Tracks Page (at last!)

Here are all the tracks. Still some changes needed.

All Tracks for 2017. Be patient - it takes a while...

Tracks

(Tracks without track list)

Date	From	To	Track Link
05-Jul-2017	Burgstaaken	Gedser	Track
06-Jul-2017	Gedser	Hesnaes	Track
07-Jul-2017	Hesnaes	Klintholm	Track
08-Jul-2017	Klinholm	Rødvig	Track
09-Jul-2017	Rødvig	Copenhagen (Brøndby)	Track
26-Jul-2017	Copenhagen (Brøndby)	Malmo (Dockan)	Track
27-Jul-2017	Malmo	Ven (Kirkbacken)	Track
29-Jul-2017	Ven	Helsingør	Track
31-Jul-2017	Helsingør	Gilleleje	Track
01-Aug-2017	Gilleleje	Roskilde Fjord	Track
02-Aug-2017	Roskilde Fjord	Frederikssund	Track
07-Aug-2017	Frederikssund	Odden	Track
08-Aug-2017	Odden	Ebeltoft	Track
10-Aug-2017	Ebeltoft	Grenaa	Track
11-Aug-2017	Grenaa	Bonnerup	Track
12-Aug-2017	Bonnerup	Mariager Fjord	Track
14-Aug-2017	Mariager Fjord	Mariager	Track
15-Aug-2017	Mariager	Mariager Fjord	Track
16-Aug-2017	Mariager Fjord	Bonnerup	Track
17-Aug-2017	Bønnerup	Grenaa	Track
19-Aug-2017	Grenaa	Arhus (Marelisborg)	Track
21-Aug-2017	Arhus (Marelisborg)	Tunø	Track
22-Aug-2017	Tunø	Samsø (Langor)	Track
24-Aug-2017	Samsø	Endelave	Track
26-Aug-2017	Endelave	Aebelø	Track
27-Aug-2017	Aebelø	Gamborg Fjord	Track
28-Aug-2017	Gamborg Fjord	Middelfart	Track
29-Aug-2017	Middelfart	Bagø	Track
30-Aug-2017	Bagø	Agernaes	Track
01-Sep-2017	Agernaes	Lyø	Track
02-Sep-2017	Lyø	Avernakø	Track
03-Sep-2017	Avernakø	Drejø	Track
04-Sep-2017	Drejø	Aerøskøbing	Track
05-Sep-2017	Aerøskøbing	Lilleø "Anchorage"	Track
06-Sep-2017	Aerø	Fåborg	Track
07-Sep-2017	Fåborg	Marstal (Aero)	Track
09-Sep-2017	Marstal	Burgstaaken	Track

Is that the end of the blog?

No more days to add. However there's a lot of tidying up to do which is better done on a proper computer. A number of days without pictures may get pictures and others may get better pictures. I also need to add tracks, as mentioned earlier.
..
So when you have an idle moment in a week or 10's time, take a look and see if there's anything new.

15/16 September 2017 - Travel home

Back home via the ferry from Hook of Holland to Harwich. Some hold-ups on the road but nothing serious. We found the German and Dutch versions of the road A1 quicker and more pleasant to use than the A1 at home.

On the ferry.

14 September 2017 - All packed up

The rest of the laying up jobs were supposed to be finished in the morning, but took all day. Go home tomorrow.
..

Storm coming!

This is what xcweather shows. It's why we have come out of the water early and we are now tucked up in the storage hall.

..
9 pm this eve. The storm seems to be the one named Aileen in the UK and has mostly passed. Our storage hall rattled a good deal but was still standing when we left to spend the next 2 nights ashore in an apartment. This is what windfinder said for the nearest recording point.

12 September 2017 - Burgstaaken: lift out

Lift out day. Lighter wind than predicted. All went well with the preparations until I dropped part of the backstay adjuster into the water. A brief snorkel about did not find it - I think it must have sunk into the mud. Annoying but better now than when launching.
..
Successfully lifted out.

..
Just in time as a gale is forecast for tomorrow and also strong wind for Thursday. Marked the lift out with a meal at Netti's restaurant
..
Pam does not often go out drinking but when she does she likes a big glass.

10 September 2017 - Burgstaaken

Getting ready for lift out. Nice fine day to get sails off when dry. They had a good fresh water wash in the rain yesterday.
..
Sorry no pics.

9 September 2017 - Marstal to Burgstaaken

Given the forecast for lots of windy weather over the next week, this seemed like a good day to get all the way back to our winter base. A shame to have you rush, but better than getting stuck somewhere for several days. Started with good sailing under full rig - finished with good sailing under one reef. In between it rained a lot and the wind went light, so we motored for a while. Our route crossed the ship route from Kiel to the Eastern Baltic, so we saw several ships. None were monsters as they don't fit in the canal. We did not need to avoid any of them.
..
Sailing in the rain

..
No wind

..
Better weather coming from the W, possibly with wind.

8 September 2017 - Marstal

Too windy to go anywhere today, as expected, so we sat around all morning and then took a short walk in the afternoon to watch the kite surfers enjoying the wind in the shallow sheltered water just outside the marina.
..
Hopefully we have a weather window to move on tomorrow. If not then we may be here for ages. Good swimming bridge. Shame about the conditions.

..
Marina from the other side of the lagoon

..
We probably have some more pics somewhere. Hope to add them

7 September 2017 - Fåborg to Marstal

Fåborg was a little disappointing in that a lot of things seemed to have closed for the season. However it does have the best swimming place of any harbour we have visited this year. We did not fancy using it in the cool windy conditions.
..
The period of settled weather seems to have gone and the forecast now shows a number of days when it looks to windy for us to go sailing, so we are planning our return to Fehmarn. The first step is to head towards Marstal at the end of Ærø. The channel near Marstal is the only way through the shallows between Ærø and Langeland.
..
Rather a stressful downwind passage finding the way through the islands outside Fåborg and the narrow channels leading to Marstal. The open water in between was straightforward but we were glad we had put 2 reefs in. 2 big Dutch sailing ships left at the same time (Good to see we are not the only late starters) with full sail.
..
Dutch ship leaving Fåborg

..
Boats from the maritime museum

..
Marstal's shipbuilding heritage old and new.

..
The marina has that "End of season" look

6 September 2017 - Ærø to Fåborg

Grey and wet as forecast so we had our first rainy swim. Rain stopped after breakfast and we had a reach most of the way to Fåborg. A few miles before arriving the forecast rain and stronger wind arrived so we took the mainsail down to find out way more slowly with Genoa only. Very soon the wind dropped away and the sail went back up. Moored in the marina.
..
Today's disappointment: the recommended "All you can eat fish buffet" closed on 12 August. They still do takeaway stuff but it's not the same.
..
Arriving at Fåborg

5 September 2017 - Ærø

It was just warm enough for a pre breakfast swim but the beach is too far to bother.
..
There is a good free (yes you really don't have to pay) bus service here, so we took our bikes on the bus to Sørby which is the small ferry port near the N end of the island. Then we cycled back on the well marked cycle routes, mainly minor roads. Pretty but not spectacular countryside looking like the other big Danish islands.
..
Moved to the anchorage S of the harbour.
..
Pics may be added...

4 September 2017 - Djerø to Ærøskøbing

The place where we anchored is called Skorvens Vig. Vig means a wide bay, which in Shetland is called a Wick. It only gives shelter from some wind directions and feels like anchoring in the middle of the sea, so is a fine weather option.
..
Brief trip ashore as there was not time yesterday. The island is small enough not to bother taking the bikes. We found it similar to recent islands but on a smaller scale. The village contained several traditional style old farm buildings but everything was rather quiet, with the shop not opening until the afternoon. The scoop of the day was finding a roadside self service stall selling honey, so we bought a few jars. You would not think they get much passing trade as during our walk we only encountered 3 items of traffic: 1 tractor and 2 bikes.
..
Good downwind sail to Ærøskøbing which is on the island of Ærø. It seemed a shame to waste a good wind on a short sail, but we wanted to visit this island and also to return the opposite way to Fåborg in a day or 2. Not happy with the anchoring options so berthed in the marina.
..
Grain drying island-style

..
Old houses in village

3 September 2017 - Avernakø to Drejø

A rather idle day. The fine weather continued - wind a bit cool but sun made up for it. Lazed around in the morning waiting for wind. Then sailed slowly to the nearest island, about 5 miles of which we motored the last 1.5 as the wind went completely. Could not be bothered to row ashore as it's about 0.2nm although we are anchored in less than 3m. Had another swim instead. Maybe we'll go ashore tomorrow.
..
Sorry no photos. Haven't done anything interesting or appropriate to photograph. However here is a pic of us taken the next day. For explanation of the sort of bay please see 4 Sept.

2 September 2017 Lyø to Avernakø

A bit of a lie-in at Lyø as wind was light. What a difference a few days of settled weather makes! We eventually sailed slowly round to the anchorage at the E end of Avernakø. Swim. Lunch. Bikes ashore. Rode to the other end of the island. Seems less prosperous than Lyø. Was originally 2 islands but they were joined by a causeway in 1937 or so.
..
Tea and cake at the island shop

1 September 2017 - Helnæs to Lyø

Sunny, cool but hardly any wind. Ok for the swim but not so good for sailing. We limped slowly to the island of Lyø. You have probably worked out by now that ø means island. Ly appears to mean "shelter". However the names of other islands don't seem to translate easily so I guess they are proper names.
..
Anchored at Lyø. Found a thriving village in the middle of the island with many traditional old farm buildings. Also several ponds, which we have not seen on other islands. The shop was better than many on small islands so we bought some essentials.
..
Landing. The boat seems a long way out but is only in 2.5m

..
Old farm building

..
Shop / pub

31 August 2017 - Bågø to Helnæs

Too cold and grey for a swim. Sailed through slowly improving weather to Helnæs. Anchored as far up the bay as we could get. The shores just about everywhere in Denmark are very shallow so it's never possible to anchor really close to the shore under the shelter of the trees. However we enjoyed a very peaceful stay there, disturbed only by the evening and morning eel fishing boats hauling up their fish traps around us.
..
Biked along the causeway to the island. This appears to be a natural shingle spit which has been built up to be a causeway complete with road.
..
Bågø harbour before we left.

..
The causeway

..
Anchored in the bay not close to the shore

30 August 2017

Just had time for a brief morning swim. Not quite so many jellyfish this time The beach is alongside our side of the harbour and so it's only a few yards to walk. Then the weather forecast came true and most of the day was heavily overcast with long periods of rain. Decided to stay and then explore when the weather cleared. Eventually we went out for a run across the island to the N end.
..
2 notable things: There are a number of substantial old farmsteads similar to those seen elsewhere. This suggests that agriculture has long been prosperous.
The other was a little Russian Orthodox church complete with onion - shaped spire on the top. Alongside was a building with doors labelled 1 to 4. Maybe rooms for visitors? Also a set of bells on a small frame on the ground. Sorry no pics - not a good time to carry the phone.
..
Warming supper of beef and veg.

Tracks

The GPS chartplotter records a track of our progress each day. However getting the tracks onto the blog is a bit labour intensive, so it will have to wait until we get home or get kept in port by foul weather.

29 August 2017 - Middelfart to Bågø

Swim from the beach by the marina. Then made a leisurely start. A beat all the way so progress was a little slow and we didn't reach our planned lunch stop until 2:30. This was at the N end of Bågø and was not very sheltered. After lunch and consulting the weather forecast again we sailed round to the harbour at the S end of the island as the wind is forecast to change to inconvenient directions overnight. Swim found the water warmer than usual but rather jellyfish - ridden. Ouch.
..
Don't seem to have taken any pics...

28 August 2017 - Gamborg Fjord to Middelfart

With a forecast of sun and light wind this was planned as a lazy day with a slow sail up the fjord. The wind was better and cooler than expected. After a swim and lunch stop we went into the big marina at Middelfart and did some much needed shopping.
..
Early morning light in Gamborg Fjord

..
Sunset at Middelfart

27 August 2017 - Aebelø to Gamborg Fjord

Woke to find the day cool and grey with the anchorage less sheltered than before with wind from the NW. Omitted the morning swim as conditions were not good for avoiding jellyfish.
..
Decided not to land on the island, but had a good sail W to the relatively narrow channel which separates Fyn from Jutland. This is very wiggly, has 2 high bridges over it and about 2 knots of current against us. Surprisingly we managed to sail all the way through, but tacking through the combined road/rail bridge was a bit of a challenge. We were accompanied at this point by a German boat just a little larger than us. We pretty much kept up and kept each other company. Nearly all the other boats motored through. After a brief tea stop on a buoy opposite Middelfart we went a short way further and anchored in Gamborg Fjord.
..

..
Sailing through bridges is a bit stressful

..
Pics of the second bridge were only taken after passing through. Too busy on the approach

26 August 2017 - Endelave to Aebelø

Morning swim cool but less so than yesterday. Eventually left and sailed slowly to the island of Aebelø, which is quite small and connected to the main island of Fyn such that it's possible to wade across when the water is low enough (there is some tide here).
..
We had an unrelaxed swim dodging small red jellyfish. Did not want to get stung on any sensitive part exposed by Scandinavian style swimming from the boat.
..
After lunch the wind turned onshore, so we chilled out on the boat for a bit to decide if it was worth going round to the other side of the island. Eventually the wind went back to the proper direction but it was to late to go ashore. Supper majored on mushrooms again - just 2 of them. Guess what's for supper tomorrow.
..
Sorry no pics. Will take some tomorrow. Later: view the island the next day

25 August 2017 - Endelave

After a tiring day yesterday which left no time for visiting the island, we stayed all day today and explored by bike.
..
Cool brief morning swim from the bathing place of the outside of the harbour, just a few steps from the boat. It appears swimming costumes are not required, so we can keep them dry tomorrow.
..
Biked to the N tip of the island, which is a growing shingle spit. Visited the Viking age stone ship setting, which must have been discovered by a very imaginative archaeologist. Looks like a jumble of stones.
..
Stopped on the surprisingly sheltered E side of the island for more swimming and lunch. Felt we had done enough swimming to qualify for coffee and cake.
..
The end of the island

..
Coffee and cake again

..
Mushrooms for supper

..
Old farmhouse. They are built as a square of buildings with a yard in the centre. Hard to photograph.

..
Mushroom supper

24 August 2017 - Samsø to Endelave

Overnight the wind went round to SE, so the anchorage was less sheltered, but not uncomfortable. Should have deflated the dinghy and put it away last night. After brief swim and breakfast we set off and motored carefully past the shallow channels to get clear of the East side of the island. Then the plan was simple: down the East side pretty much into wind, turn the corner and have a fast reach across to Endelave. Going down the E side worked ok. However when we turned the corner the wind came round with us, so the whole day was to windward, mostly with 1 reef in. Followed the scanty marks across very shallow water to the harbour, which seems to be very well equipped.
..
No photos. On such a grey and damp day we weren't in the mood. Later,on leaving, I have added a photo of the harbour entrance

23 August 2017 - Samsø

Took the bikes ashore and cycled round the northern part of the island. We visited the harbour at Mårup and then went on to the northern tip of the island where the scenery is rolling grassland like the downs. I think it it's chalk based.
..
There are more roadside self service stalls per kilometre than I have seen anywhere else. Although we have seen plenty of beehives none of the stalls sold honey.
..
Civilised coffee and cake

..
Nordby is to twee for words


And it has a bell tower

..
The northern hills

22 August 2017 - Tuno to Samso (Langor)

Rather cool morning swim. Decided not to go ashore again as it would take all day to go much further than yesterday's trip.
..
Enjoyed a gentle sail round the N end of Samso and anchored in the bay outside the harbour at Langor. For a change this trip involved no gusty wind or tricky poilotage. Anchoring seems to be a popular option here - there are currently 14 of us.  However it seems as if some boats have come here to practise anchoring - there are several anchor balls (seldom seen elsewhere) and some anchor buoys, which seem quite unnecessary as you can look down through the clear water and see exactly where you are dropping the anchor. Also a good deal of fussing about before dropping the anchor.
..
Anchored in the bay - we are the boat on the left:

..
Light weather sailing:

21 August 2017 - Århus to Tunø

Cool but sunny. The forecast said that the wind would lessen during the day, so we set off after coffee time. No morning swim as it was cool and breezy and the good swimming place was to far away anyway. Started with single - reefed mainsail and did not bother with the Genoa as we were sailing too downwind. Later put in the second reef and kept going quickly with the wind NW5/6. Arriving at Tunø we anchored outside the harbour in a sheltered spot.
..
Harbour sheltered and with more room than expected.
..
Bought veg at roadside self service stalls.
..
Visited the church which is unique in Denmark in serving also as a lighthouse.
..
Anchored outside - we are the boat on the left.

..
Inside the church
 
Church / lighthouse:

 

20 August 2017 Århus

This is Denmark's second city, so we really ought to look at it and not just move on. We were also tired after a long day getting here.
..
We visited "Den Gamle By", which is a big collection of old buildings from as over Denmark. It was started in about 1914 and I think contains buildings which might otherwise have been demolished.
..

19 August 2017 - Grenå to Århus

After the first 3 miles this trip turned into a biased beat for the rest of the way. We had already visited Ebeltoft and wanted to avoid repeating the long detour into its bay, so we carried on to Århus. On the way we gradually put in all 3 reefs. Sea conditions were ok but some big threatening clouds appeared. We only seemed to get a little rain from them. Tired after the first long windy sail of the cruise.
..
Watch out - nasty clouds behind

..
Sailing in wind and rain

..
There was a good rainbow when I went to fetch the camera.