Our Lumpy Grand Finale

Farewell, Summer: Our Lumpy Grand Finale

Our last day on the water for the season was a perfect illustration of boat life: a mix of gorgeous serenity, ridiculous comedy, and unexpected terror. It was a proper send-off before we tucked Halcyon Sea in for the winter!

After a lovely dinner on board, we relaunched the dinghy and headed ashore to find the famous pub we’d been told about. At the top of the slipway, we hit our first, hilarious issue. We were at low tide, and we had to walk the dinghy a considerable distance up the slippery ramp. The dinghy, with its hard floor, is heavy. The difficulty was compounded by the fact that Nick is 6’6” and Tracey is 5’4”. As Nick lifted his side, Tracey felt the entire weight on hers, forcing her to side-step up the ramp with the boat rubbing painfully against her knees. After a few agonizing meters of this human tug-of-war, Nick had the brilliant idea to take the engine up first, then the fuel tank, lightening the load. It was painful, exhausting, and confirmed one thing: a set of dinghy wheels is now mandatory!

Issue number two: the famous pub was closed. Defeated, we chose the alternative, the Douglas Hotel, where two drinks cost an eye-watering £15. We chugged them down quickly, realizing we wouldn't be staying long, and reversed the painful process of dragging the dinghy back down the slipway. Despite the struggle, it had been a great day: fantastic weather, a good run for Pepper, and a peaceful evening on the water. We were happily exhausted from the fresh air and turned in early.

The 2:30 AM Wake-Up Call

Issue number three hit at about half-past midnight. We were woken by the boat rocking. A change in wind from the east had built up some swell, and while it was manageable, Pepper was clearly unhappy. At 2:30 AM, the situation escalated. The swell was awful; the boat was rocking and rolling so violently that we were gripping the shelf beside our bed to stop ourselves from rolling into each other. Nick was ready to leave immediately, but leaving in the pitch-black felt reckless, especially with Ardrossan’s narrow marina entrance.

Knowing dawn was around 7 am, we agreed on a compromise: if we were still awake and the conditions were still bad at 5 am, we would make a break for it. We catnapped while Pepper just shook—she really detests lumpy sailing!

At 5 am, we were done. Exhausted and cold, we slipped the mooring buoy and headed out of Brodick Bay. The sky was clear, the stars were incredibly bright, and it was absolutely freezing. We were motoring, towing the dinghy, and despite our hopes that the journey would be a quick two hours, the wind direction meant we were hitting a soul-crushing headwind. Nick warned us we still had an hour and a half to go, and the shoreline of Ardrossan seemed to taunt us by refusing to get any closer.

Just as we were feeling utterly drained, our personal cheerleading squad arrived: a pod of porpoises and dolphins! They played around the bow for the best part of an hour, escorting us almost all the way back to Ardrossan. They always seem to turn up when our spirits need lifting! We were hitting wind speeds of 25-35 knots—far higher than the forecasted 10-16—so their support was much appreciated. Finally, after spotting the leading light into the marina, we also spied the three green lights permitting our entrance. Tracey, with freezing hands, struggled to untangle the lines she’d put away in a hurry, but at last, we were alongside. It was a massive relief! After Nick secured the lines, Tracey took a relieved Pepper for a walk on solid ground before we both crashed back into bed until 1:30 pm.

Season Finale: A Dream Realised

On September 30th, we finally made the big decision to take our sails off the boat and begin tucking her in for the winter. With our plans uncertain and a stormy forecast ahead, it felt like the right time to pause.

As the sails came down, we had a moment of profound reflection. There was a genuine sadness that our first cruising season was over, but it was completely overshadowed by elation at how much we’ve achieved since leaving Portsmouth on April 9th. It hasn't always been plain sailing—we’ve had difficult days, technical headaches, and an unexpected bout of COVID—but we did it. We realised a dream.

We’ve met wonderful people, joined a new sailing club, and, surprisingly, have seen more of our friends and family in the last six months than we would have if we were still working. And Pepper? She’s been amazing. Despite her dramatic aversion to anything lumpy, she bounces back the moment we hit a beach or come alongside a pontoon. She’s celebrated her first birthday and first "Gotcha Day" onboard!

This is definitely not the end of the journey—just a short pause. The almanacs and charts are already out on the saloon table as we begin planning for next season. Our original plan to spend a whole season exploring the West Coast of Scotland still holds true!

A huge thank you to everyone who has supported us, followed along with the blog, offered encouragement, and especially to those who have signed our guest book by visiting us on board—you are now part of our memories. And the biggest thanks to Teresa and Martin, who put up with our car on their drive, have often been a launderette and always welcome us with open arms and a warm bed and dinner.

We’ll be back with more adventures soon, but for now, the boat is asleep, and the planning is beginning!Read more