Josin’s 2022 cruise, #19

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.