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Sailing back to school

Archipelago excursion

Sailing back to school

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4.8 km (03:03 h)
126.8 km (12:48 h)
765.3 NM (174:44 h)

I'm going from Stockholm, Sweden to Enkhuizen, Netherlands with Elvira. Not precise timeline, I just need to be there before early October, but before mid-September would be better.

My original plans for this summer were to sail to France hopefully in time to see the tall ship gatherings in Brest and Douarnenez, it's where/why I learned to sail so it would have been nice. However, I took a bit too long to get Elvira ready for that but more importantly, I decided to go back to school and learn to be a sailor hopefully for sail-cargo. I found a school in the Netherlands offering such a course: 6 months in school, 6 months at sea. So I'm sailing there, and I've got to arrive before the courses start in October.

Let's go!

Stages

To FifĂĄng at last!

16.5 NM
04:58
3.3 kts (avg)
7.1 kts (max)

Let the voyage commence! Misadventure with the gennaker, rain shower, sun and a stop at FifĂĄng are on the agenda.

Nature anchorage (at last too)

41.4 NM
06:53
6.0 kts (avg)
9.4 kts (max)

Full steam ahead, or well full surf ahead! Quite a speedy day concluded by meeting a friend and anchoring like a Swed at last

Late start, late stop

17.0 NM
04:59
3.4 kts (avg)
6.4 kts (max)

Some disappearing headwind to start the day, but fantastic light near the end

Onwards to Västervik

27.1 NM
04:54
5.5 kts (avg)
10.4 kts (max)

After a short motoring to get out of Stugvik, I was able to sail all the way to Västervik. A lot of reefing, unreefing, but good speed and quite fun.

Twirling, twirling...

20.1 NM
05:14
3.8 kts (avg)
7.2 kts (max)

In a wind that was constantly changing strength and directions, I zigzagged through many islands before anchoring in a small inlet…

Long spell in light air

31.1 NM
09:45
3.2 kts (avg)
6.7 kts (max)

Not a lot of speed today, but I still made decent progress. I stopped late in a small harbour that was a bit too shallow in places.

Cycling in Ă–land

49.9 km
05:30
12.4 km/h (avg)
28.0 km/h (max)

No wind whatsoever in the forecast, so instead let's unfold the bike and cycle more or less randomly.

Slowly drifting to Borgholm

15.6 NM
06:21
2.5 kts (avg)
5.8 kts (max)

With next to no wind, I still tried to go ahead. At the end of the day I managed to reach Borgholm.

Castle visit and quick passage to Kalmar

16.0 NM
03:54
4.1 kts (avg)
6.6 kts (max)

A visit to Borgholm's castle, a short sailing with the wind almost aft for once, and a sneak peek at Kalmar's castle for the sunset.

Visiting Kalmar (and minor repairs)

I thought I would take my time to visit the castle, make a supply run, and try to fix a few small stuff. A day of rest sort of.

Zigzags to Kristianopel

38.3 NM
08:04
4.7 kts (avg)
7.5 kts (max)

Leaving Kalmar and making my way in the strait against the wind. Lots of manoeuvering, but a good speed

Losing patience in Kristianopel

Bad weather prevents me from going further… as a result, I have to wait for a few days here until a new window of opportunity for sailing opens.

Full sail ahead!

63.2 NM
12:37
5.0 kts (avg)
7.6 kts (max)

At last! The forecast will let me rush forward! A long day of work but a fun one, with a good amount of time spent seeing nothing at all on the horizon: no lands, no boats, nothing!

Wandering around Christiansø

4.8 km
03:03

Rest day to visit Christiansø: walking around, bathing, and waiting for the northern lights.

Quick crossing to Bornholm

8.9 NM
01:34
5.7 kts (avg)
8.6 kts (max)

Time to move (well not much), and to go on the bigger island.

The surroundings of Gudhjem

Going toward the north side of Gudhjem, bit of harmonica on the piers, swimming in the sea and a quiet evening.

Aiming for Ystad, A.K.A. Saving fender Ryan

45.9 NM
10:28
4.4 kts (avg)
8.9 kts (max)

Leaving a bit late, crossing back to Sweden against the wind, stopping a bit short of Ystad and launching a rescue mission on a fender that went overboard.

Visits and short navigation

10.0 NM
03:25
2.9 kts (avg)
7.2 kts (max)

Visit of a stone almanac, crossing to Ystad, visit of Ystad (and a bit of music).

Stop at the southernmost point of Sweden: Smygehamn

27.2 NM
09:20
2.9 kts (avg)
5.9 kts (max)

Trying to go toward Trelleborg, but stopping a little before that because of the wind.

Sailing through the middle of the night and avoiding the storm

70.4 NM
13:03
5.4 kts (avg)
9.9 kts (max)

Bye bye Sweden, hello again Denmark. I've crossed from the southernmost point of Sweden to that of Denmark. Arrived in the middle of the night and moored just in time to enjoy the thunderstorm lighting up the sky.

Waiting the storm in Gedser

15.1 km
02:08
12.6 km/h (avg)
35.5 km/h (max)

With the shittiest forecast ever, I waited a few days in Gedser for the blow to pass.

To Marstal we go!

54.8 NM
13:22
4.1 kts (avg)
14.9 kts (max)

The wait is finally over, let's try to run between a sandbank and some windmill farms to get as far west as possible.

Nice time in Marstal

33.6 km
02:44
12.3 km/h (avg)
47.1 km/h (max)

A two-day stay in Marstal waiting for a better wind, cycling around, playing music while talking to the neighbours. A nice relaxing stay overall in a really nice place.

One last sailing before the Kiel canal

30.3 NM
08:26
3.6 kts (avg)
6.0 kts (max)

The time has come! One last sailing in the Baltic, and then it is time to cross to the other side of Germany and enter the North Sea. A mixed bag of emotions as this gets closer, but what a fantastic weather for that last day (although a bit more wind would not have gone amiss)

Kiel canal - part I

22.6 NM
06:17
3.6 kts (avg)
5.0 kts (max)

Motoring to the first lock on the canal, getting in quite quickly and motoring through a third of the way in brazing sun and no winds.

Kiel canal - part II

36.1 NM
08:53
4.1 kts (avg)
5.3 kts (max)

More engine! But at least I reached the end of the canal and I am just waiting for the proper tide to leave in the morning.

First taste of a tidal sea!

16.7 NM
02:27
6.8 kts (avg)
9.0 kts (max)

I'm out of the canal! Going fast riding on the ebbing tide until I miss judged the moment to take down the sails and drifted to far on the tidal stream. That was silly !

To Vlieland we go!

156.1 NM
29:50
5.2 kts (avg)
12.3 kts (max)

Longest sailing I've ever done: both in distance and in duration! Oh, that was fun, a bit scary but fun!

Visiting Vlieland and getting a free shower

28.4 km
02:26
11.6 km/h (avg)
33.2 km/h (max)

I stayed 3 days on Vlieland to recover, explore and enjoy. The shower in the marina were not free, but the weather decided to help out while I was out and cycling…

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