Josin Cruise 2021/ 4

From Brekstad to Dypfest to Stokkøya.

Sunday dawned, (well, a little later) promising, with forcast westerly wind, overcast, but no rain, later in the day. 14:30 we set off, motoring until we “turned the corner of Øland”, then up sails and woosh. Wonderful. Combined with very turbulent water and a 2 kt current in our direction, the countryside dissappeared rapidly astern. It was only 16 nm to Dypfest, (63 46.90 / 009 34.64), but the wind gradually died to inadequate. Nice sailing while it lasted! Welcomed by Stefan, a local, who turned out to be a skipper on one of these flotilla sailing boats, cuising northern waters. Intruiging, enticing, but a bit out of my comfort zone!

Rain during the night which gradually ceased, revealing an overcast and low sky, and forecast promise clear-up. Allowed a dry-ish departure late morning with clearer skies on the western horizon. We sailed, gently. Why hurry? With the clearance at about 14:00, came a sudden, undesirable and significant drop in temperature, maybe 5 degrees, not forecast, but a desirable increase in the wind to a perfect 15 knots. Smile on the face of the skipper! But. There is usually a but. Again I had dressed for the pre-drop in temp, and as sudden short, sharp showers came and went, I decided that a shorter plan B sail to Stokkøya (64 02.86 / 009 56.54), than the original goal was in order, before a real chill set in. Plenty plass in the marina, we the only guest. Heater on, change of clothes and a zizz.

Josin’s lonely mast just visible against the right hand end of the distant bridge, (16 m clearance, the way out, OK). Pic taken late evening, before yet another weather-change. Came during the night with stronger near-gale winds and deluge-showers. Of course I was wakened by the halyards banging insistantly on the mast, so had to don waterproofs and creep and cringe out into the near-dark and stop the noise. The joys of boating!

Today brought brighter skies, but just as much wind and showers, so we stay here until tomorrow.

Spike Milligan said it: “The sky must have holes for the rain to come in, but the holes must be small, ‘cos the rain is so thin”. Josin has holes, very few now fortunately, and not in dry-critical places, but drips appear in such weather and have to be mopped up. Yet another joy of boating!

All is otherwise well.