Month: August 2015

Quiet night at anchor and a clear sunrise to wake up to, and, believe it or not a sailable wind. So, a quick breakfast and off. Up with the gennaker again, but alas no, after a half hour or so, progress was so slow that the engine had to do the work instead. Motored therefore the few miles north to Engelsviken, where there is diesel, a seafood shop, and a restaurant, which is of course, not open at this time of the day, but I’ve been there several times and it is really excellent.  Josin’s diesel tank, and the can, were filled, and some goodies for the fridge in the shop.

Then motor home to Åsgårdstrand in flat calm and scorching sun. Stopped several times to cool off, arriving well before lunch.  The club is arranging a regatta for 18 ft catamarans this weekend, so there were lots of people milling around, and many who wished me welcome home. Nice that. Unfortunately the weather this afternoon is perfect, except for those who like to go sailing, and especially those who want to race. Several postponents, then cancel for the day. Bad luck. Only a few days ago the forcast for today was for strong winds and rain, but we have an insistent high over us instead.  I shall help tomorrow, or sunday, not quite sure which, or both, in being crew on one of the safety boats, which rush around being helpful if you need it. With this weather there will probably be need for more help in the form of towing than anything else. 

Plan now is to drive home to Kongsberg, (neighbour Jon Erik drove my car down for me, that was nice,) with a couple of machine-loads of washing, and an encouragement to mow the ‘lawn’, which according to my next-door neighbour, probably needs a scythe to all the nice colourful wild flowers.

Josin needs her mast taken down, hopefully early next week, to fix the electrics up there, which succumbed to some very stormy rain a while ago. Then we shall see, as I do not reckon the sailing season is over yet. Maybe a cruise down along the south Norwegian coast for a few days. the weather will decide.

From a hot, but home, SailorJohn  

The forecast was for a gentle southeasterly wind, so this optimist hauled out the gennaker from it’s locker and proceeded to get it organised. Lots of ropes to get tangled. Inevitable. Persistency paid off and we were sailing, slowly, the gentle breeze was very. Unfortunately. A filled gennaker is always an enjoyable sight, and with just enough wind, wafts you along nicely. Aeolus didn’t listen to the forecast again, and ceased to puff. Ah, well, it was worth a try. Engine on, furl the sail in it’s sock and leave it hoisted, optimistically. The wind did veer round to the west, as forecast, but only a few knots. So after an optimistic waiting for an hour, the sail was lowered to the deck, from where it could be hoisted quickly. No, we arrived at Missingen after a boring few hours motoring. Lovely hot day though. Stopped several times for a dip to cool off, water temp now nearly 18 degrees, which is just about swimmable without gasping. 

Lots of boats here too, enjoying the sunshine and being lazy. I’m feeling lazy too, so a little afternoon snooze is in order. 

From a slightly sunburnt SailorJohn. 

We roll, we pitch, we do both at once. Crazy water. Three different wave systems creating very confused seas. There was a lovely sailing wind this morning, building after a silent, still dawn. Decided to take the out-to-sea route north, where there would be little need for navigating, only lookout, and long stretches of sailing. It lasted about an hour, before the sailng wind gradually veered northwest and sank to five knots, leaving Josin bobbing about without steerage way. Down with sails, on with engine and dodge the fishing gear. Obviously a popular fishing area. Lovely hot, sunny day to improve the tan. 

The harbour guide said that Gluppø was probably the area’s most popular haven. It was correct yesterday evening. Counted 15 boats, buoyed, anchored, or tied up to rockshore. Found a sheltered spot to anchor and enjoyed the calm. The wnd changed at about two am, from south to north west, and all the bouyed and anchored boats wandered in all headings before settling down again. So could I. No bumps, no oopsies. 

S. Koster next, to my favourite tie-up spot at 58 51.3 / 011 02.7. Then some lunch on the level. 

From a helter-skelter SailorJohn

Light rain this morning, so departure was delayed a while. Round-the-boat swim in 17,8 water seemed warmer than the rain. Odd. Rather wetter though. Large breakfast to pre-empt elevenses. Away at a leisurely ten am after the rain had blown through. Good sailing wind, 15 knots, but on the quarter, waves also, so we roll, and roll, and roll…….  Goal today is a natural harbour called Dannemark, about 30 nm north, which ought to be a suitable day’s sailing. Grey skies mean the end of the last few days’ sunshine, but the forecast for tomorrow is that summer will return. 

All’s well, from rolypolyJohn

Hello again, after a short pause. From Lilla Bommen in the heart of Gothenberg, it is less than 10 minutes walk to the Central railway station. From there, early saturday morning, I travelled by train and ferry to Sandefjord for a short visit for a family event, and travelled back, arriving on sunday late afternoon. Untied, and pottered down the river and west to Hönö harbour for the night, where the plan was to see a man on monday morning about a windscreen for the boat. No man. Telephone answering machine revealed that he was still on holiday. I stayed around for a couple of hours, in the hopes that he was just a bit late for work, first day after holiday, but no, holiday it still was. Bother. Never mind. 

A motorsailing, sunshine day today, going north, with a mostly southerly breeze, just not strong enough to stop the engine and still make reasonable progress. This bay is obviously very popular, with three buoys occupied, three other boats at anchor, and many small boats tied up to the shore. Even a sandy beach. Lovely and quiet. Water temp 17,9 degrees, so a swim round the boat was possible before the fingers turned white. Underwater hull and prop still looking remarkably clean, seen from the surface, so next dip will be with a snorkel mask on to have a better look. Now I wonder where the boatgremlin has hidden that. Haven’t seen it since……….hmmm. I must have stowed it somewhere logical, didn’t I?

From a sunwarm SailorJohn. 

At Lille Bommen marina, right between a very “Tall Ship” and the Opera House,  that complex building, which, in direct contrast to the simplicity of Oslo’s, must have been designed by a team of architects, all with different ideas, and all allowed one bit of it. Odd. But the locals are surely proud of it. 

Nice downwind sail today, althought the first hour was with almost enough wind and yesterday’s rollers. After that it was good. The southern approaches amongst the islands up to the Göta River were very full of traffic, ferries, motor boats and sail boats all in their own directions. No peace at all, but felt competitive against three other sailors going the same way. Score: second place. They surely must have all been bigger than Josin, were they not? 

Just across the roads, via a pedestrian bridge, is an enormous shopping center, which will receive my attention later today. It is gradually clouding over, rain is forecast, so indoor shopping will be popular. 

All’s well, from SailorJohn

A proper summers day, but not the best for sailors, too little wind. Very relaxing though. A short motor-day today. 

I sometimes post a picture with my blog. I have heard that those who get notified by e-mail when a new post is published, can read the post there, but do not see the pictures. If you want to see pictures, click on josinjohn.com and you get to the blog, and the pictures. NB. Better post a picture with this!

How about this for a boat name? Seen in Kalmar harbour. 

  

We roll, we pitch, we motor. Started the day with a good westerly wind, 15 knots or so, and sailing and progress were splendid. But, the forcast was right for once, and the wind has gradually backed and weakened and is now south, about 5 to 8 knots. The sails cannot cope with little wind, dead aft, and waves from yesterday and this morning, so they have been stowed away and the engine has taken over. We roll, we pitch, we progress with bumps and jerks. 

Do something else, like useful.  OK. What? De-frost the fridge. Good idea. Wrap the cold stuff in the eiderdown  and set the fan to blast the frost. What a strange collection of jars and packets emerged, half of which ought to  be discarded. Specially that carton of custard, which still looks like orange juice. Much prefer cream with the berries. Still got two hours to go, so all will hopefully be normal before tying up. 

Last night’s front produced some spectacular thunder and lightning, good entertainment before the rain arrived. An intrepid photographer set up his tripod and camera to capture the spectacle, well covered by an enormous umbrella. 

There are high clouds creeping in from the west now, so today’s bright sunshine is being gradually hidden. More weather on the way. I wonder what!

If I was prone to seasickness, I would surely be suffering by now. Only another hour and a half. I’ll survive. 

From a well-shaken, not stirred, SailorJohn

Another long, sailing day, from Falsterbo Canal to here. Up to 25 knots of wind from the south east, which fair blasted us along, and that, coupled with a very strong current emptying the Baltic resulted in between 7 and 8 knots over the ground. Never made such progress before!  Rorbert the autopilot had difficulties with the quartering waves, so much hand steering. Incredibly warm day, slightly hazy sky, there is a rainfront due soon, and the temperature is still 23 degrees at nearly a quarter to nine, PM. 

Gilleleje is very much a fishing port, with at least one well-stocked shop on the quayside, therefore:

  
Tasty-fresh!  Followed by the last of the strawberries. Weary this evening, so early to bed. The rainfront must be just about here, the wind has dropped and veered almost 180 degrees, changing the sailboat harbour music completely. Close all ports and hatches!

SailorJohn signs out for today. 

Having filled up the diesel tank and the fridge in Ystad, we set off again, going west, and Lo!, the wind was now in the SE, at 10 to12 knots. Perfect for gennaker. A bit of a struggle to get it hoisted and pulling, especially as the sheet rope detatched itself from the sail at the wrong moment. But now, WOW! 11 knots of wind and over six kts of boat speed. We’ll be there before tea, well, maybe not, but….,      To complete the bliss, it is a glorious sunny, clear-sky day, definitely SUMMER, at last!

It’s a very hard life, isn’t it. At times that is. 

😊😊😊😍😍😍😎😎