Category: Uncategorized

Night Sailing

When the wind blows the wrong way, have another cuppa, and wait. When the wind blows the right way, you sail!
These are not pics of a sunset, they are of early dawn. 01:30 and 02:00 to be precise, on the way from Stavern (58 59.9 / 010 02.5) to Finnøy, Risør, (58 44.0 / 009 13.6). See all the little lights? Somewhere amongst them all are navigation lights. Best to keep out to sea, where one doesn’t need them. Actually nav lights are quite intense, and are, more often than not, flashing in a definite sequence, (on the chart, in a code that one has forgotten, but is in a sticker on the bulkhead), so they can be identified. Binoculars help enormously. Then there are of course the main lighthouses, with unmistakeable flashes, seen at great distances.
This year I have decided that the engine will be used as little as is sensible, hence the waiting.

We set off from Stavern in early afternoon, after the Skagerak rollers had died down a bit, and we had a humpity sail in a direct line to Risør. Forecasts are sometimes wrong, this time with prediction of sea currents. Should have been with, but Neptune would otherwise. Progress was slightly slowed as a result.
When far from the shore, and especially late in the day, there are only a few commercial vessels on their way, as the leisure craft have all tied up somewhere. Very relaxing. With plenty of previously-prepared coffee, teawater, sandwiches, chocolate, nuts, raisons and other goodies, I suffered no pain.
The entrance to Risør from the north is via a very narrow gap in the islands and rocks, but the half-moon shone brightly dead ahead and navigating was easy, almost like day.
Relaxed and slept some extra times next day.

Again the wind changed from contra to hopeful, and we set off after an evening meal and sailed to Lillesand. This time I headed out to sea to find the SW-going current which “is always there”, but it wasn’t. Again against. Neptune did not answer my complaints. Got to Lillesand guest harbour (58 14.9 / 008 22.8) at 03:30. Soon after midnight the wind had gradually died away so we had to motor the last couple of hours, with a gradually increasing diesel-perfume. Oh dear. Inspection later showed a good liter of the smelly stuff in the cradle under the engine together with a little water. Scoop up and bottle. Write diagnostic task on the to-do list.

Lillesand is a charming, mostly white-painted small town, with a large and popular guest harbour, necessary and less-necessary shops, and several restaurants and a pub. But I didn’t investigate, but, equipped with freshly-baked sticky buns, visited old Ballad owner and good friend Svein Tangen, physically somewhat reduced, but always good value. His partner Hilda had also bought sticky buns, so we gorged.

Back on Josin, a forecast of favourable winds competed with finding the diesel leak, and the forecast, confirmed by diverse flags, turned out to be correct, and won. Off again, this time back up the coast. I had planned as an alternative, to sail direct over to Denmark, Hirtshals, if conditions were favourable, but they were not. This time we sailed close inshore, to avoid the current, but here it was, strong on the nose. Never mind, the wind was direct off shore (no waves) and plenty of it, so we made exceptional progress at high speed back to Finnøy. Fantastic sail.
Today the wind is light and unfavourable in direction, so we stay put and enjoy the sunshine.
But later. First, much removal of hoods and dismantling of panels, and emptying of cockpit lockers, to get to things. Mystery. No leaky fuel pipes or hoses. The culprit was the fuel secondary filter. Eversoslightly loose. Tighten. Job done. But, the drips had fallen on a waterhose, which didn’t tolerate diesel and had developed an aneurism. Tape-wrap, string-wrap, epoxy, more tape-wrap. Tested later and leak-free. Wonder how long that will hold. Find hose emporium soon.
And I have enjoyed the sunshine.

Alls well again.

JosinSailorJohn

The summer of 2023 has officially started, from Sandefjord, Friday 26th May. Kari and Gilbert waved me goodbye.

But before that, Josin and I departed home harbour, Åsgårdstrand, on thursday afternoon and sailed, yes actually sailed! (nice way to start the cruise), the short distance to Tønsberg under the evening-opening bridges to the guest harbour for the night.

Next morning, bright sunshine and a favourable wind, Kari and Gilbert came aboard and we sailed to Sandefjord, Gil helming expertly in a very gusty wind, to the anchorage at Tallakshavn, for lunch.

We had a little snooze afterwards, to bide our time for the forecast wind-change from northerly to southerly, so that we could sail the rest of the way in to Sandefjord. But, the forecast was wrong, and the northerly remained, so we had to motor the rest for the way. Lovely day in the warm sunshine though.
It being friday evening, when the sound level in the guest harbour has a tendency to remain loud until late, we retired to Sandefjord Seilforeningen’s Seilerholmen for the night. Quiet there.
Just as I was about to eat my evening meal, there was a knock on the hull, and I was invited over to another sailing boat for a beer. Hans-Morten had seen Josin’s windpilot, and reckoned that I must have tales to tell. Well, I hope that he and Eve enjoyed the evening as much as I did. We all had tales to tell, tho they had been to the Carribian and back.

Saturday dawned calm, and remained so until the southwester came in. By then we had motored most of the short distance to Stavern, but we sailed the remainder. Monitored by a naval vessel lurking in the offing, maybe because there was a very large aircraft carrier somewhere. I suspected that local radio signals were being monitored, or worse, as the MarineTraffic app stopped working. Interesting! GPS still functioning.

Spent a convivial evening with friends Sven and Titten Rønne, with later increasing anxiety, in step with the rapidly increasing wind. (Their house is perched, with a fantastic view). Back at the pontoon, the wind had blown the rollers in from the Skagerak and the pontoon was writhing and heaving and Josin was rolling and tugging at its mooring ropes. (Took a video, but WordPress wouldn’t allow it here). More stretchy ropes. More fenders.

Very uncomfortable night. Now bright sunshine and a gentle breeze, but the rollers haven’t died down yet. Forecast predicts favourable winds later today. If true, then Risør next stop.

Alls well, (-ish).

JosinJohn

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!

And the southerly winds continued. Lovely for all those going north of course, including many enjoying spinnaker sailing in the sunshine.

Motoring along all day is boring, but there’s no real alternative. If there’d been more wind, then tacking south would have been a possibility, but the idea of several days of that, and only less that half the distance achieved, didn’t appeal.

From Sandvik to Kalmar for two nights. Diesel for Josin’s indefatigable engine, 70 liters! 10 in the spare can and 60 in the tank, which holds, I think, 64 liters. Yes, we were getting low! Admirable facilities for boaters in Kalmar guest harbour, including modern wash/dry machines which just worked without coaxing. One buys tokens in the harbour office, writes the boat’s name on the list for early next morning, and turn up with two full carrier bags, (yes, washing powder remembered), and find another early bird (language-poor lady), just about to start one of “my” machines. Humph! Much waving of hands, pointing at watches and the list. There was her name for the next session, an hour later. Even with my specs on her nose to read the list, she didn’t want to admit. OK, so I was five minutes late. But. Lady backed down, reluctantly removed her unwashed laundry and disappeared, mumbling! Sorry lady, but I’m not at my most benevolent before breakfast!

Rest of the day spent on boat-domestics, stocking up on food, and shopping for books to read in the boring motoring hours. Most bookshops of a reasonable size have a shelf or two of books in English. Bought: Emma. Sherlock Holmes, John le Carré, and Adventure in the Wild Alaska, a suitable mixture, which should keep me going.

Left Kalmar very early next morning, in the hope of getting to the “corner” before the wind increased again. But. The waves soon built up and reduced Josin’s speed by nodding/pitching and crashing in synchrony, sometimes down to nearly stop if a series of waves was too large. So we retired chastised and a bit bottom-briused to Bergkvara (56 23.4N 016 05.5E), where strong winds were the general discussion theme, to the tunes of whistling in the rigging.

Forecasts for the next day agreed on a sailable wind for at least a few hours, and they proved correct. Whoopee! Sailed close-hauled for nearly four hours until a sudden backing of the wind by 30 degrees made it impossible to hold our course. Goal for the day was Sandhamn, (been there on the way north), but we had made such good progress that we didn’t stop there but continued to Karlskrona, (56 10.1N 015 31.4E). Much navigating through narrow, well-marked channels through the islands in the shallow water, motoring, with a little help from the foresail occasionally. The wind was getting stronger all the time and was giving the kite surfers a real kick and challenge. To see one capsize at a considerable speed after a long hop and crashlanding was quite spectacular! Then serious battling against the wind, increasing to 25 knots, gusting over 30, over the last stretch, tantalisingly far away to Karlskrona guest harbour, rather full, but a remote slot was available.

This morning, now wednesday 27th, the wind is still rig-whistling, so very few boats departed. Dug out the bicycle and un-collapsed it, and out-of-practice-wobbled in to the town centre, perched on a hill. Puff! Bought some fresh veg, and yesterday’s strawberries from a market stall, and some necessaries from a supermarket. Enquired as to where I could buy waterglasses, (rough waters had taken their toll), and was directed, two rights and a left and straight on, to the “Glassiären”. Now the Swedish word for ice cream is glass. Yes. Felt rather foolish, as I should have realised.

The Norwegian and Swedish languages are remarkably similar, and generally mutually understandable for their natural citizens, and even for this foreigner when he listens carefully, but sometimes with bizarre mis-understandings!

More asking, this time with a drawing and miming got me to the right emporium where i bought two glasses, size breakfast juice. Then I whooshed back to the boat before it rained.

Goal for tomorrow, encouraged by slightly-promising forecasts of slightly-favourable winds for the first half of the day is the long stretch to Simrishamn, near the southern-most point of Sweden. Another very early start, hopefully. Early to bed.

Alls well.

There has been a pause, sorry, but I’ve been very busy boating.

Today is Thursday, 21st, and we are back in Sandvik, on the west coast of Øland, after several long days a-boating. The shemozzle at Degerø started me thinking, about what the boatingweather would be like for the next few days or so. The heatwave down in southern Europe, and the general weather synopsis charts from the UK met office showing persistent highs, indicated that the low pressures rolling in from the Atlantic would be pressed up north, meaning mostly southerly winds, increasing, here in the Baltic. That meant that if I wandered around Åland as intended, for too long, I would be battling contrary weather for the way home. So, Back to Mariehamn in the evening, some of it sailing. Lovely sight going south. Marvellous that there are souls who have the time, TLC, patience and money to keep these magnificent historical vessels alive, and usable.

Careful study of all the available weather forecasts that evening, (luckily mostly graphic, and numbers, not text), indicated a sailing wind the next day and contrary thereafter.

So, early to bed and a very early start next day, to flat calm and glorious sunshine. Wind? Not yet. Engine running all the way back down to near Rødhamn at the end of the fjord, and there, on a rocky peninsular out at sea, were windmills, rotating, and pointing in the right direction. Yess! Up sails and wait, motoring the while. The forecasts were right. The wind came, gently at first and at a right angle to our course, gradually increasing to 15 knots. Wow! What could be better?

The sun shone, and the waves built up, the wind gusting to 20 knots, so we not only rushed along, we heeled and rolled and pitched and I was glad I had made sandwiches the evening before. The 30 nm took less than four and a half hours, which must be a Josinbest!

Many other sailing boats had obviously read the forecasts, and there was a bit of a regatta feeling out there! Passengers on the ferries must have thought it was a perfect day.

Arriving at the Swedish side of the Åland Sea we had made such good progress, it was still quite early and much too early to stop, the wind even veering a bit and calming, to help the decision to continue, back through the outer skerries where the wind was even more favourable in direction. Several mugs of coffee and many snacks later we anchored up in a familiar spot, Ramsmoragba. Long sailing day, and not a little sun-drenched. Weary but very satisfied.

Woken by the sun next morning, and checking the water temperature, 20 degrees, meant I couldn’t any longer avoid an early-morning swim. A look at the hull and propeller showed not much growth, so no action needed. Breakfast with the weather forecasts showed my earlier fears were confirmed. Southerly winds, 10 to 15 knots, for days on end. So, motoring days ahead.

First from Ramsmoragba to the anchorage at Rånø, (been there before), via Dalarø to fill the diesel tank to the brim, and an ice cream. Another early morning start, a bit guilty because the anchor winch howls when it pulls the anchor out of the mud. Didn’t see any irate heads popping up though.

Then to Stugvik, to a mooring buoy luckily, not via the skerries as planned, but as there was very little wind or waves, the direct route was the obvious choice. 2000 rpm and 5,2 knots. Hours. Tedium. Read a book. Even dosed a few minutes when there wasn’t another vessel in sight.

Next day we crept out from Stugvik so as not to wake anyone, and headed for open water. Inside the skerries meant lots of navigating. But. There was more wind, yes, still on the nose, and much more choppy waves than was comfortable, so after sticking it out for a while, I steered sharp to starboard, and spent the rest of the day navigating, to anchor up in Baggehällen, this time in company with two other sailing boats, both German, and the swans.

The last few days have been hot, and I even took several cool showers on the way here today, to Sandvik, where of course it is even hotter. 31 inside, over 40 in the sun in the cockpit.

Secondary use for the anchor sail, normally rigged in the after stay to reduce wandering at anchor. First time ever I needed a sunshade!

Not keen on cooking this evening, so I hope there’s room at the restaurant, and their fish soup which was excellent last time.

Alls well, tho’ warm!