Home sweet port Hallso - safely
Regina
Espen Aalstad
Sat 28 Jun 2008 21:33
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58:57:49N 11:05.84N
Our last leg up from Grebbestad to our favorite
Hallso will always be special.
The children had obviously missed their life on
board and we had a cosy evening running the Webasto for the first
time!
In the morning, we picked up a few local
specialities/necessities in Grebbestad before heading north and
home...
Who can come back and leave without fresh
shrimp, Swedish smoked salmon, cinamon rolls....and traditional fresh Summer strawberries.
Perhaps our pictures can give a little feel of the
spirit of coming home and our memorable last few hours. I will not do justice
with words to either our sights or emotions.
It was simply spectacular coming up the Kosterfjord
on absolute flat, dark water with the sun almost protecting us from heavy rain
over land and small wales greeting us....we have never seen them ever here.
Just ahead of our home port, I was struck with the
most immense feel of reality of what we had done this last year and a strange
combination of emotions.
I cried and laughed while Einar blasted
the horn and we all ran around on the deck hugging each
other.
There was relief of being home safe and healthy,
both crew and boat. While we were never worried or afraid, we have seen and
come to respect even more the power of nature.
Pride for having lived our dream, at least for a
while, and above all pride in our children for growing and enduring. The boys
had not sailed when we set out.
Happiness that our family has come through a year
of living so close and working through a lot. We are stronger.
Desire to continue .... my heart is in this nomadic
life and peace despite the hardship at times. Instead we go back to realities of
fast pace and stress.
And grief for ending a year we have been so
priviliged to have enjoyed.
We could not have had a better ending to a great
year!
Regina
The strawberries went fast as we past
island after island - and the sun is warming up!
 Reunion with the seals south of Koster.
They were still there just as when we left in August, but now with
babies!
 A happy crew in the most beautiful
archipelargo in the world, we think!
 Elin has been a fabulous sailor, caring
crew & partner and patient teen. She will no doubt keep on
sailing!
 Finally Einar can sound the horn again in
Hallsø sund as Magnus yells 'sjøboden'. We are home!
 Hallsøsund, our boathouse. The Nordic light
and spectacular weather over the main land is quite a
finale!
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