the islands on Wednesday.

British Virgin Islands

From Culebra sailed across the northern parts of US Virgin Islands and through the northern passage of the British Virgin Islands, before encountering thunderstorms and unexpected winds under Anegada Islands. Rigging concerns led to quick repair stop at Virgin Gorda Sound. Trial in Anegada Passage was unable to resolve issue, sailed on to main harbor at Tortola, to enjoy the British Caribbean, catch up on the cricket, and Freebooter pit stop to resolve rigging issue. All crew looking forward to enjoying the islands and partying through to end of week.

Departure San Juan, PR and Culebra

Raised the Blue Peter, after some last minute teething issues. Supplies and fuel loaded and departure at just before sunset from San Juan with Nick and Steve aboard. We head out to sea and tack thankfully to a ENE we made our way up the coast to the San Juan Passage just before the Cayo de Icacos. Upon crossing into the island region we proceeded past palomino Island and tacking up through the protected waters under the cordillera and the barriles made our way to Cayo Lobo and Lobito, past Isla de Pena against an ESE and down to Culebra to anchor and for some R & R at the Ferry entrance bay. Unfortunately despite numerous attempts found the bay to have very poor holding, we moved on to the south of the island up into Ensenada Honda to anchor. Heading out tomorrow to the sail through the Virgin Islands and onto St Martin.

Freebooter Preparing to Depart

Yes the time has come, Freebooter is preparing to Depart again fro the Lesser Antilles on the weekend of the 17th of July 2015. Expected Destinations include St Marteen and Guadeloupe,  although possible stops at  any of the following St Barts, Saba, St Kitts and St Nevis, Montserrat, Antigua & Barbuda. The adventure awaits...

Freebooter is back

So Freebooter has been living a protected life in the marina the last few months so been taking her out for a turn in the Bay of San Juan and a stay on a mooring, and on Friday Freebooter left Harbour again for the high seas... Sailing the north eastern half of Puerto Rico, along with  the Icacos Cayo and Palomino Island. Our ultimate destination Puerto del Rey in Eastern Puerto Rico. Islands have provided a lovely if not long needed respite, albeit much work in the week ahead, as Freebooter will be careened, polished primed and anti-fouled for another year of sailing adventures. Hopefully, also resolve some lagging issues and give Freebooter some much needed TLC. Also took the latest addition to the Flotilla, TT2 (Tender To Freebooter 2) a snappy little 8 foot hard dinghy, with oars and its own little mast and sail set to hit the lesser seas for a spin to Palomito Island just off Palomino Island (an area surrounded by reefs to shallow for Freebooter). In short its been a lovely trip, Freebooter has been keeping up good form, and crew have been great fun, weathering all and complaining none, so definitely on the list for new adventures this year.

Piratey Xmas Wishes

A little Xmas Song for Ye all

Piratey Xmas

Virgin Gorda

So after some brief rain squalls headed out from road town harbour,  tortola, for the Sir Francis Drake Passage, tacking between the channel islands (Salt, Copper and Ginger islands) to Spanishtown on Virgin Gorda, our last island before heading to Anguilla. we explored Spanishtown and watched the semi-finals at the bath and turtle. On Sunday morning headed up to North Gorda Sound, a protected area of water between the islands of Mosquito, Prickly Pear and Virgin Gorda. After a few issues bringing up the anchor we had a lovely sail up the west coast of Virgin Gorda before tacking into the North Gorda sound.  Once in the Sound  we took up a mooring for a couple of nights right in front of the scenic island resort of Saba and just a quick row away from the infamous Bitter End yacht Club. Will be watching the quarter finals of the world cup on tuesday, before heading off across the Anegada passage to Anguilla and St Martin, which will mark our official entrance into the Leeward Islands.

Tortola and Jost van Dyke

First stop of the Caribbean cruise. Sailed from San Juan, (two large tacks into the Atlantic across the top of Puerto Rico and the islands to the virgin islands. Sailed past St Thomas and St John to Jost van Dyke for overnight and to clear customs. Following day ran the passage of Tortola to sail into anchorage in the capital Road Town. Chilling out to catch the football game and see off our third crew member (Steve) who joined us for his first overnight sailing trip. Hope he gets back ok. One more day and off to the islands again.

Freebooter 2014- Caribbean Cruise

Well finally the time has come- Freebooter is on the move again after a nice year doing small trips around San Juan. With great Forecast Freebooter and her crew, both new and old, will be heading out to the British Virgin Islands and then on to selected Islands of the Leeward Island Chain. In short after a brief trip to Tortola, we'll go where the wind takes us to enjoy the fruits of sailing the Caribbean.

Plan departure date is the morning of the 28th of June, and cruise is anticipated to last approximate 15 days. Further photos, and adventures will be posted as the journey unfurls...and as contact with the civilization, dictated by the access to the internet, allows.

Wishing everyone fair winds and a following sea...

Blog Page Operational Again

G'day All,

Its Captain Ash from Puerto Rico, All goes well. Good news, Site issues have been resolved and currently reformatting web page and including some new and old information, particularly images. Keep watching for latest details, Future plans include a summer sail and Caribbean exploration and joining local regattas and races.

Ash

Columbus Day Open Day

Columbus Day Approaches,
To commemorate, an impromptu Freebooter open day where all who are interested can come visit and check out Freebooter her captain and her travels.
Drinks and social provisions (aka snacks) will be availaible on board and freebooter will be sporting full colours.
All are welcome, Freebooters, captains, scurvy crew, pirate maidens and landlubbers alike.
Moored at the Club Nautico De San Juan all are welcome on Saturday the 12th of October 2013, between midday and sunset (12:00-19:00).
If any queries don't hesitate to contact the captain at Freebooter@zoho.com* .
*Further contact details available on request.

Interruption of Image Content

Caution:- Land Locked Pirate

To all aspiring Freebooters out there, no need for concern, Freebooter is still doing well and further adventures await. Apologies however for the intermittent issue with the images and figures not being visualized, apparently theirs been some change in the blogger server that has collapsed the links to the images. This will be rectified in due course and more content will be added, both about our previous journey, now complete, and the overall brief to be added to the Periplus, and future adventures. 

All will be pleased to know that the expected tropical storm, alluded to in the previous blog, blew itself out. After shutting down the island though. In any case fingers crossed that the possibilities of Hurricanes hitting Puerto Rico this year, has come to an end. Currently assembling a crew for the coming seasons Caribbean Regattas so if anyone is interested please contact the Captain.

Heres wishing one and all, fair winds and a following sea.

Captain Ash