Month: July 2015

It has been an electric day, of installing a new miracle-gizmo to solve charging problems. Cleared the prospected space. Nice box arrives late morning. Unpack with anticipation. Admire the colour, design and build quality.  Read the instructions. Read them again. Compare unit with the instructions. What’s missing? What else do I need? Back to the shop. Everything now. Eight hours later, having checked the instructions one more time, time to test. Turn on the switches, set the throttle, push the buttons and start. Scan the gauges. Everything looks right. Sigh of relief. Let run. Test by turning on the kettle. Instant response, as predicted. Good. Stop engine and clear up and put away. Now realised how tired and hungry. MacDonalds right next door. No brainer. Excellent pommefrites, tasty tomato ketchup, tough chicken. Hunger tamed. Back to boat and strawberries and cream. Succulent. TV on. Zapp. TV off. Write blogg. 

Very early to bed tonight for a very early start tomorrow. Got some time to make up. Almost a westerly gale today, reported by incoming boats, telling stories, so maybe an electric day wasn’t so bad after all. Lighter winds forecast for tomorrow, still westerly, which is reasonably OK. We’ll see. 

From an electrically charged SailorJohn. 

Motor all the way here yesterday, with wind up to 30 knots on the nose, and short, sharp waves to battle and splash against. Much spray. One rainstorm quickly past. Kalmar harbour nearly full, but a narrow space between bigboats suited Josin well, but on the long-walk side to the facilities. Good exercise then. Big clothes wash in a machine which stopped in the middle of its cycle, and needed ‘a man’ to come and wake it up again. Life is full of surprises!

Slow morning this morning, waiting for the ‘boat-toy’ shop to open. Found in their catalogue, while in the washingmachine wait, an electrical bit which would improve battery charging a lot. Shop opens at nine. Then lastminute shopping, then hopefully away. 

From a clean SailorJohn

Morning started depressingly, overcast and drizzle, so, a somewhat postponed start. Wind forecast not encouraging either, but Lo! after an hours motoring to get to the open sea, the wind was just free and about 10 knots, so we sailed, and we sailed, and we sailed all the way to Sandvik, in winds of varying strength and direction.  Only the last couple of miles on engine. So, a sailing day to make up for much use of engine. 

Met up with friends Bengt and Katarina for a good fish meal in the restaurant on the dock here, stekt abborre, chips and salad. Good. Tea and biscuits on Josin afterward, and a good chat, before they had to leave to get back to their camel farm a few km away. This place is known for its sunsets, but there are high clouds in the way this evening unfortunately. 

The forecast for tomorrow says gentle southerly winds, which is just the wrong direction to get to Kalmar, next stop, so it will be an engine day most of the way. Maybe the forecast will be wrong? 

Otherwise all’s well, from SailorJohn

No ‘net signal here. Post it tomorrow. 

Plenty wind today, sailable WSW for several hours before it veered gradually before we got near Vestervik and came on the nose again, and so on with the trusty engine. Lots of boats going north and enjoying the sailing, including this one: Splendid sight, majestically gently speed, and waving others past with smiles. 

 
The coming front waited until we were securely attached to the buoy before the rain came at about three o’clock, after which nine other boats crept into the bay and tied up to a convenient rock. Rain stopped later and out came the barbeque grills, wafting golden black aromas across the water. 

Tuesday: very grey morning. It rained more during the night, but not enough to disturb sleep. Forecast for today is for more southerly winds, so we have made plans A, B and C, depending on the state of the rain, waves and resulting discomfort. Furthest is Sandvik, on Öland, a favourite stop. We’ll see. 

Breakfast time. From SailorJohn

It rained in Arkøsund, heavily. No way one does anything under those conditions than hunker down and read, or sleep, or listen to the rain, or, Oh dear, discover a leak. Outboard of the chart table, where there is an outlet from a conduit in the deck-sandwich for electric leads, now defunct. Impossible to know where the entry point is. Just place containers underneath and collect, and empty, and…….

Woke, late, to an improving weather, and after yesterday’s evaluation of maybe not moving today, turned over and slept again. Luxury. Hunger insisted that breakfast couldn’t be delayed any more than at about nine, after which another snooze. Chatted the locals, to be told that there was a triathlon event here later. Might be a sight to watch. However, the weather improved so much that the captain decided that triathlons could be triathlons and that further cruising was the thing to do. Pottered round to the fuel dock, and there were the competitors, all clad in lycra and vibrant yellow, and chomping at the bit, so to speak. Saw the start, some very competitive, rushing off into the woods, others not quite so keen, and some, oddly enough, just jogging at the tail of the field. Plenty of spectators, (family?), shouting encouraging remarks. Filled up with diesel, (a lot being used these days), added an icecream to the bill, and pottered away. Surprise, surprise. Officials in rapid dingies scuttling about and waving all other boats to somewhere else, Josin included. Those competitors had by now finished whatever they were doing before and were now swimming across the harbour, vibrant yellow caps very visible. First time I have had to give priority for swimmers to cross my intended path! The last to pass were not going fast at all, so the wait became a bit protracted and tedious. 

A motoring day to Stugvik, with the wind almost on the nose all the time, and never enough angle for long enough to sail. Gusts up to 25 kts, and even several over 30. Mostly sunshine, but two stormclouds on the way which huffed and puffed and darkened the sky and rained. Soon over. Arrived at Stugvik at about five thirsty, teatime plus, but no tea until securely tied up, but spent much time and several frustrating attemps in the strong winds to pick up an SXK mooring buoy, as at the critical moment when forward movement stops long enough to clip on a hook, the bow would be veered sideways in the wind and we had to start again. Must have been amusing for the other boats tied up to shore, or on the other buoys. 

Forecast is for continuing contrary winds, wind-creating low pressures in a queue, so there will be more motorsailing. We’ll see. Otherwise all is well from SailorJohn

Beautiful, quiet sunrise this morning in Rånö bay, just after four o’clock. Had planned a longish day today, so might as well get up and go. Away 05:35, must be the earliest this cruise. Anchor winch makes a loud noise, and I felt a bit guilty disturbing the P and Q Nobody stuck their heads out, so I didn’t get told off. Maybe everyone slept soundly enough at that time of the morning. 

Motoring of course, actually the whole way, with a good deal of help from the sails after the first few hours,  wind aft, not the best, but useful. Rolled well in yesterday’s swell, but didn’t get rocked to sleep! The last couple of hours, it rained, heavier the closer we got to Arkösund. This was actually forecast, but the timing was a bit early. Luckily the predicted gale did not arrive before we were safely tied up with a hot cuppa.  Several other boats arrived at about the same time, and we all helped eachother, dripping the while. Great to get the cockpit canopy up and let the wet outer clothes hang there. Shore power. Fan heater. Good!

Forecast for tomorrow is not encouraging, so maybe we will be here for two nights. Will explore, when it stops raining. But now, some shuteye. Let it rain!

Alls dryingout well, from SailorJohn

the wind is still blowing from the west, wrong way, but the sun is shining from a clear blue sky. As sleep last night was a bit broken, the Captain has ordained a day of R an R, maybe wash the boat and fix a few things. Real easy. Started the day a good deal later than usual, but with the usual dip, 15 degrees, and maybe because the sun was shining, it didn’t seem so cold. Gave a good appetite though, so sunday breakfast was pre-poned, and enjoyed. Now lounging in the cockpit with a mug of coffee and soaking in the sunwarmth. Maybe the summer will last all day. Ah, it’s a hard life!  Using the binoculars, I can see the white-tops out in the fjord, and heavily-leaning sailboats, going north only. Probably some other south-going boats are taking a rest day too. 

All’s well, from a perspiring SailorJohn. 

Anchored in a familiar spot, a well protected natural bay with a narrow and fairly long entry. Excellent except for maybe a strong northerly, which it isn’t this evening. A dozen or so others anchored, and half a dozen more attached to the shore. It is obviously holiday time!

This morning, motorsailed to Dalarø, a busy little town on a large island, bridge-connected to the mainland, with, amongst other things, a terminal for ferries to other islands round about. Very choppy waters at the guest pontoon next door. Stopped there for replenishments, for both me and the boat. Went ashore just as the bus, one of these articulated ones with lots of seats and few passengers, drew to a halt. Now I know that paying for a bus/tram/ferry ticket here in Sweden has gone all electronic, but I asked the driver if I could pay cash. How far are you going? To the supermarket at the top of the hill. Oh, only that? Hop in and ride, it is only one stop! Many thanks. Saved an uphill trudge. Deposited, with more thanks, outside a proper fishmongers. That all looks inviting, I’ll be back later. Done. Yet another plastic bag to carry back down the hill. Long arms back to a dancing Josin. Well fendered and tethered and safe this time. 

After a leisurely lunch, smoked fresh shrimp on fresh bread, and a short snooze, motored into the wind and waves to this harbour, experiencing along the way a proper local rainstorm and gusty winds, and glorious rainbow sunshine afterwards. Took a couple of tries to get the anchor to hold. Must be a lot of weed down there I suspect. Supper was fried fish (gjørs, in local, no idea), very tasty, and lots of asparagus, followed by strawberries and cream. Not bad, but Finnish strawberries were better. 

The wind is still blowing, unusually, so frequent checks of anchored position necessary. 

Shuteye time now. All’s well, from SailorJohn

Beautiful sunrise, through the trees, over mirror water. One more hour of sleep, then up and at it. Seems my routine in the morning gets us away at about 7, which is fine, as there is little traffic about and the sea is calm. Motored out to the ocean and then a good sail for most of the rest of the way. Still chilly though. Many layers of clothing still necessary! Wind gradually headed, front on its way. And in the night, it rained. 

Wednesday morning, low cloud, but no more rain. Wind in the west, which meant that we could sail for all of four hours, before the wind backed a little and course changed toward the west, so on with the engine. The last two sailing hours were in company with a German sailboat, who was only marginally faster than Josin. I think he was feeling a bit competitive too, which was fun. Goal for the day is the Swedish Cruising Club’s harbour at Norrviken, on Runmarø, 59 16.4 / 018 43.7. Should be there before teatime. 

Today there are boats everywhere. We are nearing Stockholm, where there are very many marinas, it is holiday time, and with a good sailing breeze for going north, many have set off. Need to keep a good lookout. 

All’s well, from SailorJohn

Anchored in a bay with no less the five other sailboats. Obviously a good place to anchor up for the night. Today has been the longest day so far, started before 7, covered 59,4 nm in 11 hours. Good sailing wind from the north, we were heading SSE, for modt of the day, but a good deal sharp seas, which was tiring, but otherwise OK. Four other sailboats behind, which didn’t catch up until In the gradually narrowing channel into Öresund, when the wind gradually dropped to motoring for the last hour. Lovely bay this, promises to be a quiet night. 

Tomorrow further SE, back to the outer reaches of the Stockholm archipelago, and a known bay with a bouy. Unfortunately the forecast is for S to SW gentle winds, so it’ll probably be a motor/sailing day. We’ll see. 

Dinnertime now, kl 7, sausages ready to be golden black. All’s well, from a weary, but contented, SailorJohn