Month: July 2021

from Brønnøysund to Tornes.

(Sorry no blog for a while, been a bit busy boating).

That’s a long stretch. Logged 300 nautical miles in 8 days. The frustration of waiting for the weather in Brønnøysund triggered a realisation that if we were to get back to Åsgårdstrand this “summer”, we’d better get a move on when the chances presented themselves.

Had to include a detour in to Trondheim, to spend a convivial evening meal with my daughter-son, (Norwegian way of distinguishing the heritage), John Magnus and his partner Mariell. Excellent meal in Italian “Frati” restaurant right in the city center. Lots of laughs.

Have to show you a pic of one man’s boat dream, tied up in a corner of the Skansen Marina: It is a very small boat, but has everything you need for long distance cruising. (And I reckon my Josin is small by most standards these days). Looks quite spic and span and ready to set off.

The weather has been either chilly or very hot. Luckily it was sunny in Trondheim. Reports from down south have been of warmth. It finally reached further north, but the sudden change and contrast was uncomfortable. Conditions for sailing have not been favourable for most of those miles, so much diesel had been consumed. The partial exception was the day before yesterday, along the long, long stretch of “Trondheimsleia” (ca 63 30 / 09 03), when the sails were up and sometimes pulling. Looked good until late afternoon when these appeared:

A line of rapidly-growing cumulus clouds to the south east over the mainland, with thunder clouds behind, all seemingly marching towards us. Then the sun disappeared and it went all gloomy and dark. But no rain, (!. The temp was about 30 degrees and I wasn’t suitably dressed), just choppy seas and a sudden change in wind direction and strength, which blew us into Kristiansund, (63 07.1 / 007 44.0) . All very well, but coincidentally, the chart plotter suddenly would only show very general chart information, no detail. Luckily I have an iPad with the same charts, and very wisely also good old-fashioned paper ones, not up-to-date with the latest navigational data, but Norway hasn’t changed where the hard and bumpy bits are.

And the fridge has almost given up being cool. Luckily I am not dependant on cold beer. But the weather has changed again, to cold, 13 degrees this evening, and maybe the milk will not go off too quickly.

From Kristiansund, the next hazard on the way south is Hustadvika, a renowned stretch of sometimes disturbed seas. Today they were, very. Two main directions of waves, compounded by reflected chop from the shore, made for a very roly-poly ride and spilt tea. Quite the worst traverse in my experience. Glad to get to Tornes, (62 50.2 / 007 02.6) and make more tea, stationary.

Efforts to get the chart plotter to show detailed charts have not succeeded, so a request for help sent off to Technical Support. Reply awaited “within three working days”. That means the middle of next week. Ah well, out with the paper charts and revise my navigating skills.

Ålesund tomorrow evening, (a saturday), and maybe a fridge-solution on monday.

All is otherwise well!

Brønnøysund (65 28.4 / 012 12.5).

Appropriate, the number. This place may have many positive attributes, but summer weather does not feature. Southerly or southwesterly chilly gales and rain have kept us here now for four days, and it is still blowing. Only a very few have braved the weather and have either arrived or left. So, what has Brønnøysund had to offer, besides the excellent sheltered harbour?

A Chinese restaurant. Excellent crispy duck. A comprehensive modern shopping center along most of the waterfront. Busy. B’s population either at home, or in there out of the weather. Too few places to sit down. Helpful storekeepers, including a very knowledgeable lady in the large bookshop, who recommended. I bought five. (Read two already). Coop foodstore with very low, shelf-high ceilings, no signs (where, oh where is the ….), large fresh-food counter. Sourdough bread. Manager who welcomed me back. (She it was who helped me tame my damaged genakker into a carton to post-send to the sailmaker).

B has done much to bring itself up-to-date, using architects with ideas:

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1. Entrance to small-boat harbour. I’m not sure if one would feel safer crossing from left to right, or from right to left. 2: A lovely stainless steel tube railing, supported on rusty, artistically-curved posts, bleeding rust-tinted into fine stone slabs.

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1: Full harbour. 2: Including 104-year-old Faxen, from Bodø, still going strong with a fabulous dunk-dunk-dunk engine which also blows white smoke rings when warmed up. 3: One way of tying up, effectively blocking for another boat, at least the size of Josin.

And a tale, probably sad:

Josin’s near-tame spider, with web between the oar and the vane of the wind-steering gear. Those smaller black dots, yes, they are are difficult to see, are the previous evening’s catch, not dirty spots on the camera lens. Pic taken after leaving the sheltered place at Vegstein. He/she must have been fed up with his/her previous perch(?) between the pushpit and the lifebuoy, where he, or she, or maybe offspring, has lived for several seasons, and seen the new place as a much better catchment area. B’s gales have swept him/her away. Hopefully he/she will have survived, but is in bad-weather hibernation. We await his/her decision.

Tomorrow’s weather forecast is more promising: With no rain, almost-favourable wind direction and strength, lessening waves and even a bit of sunshine. Early to bed tonight and an early start tomorrow, goal is Rørvik.

Alls well.

From Støtt to Vegstein

So, no gourmet dinner at Støtt, but the rain stopped during the night, and conditions were OK next morning for motorsailing on to Rødøya, (66 39.9 / 013 13.4), where we arrived early afternoon, and a hoped-for gourmet dinner at the Klokkergården there.

The famous Rødøyløve (Red Island Lion), seen unusually of his back, from the NW. The normal pic is from the S, and really does look like a reclining lion.

Checked in to the restaurant to book a table, and was told in Polish-English that it was sold out in the evening, but I could have a meal earlier. We compromised on 4 o’clock, a bit early, but the metabolism could be persuaded.

Scollops as a starter followed by Baked Sea Trout. Both delicious. Unusual dandering with mild pickled onion. Desert taken on board, with the last of the strawberries bought in Bodø, a bit mushy, but just as tasty. There are no better-tasting strawberries than those ripened under the long Norwegian summer sunshine.

Had just dozed off to humour the digestion, when I was hull-knocked awake by a boat-helper who asked if I wouldn’t mind hauling off to make room for a larger sailing boat to tie up, with Josin outside. A 55 footer, seemed very large, and I needed a ladder to climb up to its deck from Josin’s, to go ashore. I had got used to the pitching motion of Josin in the wind-driven waves driving into the harbour, but attached to a much longer boat we danced in unsynchronised motion. Disturbing. Didn’t sleep too well that night, so left very early against the southerly wind to motor the short distance to Selsøyvik, (66 34.5 / 012 58.8). Not much better there, but a couple of hours on the ear helped.

There is a well-known Salmon smokery at Selsøyvik, and the shop provided a large piece, to be enjoyed later. Set off again after lunch, motoring again into a gradually reducing southerly wind, but a current in the right direction, sailing the last hour or so to Hjertøya, (66 00.5 / 012 24.8), always one of my stops, and anchored up in company with four other sailboats. Busy! On the way we passed another strangely shaped mountain, and a sea eagle perched on the high point of a small island. An iPhone’s zoom is not really strong enough, but the long-lens camera was stowed down below and couldn’t be readied quickly enough. You must just imagine what a splendid sight it was.

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After a quiet night, the next day dawned to a partly-sunny sky and a gentle NW wind, and we experienced a challenging sail almost all the way to Vegstein (65 41.2 / 012 01.6). Sailing through the string of islands meant the water was flat, and I much enjoyed frequent fine-trimming the sails to optimise boat speed. Managed almost the same as true wind speed. Not often that is achieved.

Vegstein for several days, the first one in clement weather, but the rest in driving rain and southerly near-gales. Much worse further north. News called it the first of the autumn storms. Rather too early i reckon. What else is in store?

Alls well.

South again, from Harstad.

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A few pics of interesting mountains to ease the boredom of the next stages.

We left Harstad strategically timed to get through Tjeldsund, (68 34.0 / 016 31.4), so as to enjoy the current going the right way. It wasn’t nearly as strong as when going north, but helped, until we got to the south-going stretch (68 30.2 / 016 09.1), down to Lødingen, when it turned against. Tried sail-help here, but it didn’t last. Tied up at the visitors pontoon in Lødingen harbour, (69 24.9 / 015 39.7), after asking the water-scooter brigade to organise themselves a bit. Later three of them had fun. For them. Earplugs helped. Then they either got tired, too wet and cold, or ran out of fuel, and peace descended again.

Next day, wednesday 7th July already, promised SW wind and waves against later, so we started early. Motored all day, with occasional hopeful help from the genua. It was overcast and almost drizzly, and no good for pics, although plenty of mountains to the east to peer at through the gloom. A real boring, 68 nm day. Got to a favourite place, Hjelløya (67 32.8 / 014 39.1), where there is a public mooring buoy, unfortunately occupied, so I anchored. Of course it blew up during the night, right into the bay, and the growling of the dragging anchor woke me up, (must have been half-waiting for it). 3 am, in the rain and strong wind, is not the most congenial time, but two attempts to re-set the anchor didn’t succeed, so we rushed corkscrewing downwind in rolypoly waves the few miles to Kjerringøy harbour, (67 31.3 / 014 45.7), which was more than full, the blustery wind creating a string-orchestra in the rigging of all the cowering sailing boats. One place between outriggers was open, really? How odd. But…with a sign, “private”. Who is there to worry, or ask, at 4 am? Tie up. Sleep. After breakfast I asked everyone I could find, in still the rain and wind, as to who owned the spot, but had to give up. It appeared that this northern part of the harbour with a long row of sheds on the breakwater with boat spaces in front, was in separate ownership from the rest of the harbour. No owners present. Conscience salved. Leave.

Onward south, under slightly better conditions, but still against, the 20 nm to Bodø, arriving just after the timely, late morning rutine exodus of several motor-cruisers, leaving a space for Josin. (67 16.9 / 014 22.4). Spent the rest of the day re-rigging the newly-repaired gennaker, its bowsprit, roller furling with endless rope, and sheets. Looking forward to action tomorrow, if the forecast holds.

Saturday, (happy birthday Ida) dawned early, cloudless, and a gentle northerly wind. Very promising. At last some sailing. Yes. After only a motoring hour to head out into open water, up went the gennaker, unrolling with the usual gentle flapping until tamed, and we sailed. Shut down trusty engine. Peace at last!

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The wind was a perfect 10 to 12 knots, and we smoothed along at about 5 knots for several delightful hours, having to gybe occasionally to maintain course through the few islands until we neared the strangely-shaped headland of Kunna, (66 58.6 / 013 55.5), when out of nowhere the wind blew suddenly and strongly, and I had to get very busy. I achieved a rope wuzzle during the in-rolling, and the sail had to come down via the water again. Too many ropes for too few hands. No damage this time. Getting better at this! (I think I know the solution for avoiding the wuzzle next time).

Genua sail at exhilarating speed round Kunna and in to Støtt, (66 55.5 / 013 26.1), for lunch, recuperation, drying sail and a snooze. Later, a sailboat tied up in the spot beside me, another who had had gennaker problems, so we commiserated and compared techniques and notes. A little wiser! Later, the rain came pelting on the wind, so I gave up going to the restaurant. Pity. I’d been looking forward to that. Salmon and diverse veg at home instead.

Sunday 11th, another restaurant. Report later.

Alls well.

From Harstad to Gratangen

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The weather changed from chilly, to not so chilly to suddenly summer, and stayed like that for several days. Most enjoyable! The locals knew how to take advantage of the sunshine and the sidewalk cafés and ice cream sellers were doing a goodly trade.

We headed to Gratangen, in blue sky, clear sunshine, flat calm sea, and motored all the five hours. The goal there was the North Norway Traditional Boat Museum, right at the bottom end of the fjord, local name Gratangsbotn. (All the deep fjords worthy of the name have a “botn”. Logical, isn’t it?). (68 40.2 / 017 40.0). Visitors to the museum are presumably expected to arrive by road, not boat, as there wasn’t really anywhere to tie up.

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Luckily there was Lars, owner of one of the runabouts at the pontoon there, who agreed that as long as the weather stayed stable and fine, it was OK for Josin to perch on the end, so we stayed. After some late lunch and a snooze, I was awakened by a family of Mum and four children, arriving to take a dip. 15 year girl showed the way and plunged, (water temp 14,2 C), but the rest needed encouragement by shouts and squeals, but they all went in, one or two just-in-and-out. Mum sat on a bench and paid attention.

A gentle walk past a garden with a large sailboat hiding in the tall nettles, over a field, bombed by angry gulls protecting their nests, a rickety bridge over the stream and then round the end of the local football pitch brought me to the museum, where a sit on the terrasse in the sun with a cup of coffee was well-deserved.

A very well-organised museum. Lots of boats, some more than 100 years old, of middling to small sizes, all with a history given in three languages, and some other interesting articles. Spent several hours there, awed.

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I still marvel at the lines of these boats, developed over the millennium, formed by basic tools and cunning use of the characteristics of newly-hewn trees, and a craftman’s tradition passed down over the generations. They slide through the water so easily and are remarkably stable.

In a coppice beside the museum was a memorial to those who fell in the battle here at the beginning of the occupation of Norway in WW 2. It was here that they held out longest apparently.

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Next morning, a knock on the bow and a loud “Hello” brought me out to meet Tore Meyer, an elderly gentleman with walking stick who turned out to be the owner of the sailboat in the nettles, who invited me to coffee and a chat. Unfortunate fellow. Had had two heart attacks earlier and had lost the ability and drive to finish his boat. He told me all about it and also his other boating adventures, over several cups of coffee. Very generous these people up here in the north. He offered me the use of his car “because you really need to look around a bit”. Yes please! An Audi with six gears and very many horsepower, needed taming. So I drove into the hinterland, with feather-light right toe and realised why this area had been so strategic for the occupiers. The old road was the only connection north-south over the mountain. Now replaced by a modern road with sweeping bends, stunning views and no lay-bys. No stopping. I drove quite a way before I found a turnoff to turn around.

Next morning, back to Harstad, motoring. A stop in Foldvik to see the boatyard and workshops where they restore old boats, but unfortunately little activity, cos it was monday and holiday times had started. During the day I received a message saying the gennaker had arrived, so next morning puttered round down into the end of the harbour where the agent was, to collect it. On the way back, stopped to fill up with diesel. Back in the town and intending to go and buy some fresh bread before setting off south…… No bank card! (used to buy fuel). Back to the pump. No. Telephone to my bank and a helpful lady did the necessary and organised a new card to be collected in Trondheim. Fortunately a credit card will tide me over. Moral. Have a spare!

A hoped-for ride in a sailplane at nearby Salangen couldn’t occur, as the towplane wasn’t in order. Next opportunity, late July. Bother. Too late. Onward, back southbound.

All is otherwise well!

From Bodø to Harstad.

We spent three days in Bodø, the last two kept in by the wind, which blew steady 25 knots in the harbour, easing during monday night and tuesday morning sufficiently that further boating was in order. Even the fresh-shrimp trawler didn’t appear. Chilly temperature, only 10 degrees, so on with all wool layers available.

We set off late morning, hoping for a sail, but the wind hadn’t just eased, it had dropped almost completely, so we motorsailed the short distance to Hjelløy, (67 32.8 / 014 39.3) just west of Kjerringøy, where there is a mooring buoy in a snug bay. Quiet night.

Wednesday morning was still overcast and chilly, and it was almost drizzling too, so a short motorsail to Nordskot was enough before the cold creeps up “from the toes and ankles, calves and knees and then bit by bit”….. Thankyou Belloc. Rigged up the wind vane self-steering during the evening, in the hopes…..

1st July, thursday, started promisingly with a forecast of sunshine and a usable SW wind to take us up the Vestfjord. it happened! So we started early, seven o’clock and enjoyed a roly-poly sail all the way to Lødingen, (68 24.7 / 16 00.3), 45 nautical miles. The seas build up well in a SW’er in the Vestfjord, they have a very long fetch into a narrowing space. The wind was on the port quarter, but the waves were from dead aft, combining to create a cork-screw motion in Josin. Not comfortable! Must admit I was a bit weary of the continuous movement, and so were both the wind pilot and the autopilot, neither of which could cope properly, so I had to steer the boat myself at times. Oh dear!

Managed to take a pic or two before the motion prohibited photography!

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Leaving Norskot. Mountain tops with hats. The “Hammarøy Skaft”, a very tall peak.

Good long late-afternoon rest in Lødingen, before much clicking and reading and calculating the probable currents in the somewhat narrow fjords leading to Harstad, which I didn’t “time” last year. Found out that I needed to cover nearly 20 nm before 09:00, or wait 12 hours. That was a challenge, but up and at it and away just after 5. Took more time than usual to untie as the next-door motor cruiser’s skipper had multi-coiled and knotted his thick ropes on top of mine, (etiquette says that those that come after, tie up under existing ropes, but that guy obviously didn’t know). Disturbed him though, as a sleepy head appeared at a window, looking worried as i strived. I bowed and waved as we left.

Friday turned out to be a very succesful boating day. We sailed, windvane steering a lot of the time, with needed help from the engine in the most current-turbulent places, making fantastic progress in marvelous sunshine, (though still chilly). I had hit the tides and currents just right, as a lot of the time we had 2 kts with us and over 3 kts at the narrowest places. Whoooooosh!. Fun!

We arrived sufficiently early in Harstad (68 48.1 / 016 32.8), that the dawdling motorcruisers hadn’t left yet, but there was just space left for Josin: (Pic taken later). A new standard in “Houseboats” maybe?

Need to stay in the area of Harstad for a few days until the gennaker sail arrives from Elvstrøm Seil after repair, but first some fresh bread and a trip to the delikatessen in the town square here, and a long snooze.

Alls well