Leaving Oulton Broad heading into Mutford Lock and onwards to our start at Lowestoft

Leaving the Mutford Lock, road bridge raised

Heading towards the A12 road bridge and out to Hamilton Dock where we berthed for the night

The crew and guests joined us in Lowestoft. Final preparations being made

Ready for the off! My Dad was recreating a journey he did nearly 50years ago following the same route. The TV and press were waiting in Grimsby

the 'Skipper' doing 'final checks'

On our way, Derek checking everything is secure on the deck

An uneventful but beautiful night cruise towards Grimsby, our first stop, where our guests would be leaving us

'All hands on deck'. Derek on the ships bell

Sunrise

Into the Humber, my Dad, Jack on the right and Cousin Roy on the left. Think they look relaxed…...

Moored up at Grimsby. An emotional entrance meeting family, friends and reporters from TV and press

Steve our donut munching star crew member couldn't just relax....

We left Grimsby at 01:30 the next morning enroute to Whitby

Had a feeling we might need fender boards so had timber at the ready. These were made as we were entering Whitby

Entering Whitby

Moored up in Whitby. A huge tidal range meant some very long and stretchy mooring lines

Hey, you're meant to be on watch!

We stayed for a couple of days in Whitby before making passage north. Unfortunately, we thought we had picked up rope on the port prop which meant we had to make an unscheduled stop at Blyth and then wait for Hurricane Bertha to pass. A diver checked her underside and the all clear was given. We did try to clear it before we arrived so possibly the rope cutters did their job?

We stopped at Montrose harbour for a short spell, being dwarfed amongst the offshore support vessels

The tide runs fast in Montrose and has a large range. Interesting mooring up

We struck-out for our final destination of Inverness but as we passed Aberdeen, the weather started to turn. Hurricane Bertha had set above Shetland creating a long fetch and massive seas as we motored towards Rattray Head

Getting lumpy!

Had to stop taking photos not long after this as it was too rough. Aspyrian was brilliant

It was very 'rolly' on the north Moray coastline with beam seas but as we entered the Moray Firth, calmness descended

Kessock Bridge and nearing our berth at Inverness Marina