EXCLUSIVE: Couple stranded on a boat in the Caribbean Sea for eight days reveal terrifying ordeal with four metre waves and dwindling food supplies after borders slammed shut to slow the spread of COVID-19

  • Rachel Byrne and Stevie Sutton lived their dream lives in Sydney for three years
  • The couple left Australia in November to travel South America for six months
  • They were sailing from Colombia to Panama when the COVID-19 crisis erupted
  • With borders shut, they were stranded in the Caribbean Sea for eight days
  • The treacherous water threw up unpredictable currents and four metre waves 
  • Food supply dwindled, sails and engine broke and they were constantly seasick
  • Coronavirus symptoms: what are they and should you see a doctor?

Rachel Byrne and Stevie Sutton were on the adventure of a lifetime in South America when COVID-19 was declared a pandemic

Rachel Byrne and Stevie Sutton were on the adventure of a lifetime in South America when COVID-19 was declared a pandemic

Rachel Byrne and her boyfriend Stevie Sutton spent three years living their dream in Sydney, working hard from Monday to Friday and enjoying surf lessons, boat parties and the best of what Australia has to offer in their spare time.

The Irish nurse, 26, and British builder, 25, said goodbye to their life Down Under in November to spend six months on the adventure of a lifetime across South America, a journey which would take them to the desolate desert of Bolivia, the elegant streets of Argentina and the pristine beaches of Brazil.

But with less than half their adventure behind them, coronavirus was declared a pandemic on March 11 prompting dozens of countries to close their borders to overseas visitors while dozens more ordered their citizens home without delay.

National borders slammed shut while Ms Byrne, Mr Sutton and 14 others were aboard a catamaran sailing from Colombia to Panama, leaving the boat and all its passengers stranded in the Caribbean Sea just a few short kilometres from shore.

With the sands of Panama's San Blas Islands in clear view, they were forced to turn back for Colombia, a notoriously challenging route infamous for strong winds, unpredictable currents and waves as high as four metres - the same height as an adult giraffe.

With a thrilling story line straight from a movie, the couple have shared their remarkable ordeal with Daily Mail Australia, which saw them endure eight days of dwindling food supplies, ripped sails, broken engines and an unforgettable amount of sea sickness before their eventual rescue by the Colombian coast guard.

Rachel and Stevie enjoyed a few short hours on Panama's San Blas Islands before being ordered to return to Colombia by the Panamanian authorities (pictured together in the waters off the San Blas on March 14)

Rachel and Stevie enjoyed a few short hours on Panama's San Blas Islands before being ordered to return to Colombia by the Panamanian authorities (pictured together in the waters off the San Blas on March 14)

Panama's federal police (pictured boarding the vessel) were forced to turn the boat around as international borders slammed shut to slow the spread of COVID-19 in mid-March

Panama's federal police (pictured boarding the vessel) were forced to turn the boat around as international borders slammed shut to slow the spread of COVID-19 in mid-March

Ms Byrne and Mr Sutton had visited many of South America's most iconic attractions between November and early March, including Peru's Rainbow Mountain, the Christ the Redeemer statue overlooking Rio de Janeiro in Brazil and the Patagonian mountains in Argentina.

But it was the San Blas Islands, with their turquoise waters and unspoiled sands still untouched by commercialisation, which were to be the highlight of their trip.

They booked two seats on the 'Ti-Vaou' catamaran to sail 28 hours from Cartagena, on Colombia's Caribbean coast, to the San Blas off the north coast of Panama, keeping an eye on the unfolding COVID-19 crisis as their departure date drew nearer.

With the virus casting mounting uncertainty over international travel, the couple contacted their travel agent the day before the trip and were repeatedly assured the Panamanian authorities would allow them to enter from the sea.

They set sail on Thursday, March 12.

But almost 28 hours and 374km into their voyage, with the sands of the San Blas in clear view, the captain announced they had been refused permission to dock -leaving them with no choice but to sail immediately back to Colombia.

The San Blas Islands were to be the highlight of their South American experience (Rachel is pictured at a pool in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in December 2019)

The San Blas Islands were to be the highlight of their South American experience (Rachel is pictured at a pool in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in December 2019)

Ms Byrne and Mr Sutton had visited many of South America's most iconic attractions between November and early March, including Machu Picchu in Peru (pictured)
They also trekked across Peru's colourful Rainbow Mountain (pictured)

Ms Byrne and Mr Sutton had visited many of South America's most iconic attractions between November and early March, including Peru's Rainbow Mountain (right) and Machu Picchu (left)

Negotiations in rapid Spanish between the captain and coastguard gave the boat clearance to moor on the San Blas for three days, provided the passengers booked flights from Panama City to their home countries during that time.

They were mere hours into their three day window when the authorities returned to escort them from Panamanian waters after the government issued new instructions which forced them out of their jurisdiction.

'We had heard real nightmarish stories about the route back to Colombia, so we were all dreading it,' Ms Byrne told Daily Mail Australia.

After a treacherous voyage of more than 60 hours, twice as long as their journey to Panama, the Ti-Vaou reached the outskirts of Colombian waters - only for the engine to sputter and fail while ferocious wind tore holes in both of the boat's two sails. 

'It went from messed up to comical to absolutely terrifying,' said Ms Byrne. 'People were crying and the waves were relentless.'

The Ti-Vaou spent hours sailing round in circles before the Colombian coastguard toed it closer - but not in to - the port of Cartagena, leaving the damaged vessel at anchor in the bay while the authorities debated its fate. 

Rachel and Stevie were stuck on the Ti-Vaou for eight days without electricity, running water or WiFi while food supplies dwindled and phone batteries died

Rachel and Stevie were stuck on the Ti-Vaou for eight days without electricity, running water or WiFi while food supplies dwindled and phone batteries died

Ms Byrne and Mr Sutton's catamaran was just one of many boats stranded after being refused permission to dock by South American officials earlier this month as their countries went into lockdown to slow the spread of coronavirus.

Ships carrying Australians and a host of other nationalities were prevented from docking in Chile, Peru, Brazil and Ecuador leaving thousands of tourists in limbo.

The coastguard arrived the following morning with fresh water, beer and news that none of the passengers - who were from an array of countries including Australia, Ireland, Switzerland, the Netherlands and the UK - would not be allowed back into Colombia.

A bureaucratic spat had erupted between Cartagena's port authority and the Colombian immigration department, with the former in support of the beleaguered travellers and the latter refusing to grant them access.

'We had no electricity, no running water, no WiFi and no data, so we were trying to hotspot off the captain's phone the whole time to contact our embassies - 16 people trying to use one hotspot is mental, it doesn't work,' Ms Byrne said.

The group spent three days pleading for help from their respective embassies while supplies ran critically, phones died and morale reached an all time low.

The couple were helped from the boat, taken for medical checks and immediately escorted to the airport by federal police to begin their long journeys home (Rachel is pictured awaiting her medical clearance in the port of Cartagena, Colombia after eight days at sea)

The couple were helped from the boat, taken for medical checks and immediately escorted to the airport by federal police to begin their long journeys home (Rachel is pictured awaiting her medical clearance in the port of Cartagena, Colombia after eight days at sea)

The couple said they were fortunate to have spent the ordeal with 'the most positive people' from all over the world who made 'the best out of a very bad situation' (the group is pictured before setting sail from Cartagena)

The couple said they were fortunate to have spent the ordeal with 'the most positive people' from all over the world who made 'the best out of a very bad situation' (the group is pictured before setting sail from Cartagena)

After diplomatic negotiation and eight torturous days on board, Colombian officials allowed the Ti-Vaou to dock on condition that all passengers take flights from Cartagena to their home countries that same day.

Ms Byrne, Mr Sutton and the rest of the group were helped from the boat, taken for medical checks and immediately escorted to the airport by federal police to begin their long journeys home. 

The couple said they were fortunate to have spent the ordeal with 'the most positive people' who made 'the best out of a very bad situation'.

They are currently self-isolating at Ms Byrne's home in Dublin, Ireland, where they will remain for the duration of the country's two-week lockdown aimed at flattening the curve of COVID-19.