In 1795 Fabricius sailed to the Danish West Indies, but he could not tolerate the climate and was sent home by his senior officer. In 1797 he sailed as captain of the brig "Lougen" which was part of a squadron destined for the Mediterranean Sea. On the outward journey his ship broached in a storm in the North Sea but righted herself with four feet of water in the hold and in the cabins. Fabricius and "Lougen" returned to Copenhagen on 6 August 1799.