I have no words - woman now stranded after wanting to give birth in St Lucia (on the beach...)

[Nanny0gg]

https://www.nottinghampost.com/news/uk-world-news/new-mum-stranded-after-being-8669669

What on earth were they thinking??

@OhBeAFineGuyKissMe “ But if he was at sea then he would need to keep sailing the boat! You can’t just stop. The only way to stop is to go to shore and drop anchor”

I’m not so sure about that. I’m not a sailor, there are ways to minimise drift in deep sea: a combination of sea anchor (aka yacht drogue) plus the technique of heaving to.

But… my theory is they were actually close to shore.

The reports say “close to Rodney Bay”. They were - apparently - planning to sail from Martinique to Grenada, which is 9 hours at 6 knots, and I don’t think you’d plan to do that in one day. My theory is that they had completed the obvious 4 hour first leg, and anchored off Rodney Bay. Which I’ve read is 25-40ft, so a 12m anchor in many places.

Baby was born at 12:40am - the middle of the night. They wouldn’t have been choosing to sail through the night, so again - I think they’d already anchored off Rodney Bay for the night - then she went into labour.

They wouldn’t go ashore because she might not want to or be able to move, or because they decided a boat birth was cooler (sea frequency 🤣) or - very sensibly, if I can use the word sensible in the same sentence as any of this pair of muppets’ decisions! - she didn’t want a beach she hadn’t checked out with I believe it pretty commercial.

Why not radio it in?

Well, why would they? They don’t know proof of location will be needed. They’re freebirthers. Not the type to think coastguard need to be alerted!

Why wait over the 24 hours the hospital needed? Because they didn’t know that rule. They planned the birth in Martinique so if they researched anything, they thought they had 5 working days.

At the end of the day, we all know people who are shit at admin, and just expect it’ll be sorted out somehow. Which to be fair, it will. A government official somewhere will do a deal on the location, the DNA test will be done, and baby will get a birth certificate and British passport.

I don’t know the timing of this photo, but they’re not far out to sea.

There is a strange lack of digital presence for Iuliia ( and her sister. )

I'm starting to think about the surrogacy thing again.

Drama script incoming obviously.

Thinking about Clive " Navigation Skills" Freeman making deals with US based baby trafficers. The comedy potential.

Sopranos v Eddie Grundy

But who PAID for that boat? How much does that even cost???

Jokes aside. The poor kids.

@Testina that theory would make a lot of sense - the article I read suggested Rodney Bay was their planned destination, but if they were on their way to Grenada and had stopped over for the night, that makes more sense.

The finance of the boat is still a mystery though. Who can afford to hire a yacht for six months, with no obvious income stream?

Apparently they owe £6k on their cards.

They must of had tens of thousands in the first place.

I also wonder if the boat owners have seen this and now want their boat back knowing they won't get paid for any more hire because they can't afford it!

The finance of the boat is still a mystery though. Who can afford to hire a yacht for six months, with no obvious income stream?

Wish we could follow that money.

But who PAID for that boat? How much does that even cost???

This is what is completely boggling me. Plus is there any evidence of them having acquired sailing competency and qualifications at some time?

I wondered about some drug running under cover of the free birth but they seem such a pair of incompetents I don't think they'd be able to organise it.

So I go back to @eish view:

" I just think between them they’ve both just got free love, flower power and incense smoke between the ears."

Except then how can they afford the boat?
And what were they doing and where in the five weeks since they went out in March before the baby was born?
If she was so keen on a beach birth why not choose the beach and hunker down in an Airbnb nearby?

It's all utterly bizarre

Ahhh! what a shame. Should we start a just giving page for them. 😢😂😂

No doubt you'll be one of the gullible people donating to their GoFundMe page then.

They did choose the beach though - the boat sounds like it only came into play after they changed their mind about the beach.

Someone posted above that you only need a recreational course to take a boat. He’s a fell runner (was a bloody good one!) and in my experience of my own social groups over the years, active / outdoor / fitness stuff often go together. When I was into climbing and surging in my 20s, several of my friends had crewed as a holiday job, 2 could captain.

As for money… he’s 51. Prime age for injections of inheritance cash. But they also live in a cheaper area of the country, and there’s money to be made in yoga and sports coaching and snake oil. It sounds like he was a bloody good runner - could easily have been doing OK from coaching.

My gut feel does not need drug running to be involved!

As to boat costs - we need an AMA from a MN sailor!

So I’m not saying an expert wouldn’t say, “ah but it couldn’t be one that cheap because…” but here is a rental for a week, March 2024, no skipper. Only €700. He said they’ve got £6K on a credit card now, right? That’s from the boat, and a DNA test - not all from nappies!

I’m still putting my money on this being a couple of entitled selfish dicks with too much privilege who never thought it would go wrong - and if it did, that the British Consulate would fix it. I think they are more arrogant than thick.

I highly doubt it. The only way coaching is scalable is to produce programs, build a brand you can hire other people under, have merch. Otherwise like any other kind of personal service your income is the top limit of what people pay per hour.
I live 20 mins away from him and know quite a few people in sports coaching... they do 'OK' as in just about make the national average wage. But it's not big money.

Inheritance does make sense though. I was thinking who'd be stupid enough to spend it on this but maybe I'm overestimating them

But the British consulate should be offering them more help and getting that DNA test asap.

"You need a DNA test. This is where you can get it done."

What else is the consulate supposed to do? It's not the consul's job to make the appointment and escort them there.

But the British consulate should be offering them more help and getting that DNA test asap.

Seems like there a bit of a confusion about what a British High Commission "should "
be doing.

To be fair most of it from Clive.

I live 20 mins away from him and know quite a few people in sports coaching... they do 'OK' as in just about make the national average wage. But it's not big money.

@EldenRing4

Is it in your local press?

Fannies!!!!! Love it

So judging by the pictures there, there are enough people who know him to a degree to have someone pitching in to say what he was like.

In other discussions I’ve seen people say that they were just doing it for Instagram or the like. But they don’t seem to have much of an online presence so it’s not for that.

"But the British consulate should be offering them more help and getting that DNA test asap."

Why should taxpayers fund a concierge service catering to idiots who get into very predictable situations as a result of their own choices?

Freebirthing has quite a high mortality rate. Extremely risky: they were very lucky

Thinking about Clive " I'm a Freeman of the Country" 's Freeman's actual face.

"OK err, MrFree..Mr..Fitz..Mr..Guzai..Da..Clive... We just need Certified Copies of these documents.

Here's the List. Get it all sorted out for you. "

Freebirthing has quite a high mortality rate. Extremely risky: they were very lucky

In fairness to Iuliia she's nails.

This. Between March and the 23rd April when baby Louisa was born there is no account of their whereabouts despite knowing they hired a boat to sail to St Lucia. Which doesn't take 3 weeks!

So the birth was so quick we couldn't get off the boat doesn't really add up.

Thanks for this. Unfortunately it's the mothers name that I'm after, and can't see that bit without paying for a copy of the certificate (unless you know another way!) . Thanks anyway xx

Rude but very true. 🙈

@EldenRing4 “I live 20 mins away from him and know quite a few people in sports coaching... they do 'OK' as in just about make the national average wage. But it's not big money.”

But that’s what I mean by saying I can imagine they’d be “doing OK”.

Two working adults with NMW and let’s say no childcare costs now because their daughter is 8, they have flexible hours, and there’s always the mysterious Kristina to help out. Cheaper area of the country.

Bit of savings, bit of credit card - and a trip to Martinique (he said flights out around £609 each) isn’t completely out of their reach.

I might be way off… I’m just saying, I can see this without needing to imagine them as drug mules!