From Utvær to Kjellingøy to Kirkeholm to Strusshamn to Huftarøy.
The last pic from Utvær in calm summer weather is of the tourists, recently deposited from the fast ferry, on their guided tour, from the lighthouse to other places:
Onward south, for motor, with no wind but glorious sunshine at sea and boiling-up clouds over land. That must have dumped cooling rain somewhere lucky, later.
to a beautiful lagoon some hours later, at Kjellingøy. Clear 10 m deep water and good holding for the anchor.
Later in the evening in the low-sun light, I spied a Rock-Troll, (solid version of his cousins who live in their forests). You see him? with a pointy nose and one eye staring out to sea?
Next morning in the early sunshine he was still there, his shoulder braced against the coming winter storms.
Stayed there until afternoon, enjoying trying fishing, without a single nibble, and several snorkel swims to see if I could find any fish. None. Gave up.
Several small boats with colourful, joyful families came and tied up, and enjoyed the very-inviting water.
We left, onward south, in the afternoon and after the forecast wind hadn’t really arrive,d but it was enough to have the genoa out to help the engine, to Kirkeholmen, (bis), and luckily unoccupied.
Some of the long-ago remains of a dwelling have been re-cycled into a landing spot, and a fire-hearth. Also someone who must have been a regular visitor had built a bench to enjoy the sunset, unfortunately cloud-spoiled for me this evening.
Next day, still no sail-able wind but in strong sunshine, we motored to Strusshamn, just outside Bergen, to civilisation, shops, laundry, water and diesel.
Just to have a gripe, the facilities are run by GoMarina, maybe a good system, but their control-terminals for showers, toilets and washing machines have a pathetically small display, at chest height, with dark blue letters in a light blue screen. You pay by “app”, the instructions are minimal, and if you get it wrong, there is no oopsie possibility, and you have to start from scratch and pay again for access. Guess who got it wrong?! Twice!!! Gripe over.
Spent a convivial evening with Åsgårdstrand sailors Børge and Marit on their boat while it tried to rain a bit. Pretty rings on the water surface, but no cooling effect.
We had been cruising much of the same waters since Tananger several weeks ago, but they had travelled further north, and had now met again in Strusshamn, sort of on the way home.
Yesterday afternoon, that must have been tuesday, we ventured forth south again, past the gigantic pillars of the new Sotra bridge, (can you see how they have grown since my last pic?) and into more open, less trafficated waters, unfurled the genakker, and sailed for several enjoyable hours at about 4 knots in a 8 knot wind with the engine silent at last:
to Huftarøy, (bis), to find another sailboat, from Holland, anchored there. Just enough swinging-space for two in this calm weather.
Today is wednesday, the morning clouds have dispersed, the sun is again beating down, and I’m waiting for the forecast wind to materialise. Hoping to repeat yesterday’s sailing, south-along. Hoping.
Alls well,
PatientJohn
Josin's 2025 cruise 