Bornholm
Bornholm
Date: Wednesday 2nd July to Friday 4th July
Distance : 38.5 miles.
Weather : Peasouper- vis 200yds
It was "one of those days", the day we set off for Bornholm. Ivan, having let go of the stern warps accidentally, (so nothing holding the boat back), rushed back into the cockpit, tripped, and saved himself by leaning heavily on the throttle lever........No we didn't hit the pontoon, luckily Pat was up front. Reversing out of the box with Pat carefully checking the warp to keep the nose straight, she was dismayed to see the end tied on by Ivan disappear into the water! Suprisingly we managed to get out without hitting anything or anyone.
Visibility was excellent - on occasions the fog lifted enough for us to see the exit to the marina. However, the radar proved very useful and comforting - until we came across another yacht which didn't appear on the radr at all!
Fairly uneventful, monosyllabic journey across, by mid-morning the fog had lifted.
What can I say about our arrival in Rønne..Hmm. Well we tried to lose the second lifebouy (again) but this one isnt giving up that easily, then Pat was unsurprised to see the warp (tied on by you know who!) holding our stern to the post, slowly unravel itself into the drink just as Ivan was about to pile off the front. A bemused old chap on the pontoon gave us a hand and eventually we were snug in our berth. Just time for a quick reccy than back to the boat for a G&T and a good laugh at all the other idiots trying to squeeze into berths just a little on the tight side. Oh and lend a hand too!
To cap off what eventually turned out to be a fine day weather wise, we dined in the cockpit where Ivan knocked his Aquavit all over the tablecloth. He gathered up the cloth and shook the crumbs etc overboard and was puzzled by something metallic floating down to the seabed. Mistified he stood and wached the object till it was out of sight, still no clue as to what it was.
We later discovered it was his prescription photochromics at nearly £200 a pair.
Hano Bight
Date:Saturday 5th July to Friday 11th July
Distance : 102miles.
Weather : Peasouper - again, then sunshine, but light winds.
We meant to leave Bornholm on the Saturday, but got up late (again), so we went to the Allinge harbour festival instead by bus. As in Korsor, the harbour games are simple, endearing, and would almost certainly fail to get public immunity insurance in the UK.
We finally left on the Sunday - in viz which, if anything, was worse than that in which we arrived. One guy left but came back again as he wasn't happy. We however had that magic ingredient - radar! It was immensely comforting to see those echoes out there, and at one stage we were astonished to see a small echo we were tracking emerge through the gloom - it was a pot marker! We figured that if it can spot something that small, it should easily see something as large as a ferry!
The gloom lifted and then came down again. At one stage we had the amazing situation of complete fog on one side of the boat, and bright sunshine, and good viz on the other! Eventually, the wind filled in and we had an excellent sail across to Simrishamn.
We then discovered that a boat that is 3.6 meters wide doesn't really fit into a 3.7 meter wide mooring box if you have the fenders down. By judicious fender rearrangement (and some kicking) we got wedged in. (Maybe a 4 meter box in future). The marina rapidly filled up to overflowing.
The swans in Simrishamn had seen it all. One was so forward it would feed out of your hand.
After another day bunking off (sorry - conducting research) we filled up with diesel (thus correcting the slight list to starboard we were acquiring) and left for Århus. After the crush of Simrishamn, Århus came as a pleasant surprise. Maybe because it is off the 'circuit' of people rushing up the east coast, it was quiet. The entry too is off-putting - heavily industrial, but once past this, there is a very pleasant, sheltered, river setting. This time, we got a big enough box)
Then - off to Hanö, a small rocky holiday island. Eventually, about 35 boats rafted up in a small fishing harbour, rocked by the swell. Watching everyone squeeze in was an entertainment. A guy we spoke to later said that he had been there the day before and was almost on his own - strange.
Another 30 miles on was Karlskrona, the county town of South east Sweden. This is surrounded by its own beautiful archipelago - a mini version of the ones on the east coast. It was our introduction to archipelago navigation - charts in the cockpit - rocks and marks in all directions.