The Skipper’s Log
Date: Wednesday 4th June to Monday 9th June
Distance : 30 miles.
Weather : A mixture: mostly less than 5 knots, but Thunderstorms and a Force 8 gale
I didn't like Laboe. Too much like Littlehampton-on-sea - without the pubs. One thing the Germans have got right tho' - they seem to start drinking at breakfast time.
I told them - we go now or you'll regret it. But would they listen, No. They wanted to go and explore on their Bikes. And me stuck here in my cabin running out of Gin. Now we're waiting here with about 100 German boats for the weather to change. It's so rough, even the Ferry is staying put.
Kiel was alright - lots of shops and a big beer garden in the town centre. I'm told the cycleway on the waterfront is dangerous in the summer because of people staring at the scantily clad rollerbladers rather than looking where they are going. The crew insisted in staying about a thousand miles outside the city though, just because we're British... I wasn't even allowed in the Bar!
They're a useless lot, this crew. Getting into Laboe, they managed to write off one of the boat's lifebouys, getting it stuck on a mooring box pole and slicing it clean in half. I told them - Scandanavian yachts don't have things sticking outside the yacht for a reason - but they insisted they know best - proper charlie's they looked too. They said they were just making room for a stern anchor roller, but I don't believe them.
In Denmark, you aren't anyone unless you have a Brenderup trailer. The bigger the better, and preferably filled with wood. Wood? I can think of better things to use a trailer for....