2021

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Legend

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2021South
Driving

Marina Morlaix, France ‐ Sep 26, 2021
At anchor outside Terenez, Baie de Morlaix ‐ Sep 24, 2021
St Peter Port, Guernsey ‐ Sep 23, 2021
Cherbourg marina, France ‐ Sep 21, 2021
Boulogne sur Mer ‐ Sep 18, 2021
Dunkerque ‐ Sep 16, 2021
Blankenberge, Belgium ‐ Sep 15, 2021

I made all of Holland in one stop. My first intention was to go to Breskens today, the last dutch port going west. But underway I saw that Blankenberge is not that much further away. Nice sailing on a beam reach most of the time, winds up to around 20 knots.
Scheveningen marina, Netherlands ‐ Sep 14, 2021

I grew tired of North Sea cruising and decided to cut it short by taking it in one go. The 170-ish miles from Norderney to Scheveningen took me a bit less than 30 hours. Very tired I arrived in Scheveningen Tuesday morning but also pleased with some hilarious sailing during the night.
Norderney marina, Germany ‐ Sep 12, 2021
Helgoland ‐ Sep 10, 2021

Now I have bunkered tax free diesel (1,05 euro) that should last for the rest of the year, I hope. With strong outgoing currents in the Elbe estuary, where I was up at 10 knots for sail only and a long period making over 9, I was at Helgoland around 12:30. Helgoland seems to be jam packed every time I come here, tax free goods is like a magnet. There was 4-5 boats rafted outside each other in the whole port. Now it was also jam packed with day visitors, when I was here in May I was not allowed [...]
to go ashore. Money talks, as they say.
Amerikahafen Cuxhaven ‐ Sep 9, 2021

At last I found an electrician that could help me with the preheating relay and the alternator (that was dead as I thought it was). Thursday afternoon, just in time for the tide to turn out of Elbe, he was finished with the job. After going through the lock, making an average of 8 knots motor sailing in very light winds, the 16 miles up to Cuxhaven was a quick affair. I settled for Amerikahafen, a very small club marina that I have visited once before.
Brunnsbüttel marina ‐ Sep 5, 2021

Seems like I am stuck in Brunnsbüttel for some time. Electric problem with the engine that I have no knowledge of myself. Maybe one of two alternators, maybe the relay to the preheating. The lamp for preheating is on when the engine is running. But there was also a burnt smell which I think comes from the alternator. Haven't been able to find a mechanic or electrician today but will try some more tomorrow. Sure didn't need this after the propeller shaft problem.
Kiel Holtenau ‐ Sep 4, 2021

Baltic part of journey finished. Tomorrow Kiel canal and then the North Sea.
Burgtiefe Marina Fehmarn ‐ Sep 3, 2021
Klintholm, Mön, Denmark ‐ Sep 2, 2021

Sailing again. Propeller shaft leak fixed. Bottom has new antifouling, well needed. Atlantis more than one knot faster.
Höllviken, Sweden ‐ Aug 20, 2021
Dragörkajen, Limhamn ‐ Aug 17, 2021
Höllviken ‐ Aug 16, 2021
Ystad marina ‐ Aug 15, 2021
Skillinge Harbour ‐ Aug 12, 2021
At anchor outside Kivik
Ekenabben harbour
Grönhögen harbour ‐ Aug 8, 2021
Kalmar ‐ Aug 6, 2021
Sandvik harbour, Öland ‐ Aug 5, 2021
At anchor in Grankullavik ‐ Aug 4, 2021
At anchor outside Vändburg, Gotland ‐ Aug 3, 2021
Herrvik marina ‐ Jul 29, 2021
Katthammarsvik, Gotland ‐ Jul 25, 2021
At anchor outside Gotska Sandön ‐ Jul 24, 2021
Nynäshamn marina ‐ Jul 14, 2021
At anchor outside Möja ‐ Jul 13, 2021
At anchor outside Lidön ‐ Jul 12, 2021
At anchor outside Enholmen ‐ Jul 11, 2021
Gävle marina ‐ Jul 7, 2021
At anchor outside Granskär, Gävle ‐ Jul 5, 2021

+2
At anchor outside Ängskär ‐ Jul 2, 2021
Öregrund marina ‐ Jun 29, 2021
At anchor outside Fårön ‐ Jun 28, 2021
At anchor outside Lidön ‐ Jun 27, 2021

Very idyllic anchorage I found by chance today. I was passing by on my way to another bay a bit farther north when I saw how inviting it looked. And popular as well, five other boats was there before me, and three more came after me. I read on internet that the place can be very crowded in July. The island is a nature reserve, with beef cattle keeping the landscape open.
Stora Nassa archipelago ‐ Jun 26, 2021

Today Saturday I ventured farther out towards the open sea, to the archipelago Stora Nassa. I first had another destination in mind, even closer to the sea, Gillöga, but the northerly was too strong for that anchorage I soon realised. In Stora Nassa, only five miles west, there was hardly no wind, and I had to start the engine the last few miles.
At anchor outside Kroksö ‐ Jun 24, 2021

To get the marina budget more in balance I moved out to Kroksö, just a mile or so east of Telegrafholmen. And also to get away from the Midsummer celebrations that tends to be pretty wild in Sweden. Still just a 10 minutes trip rowing the dinghy into Sandhamn if I should need to buy something. I was alone to start with in the little bay I chose, but soon I got company from a nice French couple in a power boat. Not so many French boats to see up here otherwise.
Telegrafholmen marina, Sandhamn ‐ Jun 23, 2021

+5

Sandhamn

One more day with little wind, and it seems this will last to Saturday. On the other hand my destination Sandhamn was less than 15 miles away, so after four hours of motor-sailing and even a little sa...
At anchor outside Björnö ‐ Jun 22, 2021

+4

Thunder and lightning

First motoring in no wind at all, then a feeble breeze that let me do between two and three knots and then more drama then I had asked for when a thunder storm passed with very strong winds. I had the...
Saltsjöbaden ‐ Jun 21, 2021

Almost no wind, a little wind, and at the end moderate wind took me to Saltsjöbaden, a bit fancy suburb of Stockholm. It was a bit off my intended course, but Gransegel, the sailmaker that designed my gennaker has their main loft there. I was promised another bag to the sail, which I had asked for to make it easier to raise and douse the sail. In the end it turned out they were too busy too help me with that. At least I got some good advice about gennaker handling and a free night at their dock [...]
. The bag I will get later.
At anchor outside Rånö ‐ Jun 20, 2021

Lazy Sunday sailing most of the day, occasionally a bit stronger winds but also some periods of motor-sailing. I passed the famous lighthouse Landsort on the island Öja, and thereby I am in the Stockholm archipelago, with its more than 20 000 islands and skerries. My destination for the day was the island Rånö, with a very sheltered anchorage. The wind piped up during the evening, around 20 knots it seemed from the treetops swaying, but down in the anchorage there was almost nothing.
At anchor outside Lilla Brunskär ‐ Jun 19, 2021

A short move today. I just picked an anchor spot from Navionics that looked promising and ended up in a natural harbour tucked in between several islands. There was quite a few boats there already when I came, all tied up against the rock. I was tempted to try myself, but there was a little wind even inside the sheltered anchorage, and I know from experience it is almost impossible to get ashore with a line before the wind has taken the bow. So I spent an peaceful evening aboard instead, feeling [...]
too lazy to launch the dinghy.
Oxelösund marina ‐ Jun 18, 2021

+6

Sailing through the archipelagos

Very spectacular sailing the whole day! I used Navionics auto-routing feature to find me the best route to Oxelösund, and I could not have done a better job myself. On the chart it looked like very di...
At anchor south of Stora Askö ‐ Jun 17, 2021

Back to the mainland

At anchor south of Stora Askö - Jun 17, 2021 Fresh southerly winds took me from Öland back to the archipelagos outside the mainland. I just picked an anchorage that looked promising from the map and I...
Byxelkrok marina, Öland ‐ Jun 15, 2021

Very pleasant sailing, mainly on a beam reach, to Byxelkrok, a small village close to the northern tip of Öland. Here I hope to stay for two nights and do some biking tomorrow. Pictures will come.

+3

Biking on northern Öland
Kalmar marina ‐ Jun 14, 2021

From Färjestaden I went back to my anchorage outside Kalmar slott on Sunday afternoon. Monday morning I took a berth in the marina, I had mail to pick up and send and shopping to do. I also took the opportunity to have a closer look at the city, at least the central parts. Beside the castle there isn't much that bear witness of the historic importance of Kalmar. Tomorrow I will go almost 50 miles to the northern tip of Öland, if the wind is on my side.
Färjestaden marina, Öland ‐ Jun 11, 2021

+2

Öland

Öland is the second biggest Island in Sweden, 160 km long but just a few kilometers wide. It is the only region in Sweden that I have never visited. My daughter Agnes have never been here either, so s...
At anchor outside Kalmar ‐ Jun 9, 2021
At anchor outside Ekenäs, Småland ‐ Jun 8, 2021

+2

From Kristianopel to Ekenäs

Another short jump today, 15 miles to the little village Ekenäs. I started almost closehauled but gradually the wind turned and soon I was on a broad reach. Not that strong, I was rarely over 5 knots,...
At anchor outside Kristianopel, Blekinge ‐ Jun 7, 2021

Very little wind today also. Did some biking around Sandhamn in the morning to wait for a feeble southerly that was forecasted for the afternoon. After motoring for an hour I started sailing, making just two knots or a bit more, but little by little the wind increased, and at the end I was even above five knots. Kristianopel is unknown territory for me, now I will take the dinghy there and have a look. Pictures will come if I find something interesting.

+4
Sandhamn marina, Blekinge ‐ Jun 6, 2021

Not a ripple on the water this Sunday morning, but I was eager to continue so I took off with the engine. Some wind was forecasted later in the day, but not until three in the afternoon I could start sailing, but then I had a very nice wind on the port quarter up to the little fishing harbour Sandhamn. Not to be confused with the more famous sailing metropole with the same name outside Stockholm. Very beautiful settings in a rural archipelago landscape with cows grazing on the other side of the [...]
little bay but not much else though. The nearest village Torhamn is one km away.
At anchor outside Matvik ‐ Jun 4, 2021

One more try in Matvik

Kai came in to Karlshamn on Wednesday to help me get the gennaker in its sock, which was not that complicated. There is still some problems to solve though, Kai found out when he climbed the mast to a...
Karlshamn marina ‐ Jun 1, 2021

From Simrishamn to Karlshamn

My goal for today was either the Island Hanö, 30 miles to the north across the Hanö Bay, or I could go 12 miles further to Matvik, where Kai, my Swedish friend from Morlaix has his homeport. He had pr...
Simrishamn marina ‐ May 31, 2021

Good winds from behind took me from Gislövs läge to Simrishamn, a small town I never been to before. Rather picturesque, but marina tarifs very high. I took a stroll trough the town and went to bed early for an early start tomorrow.
Gislövs läge ‐ May 30, 2021

From Malmö to Gislövs läge

The stop in Malmö became longer than expected, it took eight days before my gennaker arrived. But Malmö is a very nice city, with a more continental vibe than the rest of Sweden. A bit like Copenhagen...
Turbinhamnen Malmö ‐ May 20, 2021

From Klintholm to Malmö

Fresh westerlies was forecasted by all the models Thursday morning, increasing during the day. Maybe a full day without having to start the engine? I started with two reefs in the main and one in the...
Klintholm marina, Mön, Denmark ‐ May 19, 2021

From Rödbyhavn to Klintholm

I had to start from Rödbyhavn with a detour around a very big windmill park before I could round the southeastern tip of Falster and set a straight course toward Klintholm on the Island Mön (ö is pron...
Rödbyhavn ‐ May 18, 2021

From Kiel to Rödbyhavn

The fresh westerly breeze that was forecasted for Tuesday was downgraded quite a bit when I woke up in Holtenau. Once again a day alternating between sailing and motor sailing. The ferry line between...
Kiel Holtenau, Germany ‐ May 17, 2021

Kiel canal

Not much too say about the canal passage. Motoring almost 9 hours. Very little big ship traffic this day, less than 10 that I met or was passed by during the whole day. Just outside the looks on the K...
Brunnsbuttel ‐ May 16, 2021

Helgoland to Brunnsbuttel

To catch the strong current down river Elbe, I had to push against the tide for two hours in the early morning but then the current was with me all the way. The winds varied quite a bit during the day...
Helgoland, at anchor ‐ May 15, 2021

From Norderney to Helgoland

Leave Norderney two hours before low water to get the last of the outgoing current. Go to buoy TG9, turn to port and cross the shipping lane with a course direct to Helgoland. That was the instruction...
Norderney marina ‐ May 14, 2021

Vlieland to Norderney

The reason I defied the bad weather yesterday was that I wanted to have a good starting point for 70 miles to Borkum, the first of the German Friesian islands. If I could be at sea at five in the morn...
Vlieland marina, Netherlands ‐ May 13, 2021

Den Helder to Vlieland

I had to wait until two in the afternoon to catch the strong tide out from Den Helder. Strong winds from northeast was forecasted. I had some hope to go closehauled at least some of the way but coming...
Den Helder marina ‐ May 12, 2021

Scheveningen to Den Helder

I left Scheveningen 5:30 in the first morning light. That would give me three hours of current with me, then 6 hours against and then some hours with me again. As before it seemed stronger than Navion...
Scheveningen marina ‐ May 11, 2021

Feeble winds all day was forecasted for Tuesay. I decided to go to Stellendam, where one is allowed to take shelter in a small basin outside the locks. I started in the morning against the incoming tide. Even after coming out of the Weesterscheide I would have two hours of tide against me. But then I should be able to reach Stellendam in one tide. After making good speed, over seven knots, for some hours, I changed my mind and opted to go all the way to Scheveningen, outside Den Haag. It seeme [...]
d to be possible to make it all the way on the north going tide. The wind was enough to fill the main, but to keep an direct course, the angle towards the wind was too small to use the genua more than occasionally. I called the marina in Scheweningen in the afternnon, and was told there was plenty of places. That turned out to be boats rafting up two or three on both sides of the visitors basin. I got a place farthest in outside two other boats. The one inside me told me they were leaving 5:30 in the morning, heading to Den Helder. My plan was IJmuiden, half the distance, but if I had to wake up and let me neighbour out, I could as well join them. It would save me one whole day.
Breskens marina ‐ May 10, 2021

It is a bit more than 50 miles to Breskens, too much to make it on one tide for a boat like Atlantis. So I started 8:30 in the morning with two hour motorsailing against the tide. The wind was as forecasted, between 17 and 20 knots from behind. The first hour I was not over five knots of speed at 1500 revs, so I guess the current was stronger than the figures Navionics gave me. Something I have noticed during the whole trip. Fortunately that seemed to be the case also when the current turned in [...]
my favour. At midtide I was doing 9 knots and occasionally over 10 (still pushing with the engine at low revs). I wanted to reach Breskens before the current turned again and I managed that pretty much exact, 15:45 I passed the marina entrance. Less than eight hours, a good days work. in the marina I could once again see how well the Dutch boat owners take care of their boats. Holland is the place to buy used boats, that's for sure. Prices are moderate as well.
Dunkerque marina, France ‐ May 9, 2021

The small depression that should bring me following winds at around 20 knots on Sunday apparently took another route than forecasted. All the forecast models showed the same, and I was excited about what seemed to be some hilarious fast sailing with up to 3.5 knots of currents. Instead I got nothing but the current. And the sound of the engine. Doing over 8 knots most of the times at low revs it was at least fast, I was in Dunkerque with the last of the tide in the afternoon. Passing Gravelines [...]
I got a burst of strong winds from behind and I was quick out with the genua, but that lasted 15 minutes. Plus another one inside the harbour that only served to make my mooring a bit adventurous. Tomorrow forecasts are similar optimistic. I hope to make it to Breskens marina, just inside the Dutch border, 51 miles sailed distance. That means I must go wind against tide an hour or two in the afternoon and I have no idea what that will be like on the shallow Belgian sandbanks. I have chosen Blankenberge as a refuge if it gets too ugly, Ostende a few miles farther north is also possible.

Thunder clouds
Boulogne Sur Mer Marina ‐ May 7, 2021

I was out of Fecamp before seven to catch the last three hours of the north going current, hoping to reach Dieppe without having to motor against the turning tide more than an hour or so. There is a bar at the entrance to Fecamp port and even before that I was met by big short waves that made me worried it would last at sea, but some hundreds meters out it calmed down. My anemometer doesn't work because of a lack of a spray of contact spray (I think), but all the forecast models on Windy said ar [...]
ound 17 knots, and from the heeling to judge it was accurate. In bright sunshine but very cold wind I caught the current and made between eight and nine knots. And kept doing that for hours. The bad mood from yesterday was litterally gone with the wind. This was too good to be wasted for a 30 miles passage to Dieppe I soon figured, so I took a more northerly course. Too much north in the wind to point direct to Boulogne, 75 miles as the bird flies, but the wind was going to back during the day and end up from southwest and I could head more and more to the north. Absolute lovely sailing! Well beyond Dieppe I started to feel the current fading and then turning against me, so when I was down to four knots I started to push with the engine at low revs to keep my five knots. This was calculated, I figured after about six hours I would get a really good push the last bit to Boulogne. A very embarrassing miscalculation it turned out. With such a long distance with the current from the same direction, I was moving towards the beginning of the current so to speak. New calculations on the Navionics map told me I had to go against the current all the way to Boulogne! All the times I have made as long or longer passages than this was in waters were the currents was no big factor in the planning. Lesson learned! I hope the opposite will work, so if I start early with the current in good winds, I will keep it for longer then than six hours. After a bit more than 13 hours I was settled in the marina, very pleased with my day. Not at least because the diesel consumption is very much lower when I go at 1500 revs compared to 2200 march speed. But to be honest it is not the same sailing feeling with the sound of the engine. I really want an electric engine, then I would love motor sailing! Update 8/5 Too much wind today for going to Dunkerque. I was tempted a bit in the morning before the worst had started but my body told me to rest, and I really needed to get some fresh food. It was also raining in the morning but the afternoon was quite warm (for a change). At noon the wind was howling outside and even in the sheltered marina the boats were moving a bit. When the wind settled in the afternoon I had a look at the city. It is the biggest fishing port in all of France and the most important industry here, more than 7000 people are dependent on the fishing. The city seems to be in a economic backwater though, the population is declining and I could see that real estate is really cheap here, even cheaper than Morlaix. Bargains to be made for the seafood and cheese lovers, the city is world famous for its cheeses. The fortified historic center is quite attractive, with a very well preserved castle at the top, complete with a moat full of water. I was wondering how that could be at the highest point of the city, but I guess it rains a lot here too.

Boulogne-Sur-Mer

Normandie
Fecamp marina ‐ May 6, 2021

When I steared out from St Vaast at 6:30 it was raining and cold, so cold so I had to go down and put on sweatpants under the trousers. And it is beginning of May! My goal for the day was Fecamp, with Le Havre as refuge if things should turn ugly. Arome and Icon-EU, the models that has been most accurate so far, differed quite a bit. Which normally means that it can go any way. It started nicely though and I made good speed in a southeasterly instead of the forecasted southerly, without using t [...]
he engine. It was so much east in it so I had to point 20 degrees north of Fecamp, but I had good time to correct that later on, the distance is 65 miles. The wind died around noon and was replaced by an easterly, with Fecamp right in the eye of the wind. Icon-EU had forecasted this, but also a good northerly around three in the afternoon. Which never happened. I had to go for the engine all the way, in a rather bad mood. Which didn't get better when I took a berth in the avantport in Fecamp around eight and discovered there was no electricity on the pontoon. Another cold night and I had some serious doubt about the whole Baltic sea project before I went to sleep.
St Vaast la Houge marina ‐ May 5, 2021

I thought I would be weather-bound in Cherbourg until Thursday, but forecasts for Wednesday promised somewhat better winds, between 20 and 30 knots, and I would have the wind from behind big part of the time. The tidal currents are still strong here, departure from Cherbourg has to be planned accordingly. One also has to pass Pointe de Barfleur, the northeastern corner of the Cotentin peninsula. Maybe not a tidal race, but at least a troublesome headland. The English sailing guru Tom Cunliff ca [...]
lls it one of the nastiest corner in the English Channel under the wrong conditions in his pilot book. But that was far from the case today. Even if the wind was howling when I came out from Cherbourg at one o'clock, one hour and a half after low water, the seas was quite moderate and they actually got better after a while. I had two reefs in the main from start and about a third of the genua out, but still I made between seven and eight knots with the current and no need for the engine. The 15 miles down to Barfleur took two hours and I started to worry about coming too early to St Vaast la Houge, where the tidal gate would be open from 16:45. Rounding the Pointe changed the scenario though, now I had the wind from the side, and it also got stronger but the seas was still moderate so close to land. I was fine with the four-five knots I made, that would be perfect timing for the gate. The entrance to St Vaast dries some five hundred meters at high coefficients according to the map so the pilotage is critical here. This is my second stop here so I was not completely unfamiliar with the terrain, and at six I was settled on the visitors pontoon. Much easier day then I feared when I took off.
Port Chantereyne Cherbourg ‐ May 2, 2021

The time to leave St Peter Port is three hours before local high water, so eight o'clock I steared out of my anchorage. No wind at all and sun, but quite cold, had only 10 degrees in the main cabin when I woke up. A bit warmer I guess in the small forepeak where I am sleeping now. Easier to warm up with my body heat, the old Webasto I have teared out and I don't know if I shall replace it. One hour I had to push against the current before it turned and then there was no problem to reach Alderne [...]
y race even though I was on 1500 or even lower revs. Still very litlle wind in the race, no waves to talk about, but sometimes I got tossed around in strong eddies. Nothing scary though, and the speed was good, over twelve knots for the engine at 2100 revs at times, rarely under ten. I wonder what it would be like at midtide. I wish someone can tell me some day, I am not going to try myself. Well out of the race I caught up with the east going current and even here I made 12 knots a little while. I slowed down on the engine and had a very comfortable ride down to Cherbourg, doing eight knots almost all the way. I never bothered with the sails at all, even though I had a little westerly the last hour. I moored at the visitor pontoon, where there were two boats with Danish flags. One of them was owned by two Swedes on their way to the Med. They came and helped me with the ropes, and they also told me they have had no problems to enter marinas neither in Germany or Holland. What a relief! I hope no panic measures will change that Very strong winds tomorrow afternoon, but I might give it a chance when I have seen the latest forecast. Fecamp is 80 miles away, Oistreham a bit more than 60. Le Havre 72. Very unsecure so far, I might end up with 40 knots in the gusts the last hours. From behind or on the quarter, but still...
At anchor in Havelet Bay, St Peter Port, Guernsey ‐ May 1, 2021

I left Treguier at high water slack 10:15 and in the same minute heavy rain started falling and made my departure less enjoyable. I had it over me all the way out of the river and it ended out at sea with hail. It came with a southerly, unknown for all the weather services. But after this the wind turned mostly north about eight knots, but with enough west in it so I could go closehauled on a straight course against Guernsey. The outgoing tide pushed me out of course from Plateau de Roches Douvr [...]
es, otherwise I would have had to tack around it, but now I was pushed two miles to the west of the plateau without having to change the course. I was just on the edge of the dead angle of the wind the whole passage, occasionally with a bit more westerley. With the engine on 1500 revs I could hold my 5 knots and sometimes a bit more, so I was in Havelet Bay in little less than 10 hours. I didn't have time to drop the anchor before a dinghy from the port arrived and told me I was not allowed to enter Guernsey because of Covid. I told them I had been promised by the harbour master to stay at anchor and that I was aware of that I was not allowed to go ashore. They were happy with that and after some friendly chat they wished me good night, which I also got. No wind at all or currents to test my tackle gave me a very good nights sleep.
Treguier marina, France ‐ Apr 30, 2021

Sailing again!

Tuesday the 27th was set for departure towards Sweden. Two friends had signed up for the trip, Erik to Vlissingen in Holland and Kai, who wanted to come all the way to Sweden. Kai is a professional sa...
Marina Morlaix, France ‐ Apr 20, 2021

Katthammarsvik, Gotland, Sweden ‐ Jul 17, 2021