Month: August 2022

More hot sun, less cooling wind.

Left Långedrag rather later than intended, and motored west through the shipping lanes and other busy traffic, to the north/south channel, and continued motoring until the wind started to be sailable, from the south. Left the channel and headed north west and out to sea in the hope of finding more wind. Well, there was, but only enough to fill the genaker and let it drag us along at about 4 knots. Then surprise! We were doing nearly 6 knots over ground. 2 knots of north-going current, nice! Which lasted until we headed inshore towards goal for the day, and met very choppy seas, causing much rolling and hopping and which disturbed the sail so much that it wouldn’t retain shape. Strange effects these currents have.

On the way past Marstrand, the near horizon was covered in small white triangles, which gradually turned out to be a regatta for Lazer dingies. Must have been over a hundred of them, very well spread out. The leader well ahead, and vocally encouraged over the finishing line by folk milling around in small boats. Must had been a local sailor.

A short stop at Ingergerdsholmen, (57 59.06N 011 31.73E) where I had hoped to find an unoccupied blue buoy. No luck. Anchor held well enough for a relaxed afternoon pause, but wouldn’t hold well enough in the sea grass for a night, so we retired to a pontoon in the guest harbour at Skärhamn, (57 59.30N 011 32.76E), just round the corner. Yet another variant on the tie-up theme here. A stout rope, one end attached to the pontoon, the other end fixed to a heavy something under water at right angles to the pontoon. Without help, this is nearly impossible for a solo sailor, as you have to go nose in, right in to the pontoon without bumping the bowsprit, fish up the dangling rope with the boathook, reach back along the very slimy rope until tension is felt, belay it, then rush up forward again to try and attach bow ropes, the while apologising for bumping the neighbours. Luckily, two stout helpers from the neighbouring boats prevented Josin attacking them, (cross wind), and after much adjusting of ropes, I could finally relax, profusely thankful for help, and a bit puffed.

Next morning, friend and Ballad owner Stefan Robertson fetched me to his “cottage”, (apartment in Gothenburg), for coffee, a sticky bun and a long chat, on the terrace:

The swimming pool is heated by many solar panels, but right now, in this strong sunshine, a bit much! Back to Josin via the bakery for a still-warm sourdough loaf. Yummy lunch.

After the post-prandial, we motored the short distance, initially in the narrow, 5 knots-restricted channel, and out to the well-protected bay at Slubbersholm, (58 03.84N 011 26.99E) where we anchored in solid sand. Very popular place, with sandy beaches enjoyed by many families in small run-abouts. These all disappeared in the evening, leaving the cruisers to enjoy the sunset:

During the evening, this “mermaid” came slowly paddelling past, singing to her heart’s content in time with the gentle paddling: (Sorry about the poor pic quality). Exotic!

Away early the next morning, (sorry about the screaming anchor winch), in brilliant sunshine and a promising gentle southwesterly breeze, and out to sea again. There is a perfectly good protected route inside the islands, but it needs navigating and difficult to genaker-sail. At sea the genaker held full and we caught the north-going current again, and we gobbled up the miles, to Dannemark/Ulöen, (58 30.81N 011 15.86E), another well-protected popular family-place, and enough space for boats to anchor. Good holding where we were. Another relaxed evening in the sun.

Awakened next morning by the increasing light, and took this just before the sun rose over the inland hills. Promising yet another sunny day.

It was only a quarter to seven when we up-anchored, (again sorry about the screaming anchor winch), and enjoyed another genaker sail and helping current the 25 nm to the Koster Islands, to my favourite spot at Lille Tällskär, (58 51.27N 011 02.79E). My very favourite spot was again occupied, so we tied to the rock in spot 2. Enjoyed an afternoon and evening in the sun, cooling off at intervals in 22 degree clear water, (not quite sure of the thermometer’s accuracy), but it felt soothing, not shocking. (Watch for jellyfish first!). Underwater inspection of the log didn’t reveal why it sometimes doesn’t register. It has stubbornly refused to be removed from inside the boat. Another task on the list after the haulout.

Tomorrow is monday, and much rain promised for the evening, so we will take a short trip in to Strømstad for provisions, water and fuel, and come back again to this safe and comfortable place.

Alls well.

Sun. SUN! Summer the whole time.

We left Varberg

after lunch (monday) as the weather cleared and left a gentle breeze which carried us the 20 nm over an almost calm sea to Skallahamn (57 21.7N 011 59.6E) as planned. The SXK blue buoys were taken, so we anchored in quite clear water, clear enough to be able to see the bottom and avoid the sea grass, which the anchor only harvests and provides no holding

Next morning I took it easy after a poor night’s sleep, (dunno why), and after a leisurely breakfast, was entertained by a seal:

very close to the boat, poking his nose vertically out of the water and snuffling a few times before sliding bak under water. I thought to don the snorkel mask and try and see him from underwater, but decided against it as the water temp was only 17 degrees. The afternoon breeze filled the genaker nicely and we were wafted the 19 nm to Långedrag, (57 40.0N 011 50.8E):

another enormous marina, (with a few difficult-to-find guest slots), the home of Gothenberg’s Kongelig Seil Selskap, on the southwesterly outskirts of Gothenberg, paying attention over the last few miles to the countless ferries and other boats rushing to and fro in the restricted channel.

GKSS has a very active sailing milieu, with much activity most evenings during the week, and at weekends. There was a regatta for Lazer dingies when I arrived. This marina is the only one with guest spots in the area, except for “Lille Bommen” in the town centre, v expensive.

Next morning, did a large clothes wash, again after a discussion as to whose turn it was, (not mine it turned out, the harbourmaster had logged me in for next week by mistake, oops!), then a trip on the tram, just 10 mins walk from the boat. (Two tram routes, both going all the way into G’borg centre, ca half an hour). Busy with my nose in my phone trying to buy a ticket, I overshot the intended stop, scrambled out at the next and had a leisurely wait to retrace my steps. Boat-things shop, large, but without what I needed, then supermarket next door, and tram back.

A very pleasant evening with Ballad-owner Andy Christiansson and family, for dinner in the GKSS clubhouse restaurant, fish soup, yum. Then an inspection of each other’s boats, very different interiors, for family and solo. Lena was very interested in all the drawers I have made to fill in vacant spaces. Very much better that diverse plastic bags, stuffed in there earlier. Maybe a winter task for Andy?

I’m trying to write this while genaker-sailing very slowly, a bit out to sea where signal is very weak, and I keep on losing what I have written. Frustrating. So I’ll stop here and try again later.

Alls well.

A loooong trip to the dentist.

With hindsight, that embarrassingly accurate view, I maybe needn’t have travelled, but I’m glad I did. Bit of a break, to see the countryside from a different angle, but so incredibly fast! After weeks of 5 knots (10 km/t), anything faster was confusing.

So, the tooth. By the time I got to the dentist’s chair, almost all discomfort had abated, but that was after several bits had broken off, leaving a deep hole. A bit embarrassing to answer the logical question: No, no pain now. My smiling dentist reminded me gently that when she had filled the same tooth some months ago, she had recommended a crown, so that’s what it will be, a little later. A temporary filling, wave the plastic, and back out into the sunshine.

So, next morning, kind neighbour Norma drove me to an early train, and I was back in Josin before teatime. It was blowing hard, so there was no incentive to move, and the rain came later to keep me there until after lunch the next day.

We ventured forth, (now sunday), in less windy conditions, but the seas were still running from the previous NW’erly. An uncomfortable pitchy/rolly motorsail to Varberg, where there was just a Josin-sized spot between the 40 footers. (Sometimes it pays to be small!). More rain during the night, and forecasts which tell of better sailing this afternoon, so we wait awhile and enjoy a leisurely morning, and lunch.

Next goal is a short, hopefully sail, to the anchorage at Skallahavn, where we enjoyed a quiet night on the way south.

Must take a walk, the weather clearing, and find some fresh sourdough bread for lunch.

Alls well:

An unfortunate Plan Z, or pause.

A tooth which had been murmuring for a few days became uncomfortable, then broke. Find a dentist in these holiday times? Take a quick trip home to the dentist who fixed the same tooth earlier this year?. Much googling resulted in a decision for the latter.

Yesterday from Helsingør to Gilleleje, (56 07.6N 012 18.7E), motoring against a northerly, and a long genaker sail today to Falkenburg, (56 53.6N 012 29.4E), in Sweden, where I can take train/bus/train back to Kongsberg to the dentist on friday morning. All things being equal, I hope to return on saturday.

The boat club here in Falkenburg is in the river, quite a way upstream from the harbour entrance, so very well protected from the elements. Very friendly harbourmaster who will look after Josin while I’m away.

Taxi tomorrow morning will take me to the railway station, and, if all goes according to plan, I shall be back in No 13A in time for dinner. Just have to remember to buy it on the way, as I hope the fridge is empty.

All, except for the tooth, is well.

More sailing winds! Forecast mostly from the east for the next few days.

After a rather more civilised start from Brantevik, (yesterday had been 61 nm and 12 hours long), we motored south for an hour or so until the easterly wind gradually came in and the genaker was unfurled and we sailed the 25 nm to Ystad, in company with several other sailing boats all making the best of the wind that there was. The sun shone and the temperature rose to almost uncomfortable, but we didn’t stop for a cooling swim as the water temp was only 14! Most unusual for the Baltic.

Tied up at a pontoon berth amongst boaters enjoying the afternoon sun, and/or dozing. It was sufficiently hot that my intention of taking a walk to that sourdough bakery again seemed just too much effort, so I did the same.

Forecast was still for easterlies, rather more this time, so an early-ish start next day and a near-continuous genaker sail all the way to the Falsterbo Canal. No less than seven other sailing boats had the same idea, and it was interesting to see the various courses chosen and who had the best wind. The seas were getting a bit rough and when the wind increased to over 15 knots, I rolled in the genaker as a precaution, and sailed on the foresail only until conditions quietened again. I’m getting much more confident at mastering the process of rolling in the genaker now, fewer poggles, so will probably make more use of it in the future. Arrived at the entrance to the canal almost at the same time as three other sailors, and we made an orderly flotilla. There followed a three-quarter hour wait for the bridge opening at 14.00, by which time four other sailors had joined the flotilla. Must have looked impressive, (and maybe a little frustrating), for the motorists waiting for all those crawlingly slow boats to get to the other side of the bridge.

Next morning I was “awakened” to

absolute stillness. Fog. Quite thick. Amazing how fog absorbs sound. No chance of departing in so little visibility, so consumed a leasurely english breakfast and waited. At 8 o’clock the bridge opened and two sailing boats came through and appeared, lantern-shining and ghost-like out of the fog, with the tops of their masts illuminated by the sun! So, fog only very thin, so it will soon clear. It did. So off we went in the sunshine with the increasing wind in our stern and genaker-sailed all the way to Helsingør, (56 02.6N 12 36.9E).

Between the canal and Denmark is one of the largest wind farms anywhere. Very impressive seeing all those “green” megawatts being generated. If I’ve published this pic before, sorry! 48 windmills apparently.

The north harbour in Helsingør is, according to their website, the largest in Denmark, with over 1 000 boats. The web site also stated that there was always a spare slot as not all boats were tied up at once, but it took us over three quarters of an hour of investigating almost all the spaces to find a spot between poles we could squeeze in between. We were after all, a bit late in the day.

Elsinor Castle, (remember your Hamlet?) is just off the picture at the bottom right, and with only about 15 minutes walk into Helsingør town, a quite idyllic spot.

So next day, and as the wind was in the north and the sun shone, I wandered into the town in the afternoon to enjoy the ambience, and the throng! One of three beer “restaurants” in the town square:

The place was awash with people in the main pedestrian street, some wandering hither and jon trying to find a cafe-place to sit down, and enjoy a beer, like everyone else seemed to be doing. I looked in vain for a seat, a coffee and a sticky bun, but came to the conclusion the the buns had all been eaten up during the morning and now it was beer-time. When in Denmark, do as the Danes! A little shopping, including a new pair of swimming goggles, ‘cos the boat gremlin has hidden my others, and back to the boat, with a snap or two on the way:

The north wind blew up and sent the rigging-aolea un-musically thrumming, so I made dinner, relaxed and planned tomorrow’s sail? to Gilleleje.

Alls well.

More sailing, at last! This one is for those maybe interested in course strategy.

After a very early start from Karlskrona, in bright sunshine and a gentle breeze, we motored out into the open sea with goal of Simrishamn, down on the southeast corner of Sweden, before the coastline turns west. The forecasts were pretty correct, for wind speeds and direction, and we could sail.

The first approx third of the track shows a variable course, sailing close-hauled on starboard tack trying to follow the variable very light north westerly wind’s direction. Then a more continuous portion, where the wind steadied and increased and the autopilot could take over. Note the curve to port as the wind gradually backed. Then a decision to tack over to close-hauled on port tack and track more in the right direction. The wind direction, true to the forecasts, continued to gradually back further, hence the curved track of the last approx third, still on port tack close-hauled. The last bit was with engine, as it was getting a bit late. With always-reliable hindsight, I should have headed more south for the first half and would probably have shortened time and distance. (One of those new-fangled apps for prediction of optimum course-to-steer would surely do that).

Actually we ended up in Brantevik, (55 30.8N 014 20.0E), a little further south from Simrishamn.

Never too late to learn!