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Part 7 Göteborg – Kiel

30 August 20231 September 2023 Peter Mantel

In this part, we have already left Gothenburg behind and are making a very long trip south for 16 hours non-stop, along the Swedish West Coast, simple because today, 3 August, the wind is North and that is very rare.

Vadero,se

We raise anchor on Thursday 3-8-23 at 06.30, it is slightly cloudy and wind is from North with 2-3 Bft. The temperature is 21 degrees and atmospheric pressure 1000 Mbar. We set course for the island of Vadero,se to anchor in the bay. Expected arrival by midnight, so we will have to find a spot among the rocks in the dark, where we can also circle the anchor.
When I wake up the next morning and look around, I couldn’t have done better. We are lying beautifully. But I also see a jetty and I like the idea of anchoring there, so I drop anchor and sail alongside and moor to the jetty, Simba happy to be able to go out immediately.

But after an hour or two, a man comes up to me and says I can’t stay here because two small Ferries will arrive in 15 minutes. These maintain the connection as a kind of bell bus, but bell boat. He adds that I can feel free to lie there at night, but I don’t like that. So I lure Simba inside and we move to a new anchorage a bit further on.
We enjoy the surroundings again, I had ideas of going for a nice walk on that island, but the weather forecast worries me and I look for alternatives.
I stay there until Saturday, but the strong wind that’s coming turns out to be a real storm. I do not plan to stay anchored there with the storm in prospect, so I look for alternatives to stay at a jetty somewhere windblown. Copenhagen is too expensive for me, so that won’t be it. I finally find a place in the direction I want to go. It becomes Gilleleje on the north coast NW of Copenhagen.

Gilleleje,dk

On 7-8-23 at 06.15b I light anchor from Vadero with destination Gilleleje,dk 25 Nm westward. arrival time 12.00 after consulting the harbour master I get assigned a alongside jetty. Most is all nose in boxes. A nice relatively new wooden jetty 1 metre above the surface of the water. I had resolved that wherever I moor, with the nose in the NW direction because that’s where the storm is coming from. understanding by now that I’m on a low shore and the storm will be feisty, I hang all my fenders 12 in number between the jetty and the ship, also putting out extra springs to secure the boat. I also removed all flags and secured all loose equipment the night before the storm.
At 04.00 on the night of Sunday to Monday, there is already a NNW wind 7-8 with surges to 9. The pressure has dropped from 1022 on Sunday 07.30 to 996 on Monday 04.00. In the morning, the storm has already deepened to 992Mb and at 14.00 winds are W with 20-30 Kts. Tuesday morning 09.00 low pressure further deepened to 991Mb and winds 25-35Kts.

An additional factor that I had not taken into account , but worrying, is that due to backwash the water level in the harbour has already risen by 40cm. Then when a local also amusingly tells me that last year the water was up to 10 cm from the edge of the jetty, you can almost carry me off. I start thinking about what to do if this rises further, then my 12 fenders float on the jetty and my boat rides against the jetty.
On the opposite side so on high shore is a rescue boat, which seems to be under maintenance, so I go and call the harbour master and explain my problem. He reassures me that the water is not rising any further, it seems to be stabilising. Ok I say I’ll wait it out until this afternoon, if indeed it does not rise then I dare to go into the night, but otherwise I sail my boat to the other side, into the still strong wind and need two men to do this, one holding a large fender sphere between the nose and the jetty, while I use a jump to bring the butt out and cross, then I want the other man on the rescue boat taking a line from my centre bollard so I can moor there. He agrees and says to wait for the afternoon.

Om 14.00 zakt het water volgens mijn dieptemeter van 3,4 naar 3,30 en om 16.00 naar 3,20 het lijkt dus inderdaad dat het ergste voorbij is voor wat betreft waterhoogte. De wind is nog altijd pittig 6-7. Maar op woensdag morgen afgezakt tot 4-5.
Uiteindelijk lig ik verwaait 5 dagen in Gilleleje.

Rorvig,dk

On 11-8-23 at 09.40 I untie for a trip towards Middelfart. It is slightly cloudy and wind is west 4-5 temperature 19 degrees. The course is right upwind and the waves 1-1.5 metres, after 20 miles I call it a day and find a nice bay sheltered from wind and waves, the Isefjord and drop my anchor deep into the bay at Rorvijg, dk on a few metres of water. Rest and now a drink. There is not much to see or do here except that there is a ferry service.

Nekselø,dk

At 08.22, we are now talking about Saturday 12-8-23, leave the bay as I had come and continue my way towards Middelfart. It is cloudy, light rain wind SE 2Bft and temperature 17 degrees. I followed the coastline for much of the way which kept me on high shore. Had genoa on and calmly sailed along the head of Sjaelland.
Along the way, I saw a sailboat running behind on AIS, made contact via channel 16 and chatted on channel 77. They were going with their 33-foot boat the “Griend” to Odde, which is a few miles further along the same coast. After that, they wanted to go to Aarhus. I still wanted to round the cape with the Sjaelland reef and then south a bit further, where I had found a nice place to anchor. After a 37 Nm trip, I dropped my anchor at 17.15 in a nice spot. Simba not happy, again not going out, only dabbling on deck and jib. Drink earned. I think I’ve actually earned a rest day, after all, tomorrow is Sunday.

Aebelø,dk

On 14-8-23 I light anchor at 06.30 still heading for Middelfart. Still too long for a day trip. So I decide to anchor in the leeward side of the island of Aebelø. There are 4 mooring buoys there, but when I round the corner they are all occupied, indeed there are almost 10 boats anchored there. Favourite spot, then. After a 43 Nm trip, at 15.30 I drop anchor and take some nice drone footage for the next YouTube film.

Middelfart,dk

I regret leaving there, but yes we have to move on anyway. so on 15/8 anchor at 07.00 and now destination Middelfart. I have been there several times and always in the old town harbour, the last time was last year. There is limited space, so walking in early can help.
There is a brisk current as I approach Middelfart in the narrows and at 12.45 more off to two other boats. The inner one is the “Otto Runge” an old but beautiful motorsailor, which sails out again at the same time as me. Later, two more join me. It is slightly cloudy with a SSE 2 wind and a temperature of 16.8 degrees. Middelfart is an authentic place and a pleasant town. Traditionally a fishing town. Here, too, I planned to stay one night.
Pay machine on the quay. Also take service card as it gives access to the toilet block, with the card you pay a deposit 50 dkk and get a shower credit of 50 dkk. Also at the quay is a water hose for drinking water, you use the card for this too. You can top up the card in the machine at any time and when you leave, you can return the card via the payment machine. The deposit and any remaining credit will be credited to your account within 2 days. In short, a good system, you’ll find it at more Danish ports this way.

Genner Bugt,dk

On 16/8/23 at 08.23 we leave Middelfart behind us, mind the strong current, if you are against it, sail along the inner bends as much as possible. In the beautiful passages, the “Otto Runge” came up again and when the sails could be set again, we sailed side by side for a long time.
They start photographing and filming me, I do the same of them. Aks we sail right next to each other for a while say we can exchange images via contact on the Asmara website, they would. Their home port is Sonderborg.
Once out of the passages on clear water, the wind starts picking up considerably to West 5. I can just about keep the Asmara sharp to the wind, but in an inattentive moment the boat suddenly spontaneously goes through the wind and turns back 180 degrees, because the Genoa is now catching full wind but is still fixed `it on the wrong side, so I quickly go outside and cast off the Genoa and turn the boat back in the right direction on the track, now I let the Asmara run sharply but on windvane 30 degrees, then it will no longer do this kind of thing but luff up or fall off with windshifting.
The route I sail is still from last year and with a small adjustment, the Asmara now sails to the Genner bugt, a place where I also anchored last year. ETA according to route around 5pm. As we sail into the bay near the Genner Bugt, I see the “Otto Runge” anchored there, so I park the Asmara right next to it, people waving at me drily. Of course, I again take the necessary drone shots of our boats at anchor.
I dive behind my laptop and put all the film and photo material into my iPhone, after first asking them if they might also have an iPhone, which was confirmed. When I am done with that, I lower my dinghy and row to their boat asking, “permission to come on board sir?” That granted, after introducing each other get an instant beer and we start using Airdrop, transferring files to each other which works well. After an hour of pleasant chatting together, I say goodbye to the “Otto Runge” and crew (man woman) and row back to the Asmara where Simba is already waiting for me. The dinghy is hoisted and secured again. Mission completed. Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

Holtenau/Kiel,de

On 17-8-23 at 06.10, I raise my anchor and set the automatic again on the route towards Holtenau. It is still slightly cloudy at first but later, a full cloud with rain. Wind NO 3 temperature 20 degrees, pressure 1019 Mb.
This will be another long trip, expected to take about 12 hours, but fortunately the sea is calm. So I start another new electronic book on my KOBO reader.
After 16.00, I get the waves a bit more slanted from behind and we start rolling quite a bit. Fortunately, the end is in sight and we pass the island in the middle of the Kielerfjord with a giant buoy and the fairway a landmark. At 18.52, I drop anchor in a small bay where dozens of other boats are already anchored. Trip covered 61Nm. Tomorrow through the locks into the Kiel Canal. Now a drink.