Again a late-ish start, waiting on the weather, which cleared up at lunchtime and left a good easterly wind. I decided to leave just before the ferry did the same, quite unplanned, but interesting, as he followed us out of the harbour, towering above Josin. As soon as there was searoom I changed course 20 degrees to starboard and held out my right arm. Was rewarded with a very short and friendly toot before he churned away, leaving us bobbing.
So, wind on the port quarter, fairly strong at 15 – 20 kts. Unroll genua, sheet in, stop engine and enjoy good speed. And rolling. Wind had managed to whip up waves. Coffee had to wait. Managed to sail round the west side of Leka, almost all the way to a little, tucked away bay sheltered from the wind, which we had visited many years go, Sjøvik. (65 04.6 / 011 22.2). On the way there were sights of rock of many colours and shapes: Leka is renowned.
Last time we were here, we were invited ashore by a welcoming lady and her daughter in one of the cottages, bearing just-caught fish, and astonishingly took us for a round-the-island sightseeing tour:
Took lots of pictures on that trip and promised to send copies of some of them when I got back home. Alas, the address had disappeared, and I’d forgotten the name.
There was no one around when we arrived and tied up to a handy pontoon, so I walked to the cottage in the middle, where a couple were enjoying the sunshine and a sundowner. They assured me that it would be quite alright to stay there. Chatting historically revealed that they were the next generation of cottage owners, and that the one next door, which was the one with which I had had contact previously, was also now owned by the next generation, and I was given a name, the daughter, who lived now on the south coast, maybe Grimstad. Must research this when I get home, and maybe at last deliver the pictures, twenty years late. (Hope I can find them!).
Sjøvik is now the base for a fish-farming operation, and one of their vessels, a very functional work-catamaran, was tied up, and all sorts of new equipment was “stored”, also on the pontoon. Immensely strong stuff this. Shoe for comparison:
In late evening the other vessel returned and tied up alongside the first. I asked if it was OK that we stayed where we were and was told No Worries in the local dialect, with the offer of freshly-caught fish. Yes please! Guy came with a plastic bag of fillets of saith, which half-filled my bucket. “Need that much”, and a friendly good night. So I will be eating fish for dinner for a while. Amazing!
Next stop Rørvik, when the weather clears a bit. Alls well.
Josin's 2025 cruise 