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Back to Boat Life (and a Whirlwind of Family Hugs!)

So, it's been a tad quiet on the Halcyon Sea front for the past week, and for a very good reason: we've been playing "Planes, Trains, and Automobiles" (minus the planes, thankfully!) as we embarked on a whirlwind tour of the UK, reconnecting with our wonderful family. Think of it as a high-speed interlude in our slow-paced nautical adventure! The mission? To shower all our immediate family with hugs – a mission almost entirely accomplished, with just a few more embraces on the horizon before we finally cast off from Ipswich.

Let's rewind a week to Wednesday, May 7th. Nick became a temporary landlubber, hopping on a train to Whittlesey, the current residence of our four-wheeled friend. The trek to Ipswich station provided a decent dose of pre-train cardio, but the journey itself was surprisingly smooth. Then, the joyous reunion drive back to Ipswich, ready to collect Tracey, Pepper (the ultimate travel companion), and what felt like the entire contents of our floating home packed into various bags.

Ah, but the anticipated happy reunion aboard Halcyon Sea was… slightly overshadowed. Upon Nick’s return, he was greeted by a sight that could only be described as "Tracey Unchained!" The seemingly simple task of strategically repacking for our land excursion had devolved into a full-blown cabin crisis. Picture this: the one essential item Tracey absolutely needed was nestled deep within the bowels of our low-ceilinged back cabin, requiring a contortionist's skills and the prior evacuation of approximately half the cabin's belongings just to gain entry. What followed can only be described as a flurry of flung items, the tragic snapping of innocent plastic coat hangers, and a level of frayed nerves that could rival a tangled fishing net. Not the serene start to our weekend getaway we had both envisioned. For the second time on this voyage (Dover still holds the dubious honor of first place), the siren call of dry land and a stationary home echoed loudly in our minds. However, once the elusive treasures were finally unearthed and the cabin bore a vague resemblance to its usual organised chaos, the monumental task of loading the car commenced. And isn't it always the way? A fully loaded trolley coinciding perfectly with low tide, transforming the marina gangway into what felt like a near-vertical assault course. We were practically Olympic athletes before we even reached the car park!

Speaking of our four-wheeled steed, the sensory whiplash of transitioning from a leisurely 5 knots on the water to a breakneck 70 mph on a jam-packed motorway was quite something! Surrounded by a blur of traffic that appeared to be operating on warp speed, even a simple bladder break required a strategic (and slightly panicked) pit stop at the services. The supposed hour-and-a-half drive stretched into an eternity, with Tracey's knuckles maintaining a grip of steel on anything within reach. Finally, sweet relief! We arrived at Teresa and Martin's, our incredibly welcoming home-away-from-floating-home for the next couple of nights. Their hospitality was a true balm to our travel-weary souls, providing not only comfortable beds but also the glorious opportunity to conquer Mount Laundry! A brief but deeply appreciated visit with Kathy, Tracey's mum, was also squeezed into the schedule.

Friday saw us hitting the road again, destination: Liverpool! A 2 pm arrival was crucial, as Nick and his son Olly had a long-overdue (seriously, the man was starting to resemble a head like a burst couch) barbershop appointment courtesy of Olly. A glorious Greek feast with the family followed, punctuated by a few celebratory tipples at our Airbnb before we finally succumbed to the lure of sleep, ready for Saturday's big event: Jess's 30th birthday extravaganza!

Saturday was all about celebrating the wonderful Jess, Olly's other half. While Jess was busy transforming her chosen venue into a party paradise and attending to her own pre-celebration glam, we ventured into town for breakfast and those last-minute party essentials. Once back at the house, the rest of the Liverpool contingent arrived: Andy, Marie, Sophie, Paige, and Val! Pre-party drinks flowed freely, followed by a communal pizza feast orchestrated by the ever-organised Lauren (Nick's daughter) as everyone took their turn navigating the two surprisingly efficient bathrooms shared by our rather large and excitable crew, also including Matt and Elsie (our adorable granddaughter), Steph and her girls Maddie and Amelia, and the lovely Sandra and Tony. Against all odds, everyone emerged looking fabulous and a fleet of Ubers whisked us across town to the City Wine Bar. Jess had truly outdone herself with the decorations, and a fantastic playlist curated by her niece set the perfect party vibe. Surrounded by a sea of loving friends and family, the atmosphere was electric, a true testament to the wonderful person we were celebrating. A truly fantastic evening of laughter, dancing (well, some of us!), and general merriment ensued!

Sunday dawned with the familiar ritual of packing (again!), followed by a convoy heading to Olly and Jess's apartment overlooking the beautiful Sefton Park. Olly had arranged a charming breakfast picnic in the park! Armed with picnic chairs, blankets, and a strategically erected tent to protect the culinary delights from any rogue park squirrels, we enjoyed a leisurely breakfast, watching Jess open her presents from the family in the glorious sunshine. As Monday loomed for most, the farewells began, but we were lucky enough to snag a few more precious hours with Jess and Olly before heading to Pat and Tony's (Jess's amazing parents) for a BBQ and round two of birthday celebrations – Sunday being Jess's actual big day! A wonderful afternoon of sunshine, good food, and even better company followed, but the exhaustion from the whirlwind weekend was starting to set in, prompting a 7:30 pm departure. We were once again fortunate to enjoy a few more hours with Jess and Olly, staying at their place for the night before our Monday morning departure.

Monday saw Olly and Jess setting off on a well-deserved surprise mini-break, leaving us to make our way back to Whittlesey. Our incredibly kind hosts, Teresa and Martin, had also offered to look after our furry first mate, Pepper, for the weekend! Pepper, it sounds like, had the absolute time of her life with the glorious freedom of a dog flap and a sprawling garden, while we enjoyed a wonderfully stress-free (albeit slightly Pepper-less) weekend. We picked up some BBQ essentials and enjoyed a lovely summer-style evening with Teresa and Martin before our Tuesday drive back to Ipswich.

So, here we are, back aboard Halcyon Sea in Ipswich! And the family cuddles aren't quite over yet – we're planning to catch up with Tracey's wonderful children tomorrow or Thursday before we finally point our trusty vessel north towards Lowestoft and the next exciting chapter of our adventure. The best news? No immediate deadlines looming! Our next fixed point on the horizon is the RNSA90 Scotland branch on a four day rally starting in Ardrossan in August. It feels like we can finally take a long, deep breath and enjoy the journey at our own pace. What an incredible, albeit slightly chaotic, week of family love, laughter, and land-based escapades! Now, where did we leave those boat shoes…?Read more