Well what a strange period.  We left Goldcrest just over 10 months ago with minimal luggage expecting to be back in 4 months after getting to know our new granddaughter.  Here we are back with the boat, having grown a tumour, had it removed, and bought a flat to return to for my 6 monthly check-ups.  It feels surreal; in some ways as if we’ve never been away, but at the same time a huge dislocation from being sort-of settled in the UK.

Anyhow, we had a great trip back – very smooth indeed.  We had none of the expected problems with customs, having brought both food and boat parts back with us.  We stepped back on board this morning, nervously fearing mould and cockroaches but finding neither.  The decks are filthy but below-decks everything looks and smells fine.  We’ve got a bit of a job getting everything back in place and cleaned up ready to live aboard again, but we’ll be able to launch at the end of the week and finish the jobs off afloat, where the temperature is a little bit more bearable.

Goldcrest under wraps: