Time to say goodbye! Selling boats is never straightforward! Since the upcoming sale of Intrepid Bear had generated a fair bit of interest we booked 2 weeks ashore as soon as we got back in order to do some underwater work, allow for viewings and for potential buyers to carry out surveys. We quickly bought a car and then a caravan to live whilst we decluttered (as well as for future breaks), and in no time at all we'd received an asking price offer. Since nothing is straightforward with boats there followed much hoop jumping, stress, 2 weeks ashore became 4 until finally it was done - she was sold! All that remained was to say goodbye and a set off on a final solo sail across familiar waters from Poole to deliver her to her new owner in the Solent. #sailing #followintrepidbear #liveaboard #sailboat #sailinglife #boating

One last battle! Finally we were off! Timing the tides and winds to get out of the Rade de Brest and into the Chenal du Four to begin our passage back to the U.K. was something of a mission. Then it was merely a matter of getting across the English Channel and back home to Poole?.or was it? Mother Nature was determined to give us one last kick up the butt?.. #followintrepidbear #sailing #sailinglife #sailing?? #sailingstories #englishchannel #sailinguk #sailinghome #saillife #sailingadventures #followintrepidbear #liveaboard

We continued our passage across the Bay of Biscay waiting for the promised wind to arrive and propel us towards our final destination?.home! We waited and waited until it finally arrived?.coming right from where we wanted to go! Should we give in and head east on whatever course we can make or beat into it pinching as high as we can? Where will we make landfall? #followintrepidbear #bayofbiscay #offshore sailing #passagemaking #sailing #sailinglife #sailingstories #seasickness #deepbluesea #ocean #liveaboard #sailboats #sailing #beatingtowindward #heelingover

Somewhere in the middle of Biscay?.? A day into our trip back across Biscay we were treated to the most incredible sight?. ?.from our latest episode on YouTube ? #followintrepidbear #liveaboardsailboat #boatlife #sailing #sailinglife #ouradventures #atsea #thebigblue #whales #biscay #sail #oceansailing #ocean

Back across Biscay?..Whales & Woes! Late June and the long awaited weather window for us to cross Biscay had finally arrived! The weather forecast was for an improving sea state and favourable winds as the passage went on, and so we set off with high hopes of making the 500nm trip back to the U.K in one 4 day passage?.. We were quite quickly reminded how tough offshore sailing can be when seasickness struck but then came the unique rewards of incredible wildlife experiences?. #followintrepidbear #bayofbiscay #offshoresailing #passagemaking #sailing #sailinglife #sailingstories #seasickness #whalesighting #deepbluesea #ocean #liveaboard #sailboats #sail

After weeks of battling up the Atlantic Coast of Spain and Portugal we finally make it to A Coruna and are now poised to set off across Biscay towards the U.K. and complete our journey home?all we need now is to watch the forecast and wait for a 4 day weather window?..and watch and wait?.and watch and wait?.. #atlanticocean #followintrepidbear #sailing #liveaboardlife #liveaboardsailboat #sailboat #crossingbiscay #biscaynebay #sailingboat #sailingvideo

The journey home was never going to be easy, making our way north to the U.K. from Gibraltar - against the prevailing winds on the Portuguese coast and always being on the look out for Orcas. Having dreaded this journey since we decided to sail back home and wrestled with her desire to opt out, the time came when it all got too much for Kate? #followintrepidbear #sailing #sailinstagram #sailstory #liveaboardlife #liveaboardsailboat #sailingnorth #offgridliving #atlanticocean #sailor #sailingstories #porto #sailinghome #saillife #seasick

Whilst "stuck" in Porto waiting for the northerlies to pass through we decided to take a boat trip and go through Europe's deepest lock?. A cruise along 60nm of the Douro River took us along the river, passing through deep locks, including the Carrapatelo Lock and up to a Quinta for a vineyard tour and some port wine tasting. All in all not a bad way to pass the time!

Solar and sunrises?.Peniche to Porto! After a short break we're back to finish the story of our journey to take Intrepid Bear back to the U.K., against the prevailing northerly winds on the Atlantic coast of Portugal and across Biscay to our home port of Poole. Join us as we sit at anchor in the busy fishing port of Peniche to wait out some northerlies. We are lucky enough to have a good solar set up that enables us to work online as well as do all our cooking on board, even running a bread maker, so being off grid here for a few days is no hardship. When the next break in the prevailing winds comes we start a series of dawn departures to make as much headway as we can, enjoying the stunning sunrises that come from@such early starts. We hope to be back on our regular fortnightly schedule now so please do stay tuned?. #followintrepidbear #sailing #sailinstagram #sailstory #liveaboardlife #liveaboardsailboat #sailingnorth #offgridliving #atlanticocean #sailor #sailingstories #peniche #figueradafoz #porto #sailinghome

As we are leaving on a jet plane bound for Thailand to start 2025's adventures it seems a good time to look back at all that we did in 2024. Sometimes it's only when you look back that you truly see all that you've done. 2024 for us has been another year of incredible adventures; from sailing ??our home from Gibraltar back to the U.K. against the prevailing trade winds, to buying a barge and navigating miles of the inland waterways to move our new home to the Midlands, and all that came between. 2025 has so much in store for us already. New adventures, by land, by water and air await! Today we're off for our first ever trip to Thailand for three weeks of amazing experiences! #followintrepidbear #boatlife #adventurebeforedementia #canalboatdiaries #sailing #liveaboardsailboat #liveaboardlife #sailinglife #widebeam #retiredbutnotexpired #retiredyoung #travelcouplelife #myboatandi2024 #ouradventures #lookback

Sail, sleep, repeat! Leaving Sines on a bright sunny morning and, with the wind forecast to allow us to continue north, we set off for Cascais. We headed out into deep water, having assessed the orca threat there as low, hoping for a good day's sail. Sadly the day turned grey and foggy, the forecast wind failed to arrive, the sea state worsened and our hopes quickly faded. We arrived into Cascais, ate, slept and set off again early the next morning with the day starting grey and foggy and the ever present Atlantic sea swell waiting to greet us. The hoped for forecast let us down initially but then the wind crept up on us from behind and we finally rolled into Peniche in building seas very ready to stop and rest for a few days to wait for some northerlies to pass by before we could carry on. #followintrepidbear #liveaboardsailboat #boatlife #liveaboard #liveaboardlife #sailinglife #adventurebeforedementia #sailing #najad #najad391

Cabo Sao Vincente - the most western tip of the Algarve before turning north towards the U.K. Approaching it again, three years after we rounded it under full sail in 30 kts, we were just a bit anxious, despite the lack of wind. The Atlantic swell felt as if it was loitering just beneath the surface ready to spring into action at the slightest breath of wind and miles and miles of coastal cliffs lay ahead making a passage within the 20m contour too risky. We rounded the Cape on high alert for anything that looked remotely like a fin....

In this episode we leave the sheltered anchorage at Culatra and head back to Portimao on the Algarve where we spent our first winter after leaving the U.K., over two years before. Our issue with dirty fuel was getting worse and the seacock for our watermaker had seized making it unusable so we needed to stop somewhere and try and fix these issues before we turned north up the Portuguese coast. With a lift out being very costly could we change the seacock with the boat still in the water? The battle for home continues?.. #followintrepidbear #sailing #sailinglife #sailingaroundtheworld #saillife #liveaboardsailboat #sailinganxiety #boatlife #cruisingsailboat #orcaalley #rioguadiana #culatra #sailingcouple #sailingstories #sailingvideo #sailingstories #sailboat

Since returning to the UK and moving to the Midlands Iain has joined the Seaforth Highlanders Leicester Pipe band. This was his first parade with and an important one being Remembrance sunday. An honour to play with a great band on such a poignant occasion

Plagues and Anxiety!?.. An unfortunate consequence of staying inside the 20m contour! Staying in shallow water in order to minimise the risk of orca interactions on the Spanish and Portuguese coast we found unwanted, and very unwelcome, visitors being blown offshore onto the boat! Plagues of bees arrived one day ? followed by mosquitoes ? the next! As if that wasn't stressful enough, making day hops rather than sailing offshore meant dealing with standing waves in the entrances to the Guadiana River and the lagoon at Culatra, setting Kate's anxiety off and leaving her emotionally drained. The battle for home continues?. We took advice from the amazing team at www.orcas.pt who have scientists studying the orcas working with them to keep advice and information on orca locations up to date. Orcas.pt also have groups on Telegram where sailors and the team share information and up to date sightings and as they pass through the hot spot areas. #followintrepidbear #sailing #sailinglife #sailingaroundtheworld #saillife #liveaboardsailboat #sailinganxiety #boatlife #cruisingsailboat #orcaalley #rioguadiana #culatra #sailingcouple #sailingstories #sailingvideo #sailingstories #sailboat

The Battle for Home Begins! In April this year, having spent 3 months in Gibraltar, it was time for us to set off and begin the journey home to the U.K. This was not a journey we were relishing but not one we could avoid if we wanted to get home. We'd spent time studying the orca interaction data and the prevailing northerly winds of the Portuguese Atlantic coast trying to determine the best time to begin the journey, as well as studying the tides in the straits and weather forecasts to determine the best day to leave. And all too soon that day was here? Come aboard and join us as we start this rollercoaster journey. We took advice from the amazing team at www.orcas.pt who have scientists studying the orcas working with them to keep advice and information on orca locations up to date. Orcas.pt also have groups on Telegram where sailors and the team share information and up to date sightings and as they pass through the hot spot areas. #followintrepidbear #sailing #saillife #sailor #thissailinglife #liveaboard #orcaalley #gibraltar #headinghome #sailingboat #straitofgibraltar #sailingstories #ouradventures #sailingvlog #liveaboardsailboat #sailingtrip

We're back! Season 4 "The Battle for Home" starts this Friday?.!! Join us as we set off and ride the rollercoaster?ahead of us lie the tidal streams of the Gibraltar Straits, the ever present threat of orcas and trying to stay within the 20m contour, fog and bad weather, the incessant Atlantic swell and prevailing northerlies and the infamous Bay of Biscay. It's a far cry from the sailing we've experienced over the past two years and a journey where we have to fight our individual battles with our fears, anxiety, tiredness, and deal with sea sickness to boot. There are highs too that keep us moving forward as we return to some of our favourite spots in Portugal as well as find some new places to explore. #followintrepidbear #sailing #sail #sailingstories #saillife #liveaboardsailboat #saltlife #sailor #sailinglife #sailingcouple #sailingadventure #sailingtrip #sailingvlog #boatlife

After 5 years, 10,000nm and 8 countries it's time to say goodbye?looking back we've had some incredible adventures, us three together, thank you Intrepid Bear! ?? This is not a goodbye post btw?we'll be back on a new boat soon ??? #followintrepidbear #sailingadventure #liveaboard #liveaboardlife #liveaboardsailboat #thissailinglife #sailing #sailor #saillife #najad #ouradventures #adventurebeforedementia #travellingcouple #travellife #medsailors #sailboatlife #sailingblog #newadventures #movingon

After just over 3 years away from Poole we finally made it home, after one heck of a final sail. #followintrepidbear #sailingadventure #liveaboard #liveaboardlife #liveaboardsailboat #thissailinglife #sailing #sailor #saillife #najad #ouradventures #adventurebeforedementia #travellingcouple #travellife #medsailors #sailboatlife #sailingblog #newadventures #movingon #lovewhereyoulive #england #greenandpleasantland #britain #home #dorset #pooleharbour #jurassiccoast #poole

Here's a snippet of what we got up to over second half of winter 2023/24?head over to YouTube to watch the full episode and the literal highs and lows of our winter as we sail to Gibraltar in the middle of winter, go deep inside the Rock of Gibraltar and up high in Andalusia ? #followintrepidbear #wintersailinginthemed #medsailing #liveaboard #liveaboardlife #sailinglife #floatinghome #gibraltar?? #andalusia #caminitodelrey #rondaspain #lovewhereyouare #exploremore #adventurebeforedementia #travelcouple #travelthroughtheworld #travelbyboat #retirednotexpired