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St Hans evening party was somewhat reduced, as Britt was unfortunately ill, but the was a bonfire on the beach, eggnogg, burnt sausages, pop, chatter, laughter and midges. The latter were irritating. Everyone was batting away with something, a hand, a cap, a scarf, whatever available. Early departure!

We didn’t leave on friday, strong north wind again, or saturday, but frustration was overcome on sunday, slightly less wind but still from the north, and we motored the few hours to Hjartoy (pos: 66 oo.38 / 012 24.42), and anchored in a perfect natural harbour. The wind varied in both direction and strength during the night, but the anchor held.

Hjartoy to Sandnessjoen (pos: 66 01.33 / 012 77.71) didn’t take long, under a threatening sky and later rain. The Foen wind blew, and the temperature shot up to over 20 degrees. Strange. And rows of wave clouds, lenticulars for the meteorologically savvy, stretched downwind. Impossible to photograph. The intention was to carry on after filling up with diesel and food, but it was so miserable that we stayed put for the night.

We left Sandnessjoen reasonably early, and saw, from the middle of the harbour, this:

Had to do a pirouette to get time to fetch the camera, folk must have wondered!

With a gentle westerly wind and nearly flat sea, the sails were hoisted and although boat speed wasn’t impressive, a strong current, with this time, made progress passable, and at last the engine could be stopped. Bliss! Instead of following the main channel, I headed out to sea, with the hope of getting an unrestricted breeze. Check. Lasted all of four hours, before gradually dying away.

Strange meteorological conditions. Cloudbase was only about 150 meters, and all the mountain tops were blanketed, some with a plume downwind. One island had this rather Trumpish “hat”

Motor-sailing, then just motor, over the Polar Circle, at 66 33.77, blew the horn but only the gulls heard, then in to Selsoyvik, (pos: 66 34.51 / 012 58.81).

Been here several times before, and always a kind welcome  Missus very busy with preparations for daughter’s wedding on saturday.

Now that we are north of the Polar Circle, there is the possibility of seeing the midnight sun, but several contions need to be fulfilled, specially that of the sun. It may happen, but don’t hold your breath. Pictures will be taken. It isn’t midnight yet, but the sunset is quite a sight.

Alls well.

 

 

 

Fra Brønnøysund to Vega startet well, as forecast, but the increase in wind came much earlier, so the last hour and few miles were a wet, bouncy, splashy time in a gale, 30 knots. Arrival at Vegstein was down wind and a tricky maneuver into the space beside the bouncing pontoon, on which stood the brave reception committee of Knut, Sturla and Johan, stalwarts of the local maritime preservation society, and friends from earlier visits. Yes please, a hot coffee would be very welcome. That was friday.

It is now tuesday morning, the intervening days have been cold, windy and partially wet, but the summer was gloriously here yesterday for the whole day. Light breeze, blue sky and warmer, and a perfect day to have at those places of potential leaks, at last!. Lots of dismantling, skraping of old sealant and re-sealing. Found also several very narrow cracks, both in earlier repairs and new ones. Maybe it was these which have been the sinners. Borrowed tools from Johan to grind out. New polyester filler. Sunny dry-out. It is now raining again, so frequent inspection for drips today.

My consultant services were used on saturday to design a support for an enormous, ancient grindstone, donated to the museum here, and later to hold the box of screws and hand them out one by one. Sturla held in place, Knut screwed electrically and Johan supervised. (I think there is a picture of it somewhere on this blogsite). Most satisfying to be able to contribute. The structure got its second coat of barn-red paint this morning, the results will have to wait until it gets dragged out into the daylight. It was quite dark in the shed out of the wind and rain. Not much paint on my overalls, just one small mark, on the right knee, as a memento.

The museum/cafe was officially opened yesterday, 11 to 16 every day, and a few tourists came. Britt is in charge, and ensures piles of delicious waffles and liters of coffee (made in an well-battered kettle of impressive size), are ready for customers. Luckily for the workers and their assistants, there is enough for mugs of coffee in the well-earned pauses, and even a waffle if one asks nicely. (Britt usually cooks a few too many). This consultant was also used because of his command of the International, English, language to communicate with diverse foreigners. The men are impressed with Johan’s various engines, in loud motion, and the women ask Britt for her waffle recipe.

I’ll be here for the Midsummer Eve party on thursday evening. Forecast is reasonably realistic for a traditional bonfire, but you never know. But leaving will depend on a sailable wind. I just don’t care for motoring into a cold, splashy northerly any more. Friday afternoon or saturday could be promising.

More reading, as it is raining, then maybe a coffee, maybemaybe a waffle.

All’s well

At last a decent internet connection. I have in previous years praised the system on Josin, ICE. But after an upgrading last autumn, I’m not so generous. Right here in Brønnøysund the speed is enough to part your hair, but up along the coast there has been more nothing than something, and the something pathetic.I suspect problems at the transmitter end. I have had my bits checked by proffs.  So, no bloggs. No reading the newspapers on the iPad with the early morning cuppa. No weather forecasts! Well, forecasts haven’t been all that necessary: Northerly winds of varying strength, mainly strong.

So, from Vaagland, up the long, long Trondheimsleia, past another of Oil-Norway’s installations, Tjelbergodden, with it’s five, or was it six, unused gas turbine generator sets, to Børøysund, where there is a very good restaurant, but alas, it being a sunny saturday evening, the harbour was more than full and loudspeaker music spoke loud.So: Plan B. To Dypfest, (pos: 63 46,90 / 009 34,62), another three hours away, so that was a very long day. Dypfest harbour is only affected by northerly winds, and it was a  it of a struggle to get tied up. No-one around, well, it was nearly ten o’clock, and some quick food and sleep. Next day it blew even harder, so we stayed put, and slept some extra. Maintenance. Including the boater’s worst job. Successful luckily.

Dypfest to Bessaker, (pos: 64 14,88 / 010 19,15). The last two hours, on flat protected water and a marginal angle to the wind, was spent fine-tuning the sails and getting a surprising increase in boat speed. We live and learn, even about sailing! Bessaker is the summer home to German fishing-tourists. Almost all the jetty-space was occupied by fishing dingies, and German cars parked everywhere. Even a Trabant! Very serious fishermen at the filletting table, too busy to communicate, while filletting a seriously large catch. Adjacent Kro, or pub/restaurant had fish and chips on the menu. Yes, you’ve guessed!

Bessaker to Brakstad, (pos: 64 40,39 / 011 11,77). The last bit in an easterly direction so we sailed for the inside of an hour. Another ‘harbour’ affected by north winds, small, deserted. Previous visits have been more lively, but it is still early in the season, and a weekday.  Payment of harbour fees by ‘app’. But no internet available to download the ‘app’. Have to pay on the way back.

Brakstad to Rørvik. Town this time, guest jetty with space, but on the ‘wrong’ side, ie south, which in a strong northerly wind was again a problem. Solved this time with a sort of lasso that can be thrown over something solid. Needed two tries, in the meantime dangerous drifting almost into other boats. Phew! Help arrived just as things were under control. Next door was that Nordlands boat, no-one on it, but a large banner ‘Stop Sellafield’ straining at the mast. Maybe that crew had also had enough of the northerlies and had taken a break. Tanked up with large quantities of diesel, not so cheap here.

Borrowed someone else’s WiFi to look at the weather forecast, which was for ever-increasing winds next day, so decided to start early. Alarm for 5, but woke at 4, and away by 5.30! Nice and calm. No traffic. Boring. Lots of coffee. Lunch was taken very early. Brønnøysund at two-thirty. Snooze. Ships chandlers to buy a new fender. The exhaust from the cabin heater, (yes, it has been in frequent use), blows onto a pulpit-hanging fender if one forgets to move it. Exhaust hot enough to soften the plastic, and then the internal pressure blows a hole, with ‘pop’. Stupid. I’ve done it before. Expensive ‘pop’ that!

Forecast for tomorrow is similar, with rain later, so another early start, about four hours to Vega, where we will stay a few days. Help available to ‘hold the other end’ in the battle to stop the leaks.

All’s well

 

 

Remember your nursery rhymes?

The north wind shall blow,

and we’ll get no snow,

but sailing against it is grim.

So we clothe us real well

to help keep us warm

with the engine doing it’s best, poor thing.

 

It has been a week since the last posting, from Florø, and the sun has shone from a cloudless sky most days, but this north wind is chilly, rarely over 10 degrees. Sometimes the angle tempts me to unfurl the sails, but only seldom do they get to be effective.

Terrain north of Florø is more mountainous, on both sides of the fjord, so the wind blows either against or with. If a side-fjord, then sometimes side-wind, but not for long. Then there are ‘down’ winds, when they curl over the high mountain and down onto the surface. With sails up, this can be exciting, so it is to be avoided.

Another rather wet ride to Måløy, and again suspicious behaviour by the AIS, so next day, which would have been far too windy to carry on, round the Stad peninsular, was spent re-locating various units to dryer places, getting expert and friendly help from the local radioshop to make up new cables and check that it was all working correctly. Sigh of relief!

Surprise arrival was a real Nordlands boat, on a Norwegian Greenpeace mission round the coast to drum up support to close down the Sellafield nuclear plant. Skipper was from a place way up north, with characteristic ability to amuse, and a genuine appreciation of an ‘anchor dram’, (provided by me), to shoo away the wet and cold ride, (it is an open boat, nothing to hide behind). Local paper turned up, interviewed and took pictures. Maybe we will meet again further north. If you are interested, look up “www.neptunenetwork.org”.

Late afternoon we pottered the short distance to Selje island, pos:(62 03,16 / 005 17,74), where St Sunniva was shipwrecked and founded a kloister. Two german masons, repairing the tower, and an eagle, way up on the ridge, feeding two very large young, to plaintive squeaks and raucus squauks. The evening potter was to shorten the distance to Stad, rounding which was forecast to be allright next day. It was correct. Early start, in very easy conditions, which lasted until a few hours before Ålesund. We were not the earliest, as four other boats had started from Måløy, and we were in convoy. Nice to be able to follow them all on AIS, and call them up to ask if they could see me. Yes, it was working fine. No problem.

Two nights in Ålesund, the intervening day, again very sunny, but blowing hard, was used to ride the busses to find electrical things, and shop. Enormous cruise ships in the commercial harbour. An Aussie couple on the bus were irritated but glad when I could tell them that, yes, they were on the right bus, but going the wrong way to the Aquarium. Strewth!

From Ålesund to Tornes, pos:(62 50,19 / 007 02,53), and the wind gradually veered enough to SAIL. Four glorious hours. At last! Balm for the soul.

From Tornes to Kristiansund, again against the wind, and on a bouncy, spray-ey sea, enough to make even me feel queasy. Or was it the sardines for lunch. Revolting, maybe in both senses of the word.

Intended to stay the night in K, but in the early evening, a band started to warm up and test its powerful equipment, all too close to the guest harbour, so I skapered. Westward into the deep fjords, past an enormous offshore floating drilling rig, parked for the duration, to a little protected side fjord, and Vaaland, pos:(63 07,40 / 008 15,90), where there was a jetty, a deserted boat-builders yard, and no-one. Loud hello’s didn’t get response, so I tied up and enjoyed the quiet. Next morning was magic in the sunrise. Mirror water. Not a sound. Majestic, snow-spattered mountains.

And now we are on our way again. Northerly breeze of course. Maybe as far as Børøysund. We’ll see.

 

All’s well.

I’ve got in a bit of a muddle, with drafts written and not apparently sent, (the internet connection has been very erratic), which have then disappeared, so,here is an update.

It is friday, the sun is shining hard in a hazy sky, and I stopped here for fuel for both me and the boat.

Yes, I did sample the hamburger in Bekkjarvik, it was very good indeed, price thereafter. McDonalds will never be the same again.

Motorsailed on to Strusshamn, (pos: 60 24,17 / 005 11,48), a few miles west of Bergen. Been there several times before, a well-sheltered harbour, with shops just up the road. Spent a lot of the next day travelling by buses to Bergen and beyond to buy an FM/DAB radio, same as the one which succumbed to the wetness some days ago. Very efficient bus service. Friendly drivers, willing to help this poor questioning ‘foreigner’, punctual and frequent. Stopped in the center of Bergen on the way back. Lots and lots of people. Three gigantic cruise ships in the harbour, and their passengers wandering around, hoody jacket up, (no, it was not actually raining yet), map in hand with pointy fingers at the next ‘sight’. The trendy young carried a shoulder bag, smart phone in the one hand and a rolled-up umbrella in the other.

Nostalgia crept in. It is almost exactly 60 years since I was in Bergen the  first time, early June 1956. Passage from Newcastle in the fog, summer and sunshine from Haugesund to Bergen. Wow-factor high. Newly in love and on my way to unforgettable days in Hardanger. Sigh!

From Strusshamn, the inland route northward, to Kirkeholmen,(pos:60 41,76 / 005 04,76), a mini-jetty only two tractor tires long, just right for a Josin-sized, where we stayed two nights, the weather deciding. Installed the new radio and read the instructions.

Onward northalong, to Skjerjehamn, (pos: 60 56,58 / 004 57,31), for lunch. The restaurant there has a reputation, and the Cæsar salad was excellent. (Still haven’t found out how to include pictures, sorry, as a statue of the old King commanding the fairway was duly photographed). Lovely weather, but still wind on the nose, so all motoring further, to a natural harbour on the south side of Svanøy, (pos: 61 28,67 / 005 05,92), where we anchored. Long day, over 60 nm altogether, so a quick meal and sleep. 4 am and the wind suddenly blew from the south, waking me up, and I had to find another spot. Back to sleep.

Just for the record, I’ve had a dip almost every morning recently. Temp still not above 14. Brr, but good.

And today, another scorching day and northerly breeze. Having sent this off, we’ll be heading north again. The forecast is for strong northerly winds for the next few days for the famous Stad peninsular, ie, don’t hurry, as we will have to wait, either in Måløy, or somewhere closer to Stad. I have never had to wait for the weather before, although last time northward was well bumpy and wet. Not again thank you.

All’s well

Forgot to say where we are, for those who want to know:

North end of Ivarsøy, pos:  59 55,17 / 005 14,03.

Sun up wakeup, now clouding over. Maybe not a morning dip after all. Too cold.

After a relaxing and very successful drying out day at Skarvøy, the sun climbing over the hilltop woke me up at a reasonably early hour, and we managed therefore to get away reasonably early on thursday morning. The sun shone all day, but the wind was again contrary so it was a motoring day all the way to Egersund. The YR.no website has an amazing amount of information on it, including predictions of sea currents. It is a bit unstable, but by experience, the predictions checked. Up to two knots, where the current was predicted strongest, and that was conservative, as we experienced 7,5 to 8 knots on the GPS when speed through the water was 5,5, so progress was impressive.

Egersund was quiet, but the Peking House restaurant provided crispy Peking duck. Good. Next morning was a more normal-time start, again in beautiful weather, but no wind. Surprise at the diesel pump, only Kr 8,80 per liter! It pays to fill up at a fishing harbour. Out via the northern route round Egerøy we headed north up the Jær coast, which is not very hospitable, but looked benign in this weather. After a while we were in a weather hole. Clouds building up from the south, and a fog bank approaching from the north, eventually enveloping us but with the sun still shining through the hole, quite remarkable!   When the fog cleared, a breeze crept in from the north west, with sufficient strength to enable proper sailing. What a joy after all those motoring hours. Plan A was Tananger, but we creamed past there in fine style, and plan B too, Skudeneshavn, so plan C, Haugesund, 72 nm, rather late, but contented, to a chokka-full quayside. Friday evening in the outside bars. Snek us into a free slot in the motorboat marina on the other side of the sound. No-one came to hoosh us out luckily. Dinner and instant sleep.

Today a drab day by contrast, lowering clouds which drizzled occasionally and absolutely flat calm. Goal was Bekkjarvik, and the special-quality hamburger there by a Boucluse d’Or- winning chef, but tiredness crept in and so we anchored up in an idyllic bay instead.  Two old farms, and three summer cottages. Very peaceful. Maybe hamburger for lunch tomorrow.

Strusshamn, outside Bergen next.  All’s well.

After the very wet ride from Jomfruland to Lillesand, everything inside the boat was either wet or damp, and the weather the next morning was still foggy and wet, so no good trying to dry things out.

Spent a very pleasant morning with Ballad friend Svein Tangen and his partner Linda, originally for a late breakfast, which turned into a leisurely brunch. Ballad things were discussed and ideas exchanged. Svein has copied some of my safety features, and will probably do more. He is a little handicapped due to a hip operation which was not entirely successful, leaving him with a weak thigh. But he is fully intent on continuing sailing. We spent an amusing session trying to get his new hand-held VHF radio to behave, with the helpful encouragement of the watch-keeper at Tjøme Radio.

Linda has the interesting task, in Kystverket, of looking after all the lighthouses around the coast, mainly ensuring that those who run the facilities, not the lights themselves, are doing the right thing, so she knows the Norwegian coast very well.

One casualty of the wetness was that no signal was apparently transmitted from my newly installed AIS unit, after passing Risør. So next priority was to seek help, in Kristiansand. Up early, another motoring/sailing day, not quite so boisterous luckily, and arrival early enough in K to contact Raymarine Service there. One man, Øyvind, who could help, but “he’s very busy, best you send him an SMS with the problem”. So suggested, so done. Plan B was however put into action, using a dedicated aerial, which needed to be purchased, and lo!, who should ring but Svein, who was in K, and asked if I needed to be driven anywhere. Marvellous. K’s shopping center, east of the city, is enormous, and we drove from shop to shop! Armed with the necessary bits and pieces, got back to the boat and a message from Gilbert that he “followed” Josin in to K. Oh? Mystery! so things must have dried out enough that the system woke up again. Ah well, spares are stowed away. But find the fault? Not yet! Message to Øyvind, thanks, but no help needed.

Nice sunny day next, with a little wind occasionally to help the engine, all the way to Skarvøy, east of Farsund. Been there several times, this time no other boats, but two cuckoo birds calling to each other. Spring is definitely here. Forecast was for more sunshine, higher temperatures, and little or no wind, so we stayed today too. It has been a perfect drying-out day, with everything moveable spread out on the wooden jetty. I will attach a picture or two, if I can find out how to do it.

All’s well

Saturday started pleasant, but deteriorated.

Mostly sunny, gentle breeze from the south west, (where I wanted to go), and calm-ish sea.

Jomfruland harbour consists of two floating jetties sticking at right angles out into the wide channel. Therefore affected by ocean and other waves, particularly the ferry which disturbed the peace several times a day. One broken glass the unprepared first time.

Motored off into the wind at a leisurely ten o’clock, with Risør the first of possible goals. Really the game plan was to see how far we could get in the day. Headed out into the Skagerakk to find the south-west going current, and there it was, though weaker than hoped, and a slightly sailing wind. Progress was good, but the wind was fickle in both direction and strength, so the engine was running a lot of the time. The clouds thickened and lowered, and.then it rained, first intermittently, then continually, the seas became rougher, but progress was still good. So we continued.

What with spray and rain, things got somewhat wet. Seeped into the cabin via undiscoverable ways, but not through my many layers of clothing. I kept nice and warm thankyou, not least from the constant motion as I rolled and pitched in tune with the boat.  Lunch was a tin of makarel in tomato sauce, helped down with crispbread and coffee, and chocolate. Tea was a near-repeat, but with sardines instead, and of course, tea. These tins have been onboard a long time, for occasions just as these, and i consumed the contents before daring to look for the best-by date. The older was from 2010, but was still quite OK, if you like such things.

Onward in the changing conditions, no point in stopping,and the forecast was for improvement, which checked, so the plans B, C and D were allowed to slide by in the mist. We arrived in Lillesand, ( pos: 58 14,83 / 008 22,75 ) in the late evening, still misty daylight of course, (it is only four weeks to midsummer), and tied up in a berth closest to a power outlet. Connected up and turned on the fan heater at full blast, to start the drying process. Seeking leakage paths will have to wait until I have found out why the AIS stopped working. Probably something to do with the aerial connections.

Quick, late, nourishing meal in the friendly Chinese, and weary to bed, (damp at the foot end).

Today it is still misty and wet, and forecast is rain, so a visit to Ballad-owning friend Svein Tangen is on the schedule, together with reading and nipping tea. Onward tomorrow.

All’s well

First post on this site was in Norwegian, so, sorry to those who couldn’t read it.

I now have two sites, this one, josinjohn.com, and one in Norwegian, josinjohnnorsk.com., on which I have just posted.

I shall try very hard not to mix things in future.

19th May turned out to be not too bad, but the wind was still against and rather too much. However, progress is better than none and after a bouncy ride for three hours with the engine doing it’s thing, and a short period of sailing over the Larvik fjord, where we had to do a pirouette to satisfy a large and insistent freighter that we were not really in his way, we arrived in Stavern. Tied up behind the highish stone jetty, out of the wind, which was blowing uncomfortably over the guest-jetty.

Friend Sven Rønne came to meet me and kindly drove me in to Larvik to do some forgotten-things shopping. Spent a pleasant evening with him, eating home-made pizza.

The forecast was for a weather window early today, so the alarm was set for 5 o’clock. Correct, and by 6 we were off in calm conditions. The wind gradually increased and sailable and we rushed across the Langesund fjord and in behind the long island of Jomfruland, just, as predicted, it started to rain. Up with the cockpit canopy. ‘After  breakfast’s second half, and a catch-up on sleep, we will remain here until the weather improves.

Took pics, but cannot succeed in attaching one yet. Must read the instructions.

All’s well