Josin's 2026 blog

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

 

 

18. May. 

Kl 10. Endelig. Vinket avgårde av Gilbert. Flott vær, men ingen vind. Motor. 

Dagens mål: Tallakshavn. Via Vrengen. Ank 14:45. Økende vind underveis, opp til 20 kt, og selvfølgelig imot. Litt seiling gjennom Vrengen med halv-vind. 

Oslo Friluftsråds bøyer, to stk, begge ledig. Pos: 59 04,60 / 010 18,43. Trygg havn. 

Opp med ny ankerseil i akterstaget. Den demper værhan-svingning, men kunne gjerne vært større. Neste utgave må vente til neste år. 

Ugunstig værmelding for imorgen, kanskje vi blir her en dag. 

Quiet night at anchor and a clear sunrise to wake up to, and, believe it or not a sailable wind. So, a quick breakfast and off. Up with the gennaker again, but alas no, after a half hour or so, progress was so slow that the engine had to do the work instead. Motored therefore the few miles north to Engelsviken, where there is diesel, a seafood shop, and a restaurant, which is of course, not open at this time of the day, but I’ve been there several times and it is really excellent.  Josin’s diesel tank, and the can, were filled, and some goodies for the fridge in the shop.

Then motor home to Åsgårdstrand in flat calm and scorching sun. Stopped several times to cool off, arriving well before lunch.  The club is arranging a regatta for 18 ft catamarans this weekend, so there were lots of people milling around, and many who wished me welcome home. Nice that. Unfortunately the weather this afternoon is perfect, except for those who like to go sailing, and especially those who want to race. Several postponents, then cancel for the day. Bad luck. Only a few days ago the forcast for today was for strong winds and rain, but we have an insistent high over us instead.  I shall help tomorrow, or sunday, not quite sure which, or both, in being crew on one of the safety boats, which rush around being helpful if you need it. With this weather there will probably be need for more help in the form of towing than anything else. 

Plan now is to drive home to Kongsberg, (neighbour Jon Erik drove my car down for me, that was nice,) with a couple of machine-loads of washing, and an encouragement to mow the ‘lawn’, which according to my next-door neighbour, probably needs a scythe to all the nice colourful wild flowers.

Josin needs her mast taken down, hopefully early next week, to fix the electrics up there, which succumbed to some very stormy rain a while ago. Then we shall see, as I do not reckon the sailing season is over yet. Maybe a cruise down along the south Norwegian coast for a few days. the weather will decide.

From a hot, but home, SailorJohn  

The forecast was for a gentle southeasterly wind, so this optimist hauled out the gennaker from it’s locker and proceeded to get it organised. Lots of ropes to get tangled. Inevitable. Persistency paid off and we were sailing, slowly, the gentle breeze was very. Unfortunately. A filled gennaker is always an enjoyable sight, and with just enough wind, wafts you along nicely. Aeolus didn’t listen to the forecast again, and ceased to puff. Ah, well, it was worth a try. Engine on, furl the sail in it’s sock and leave it hoisted, optimistically. The wind did veer round to the west, as forecast, but only a few knots. So after an optimistic waiting for an hour, the sail was lowered to the deck, from where it could be hoisted quickly. No, we arrived at Missingen after a boring few hours motoring. Lovely hot day though. Stopped several times for a dip to cool off, water temp now nearly 18 degrees, which is just about swimmable without gasping. 

Lots of boats here too, enjoying the sunshine and being lazy. I’m feeling lazy too, so a little afternoon snooze is in order. 

From a slightly sunburnt SailorJohn.