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Dennis
and Anne Kell (W247) report on the International Rally and beyond
----- Original Message
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Sent: Sunday,
September 14, 2003 3:17 PM
Subject: Wayfarer
cruise
Dear Uncle Al,
Another report related to the International
Rally. I am still waiting for a true rally report from someone.
Unfortunately I am a little pressed for time as I have started on some
new masonry at the back of my house. Quite a job when doing it all by
yourself (from digging a hole and pouring concrete, until the finished
masonry, the roof on top, electrical wiring, plumbing, etc. etc.).
Best wishes,
Ton
At 21:55
30/08/2003 +0200, Ken Jensen wrote:
Dear W-friends, c/o "Emma" W247,
Very nice
indeed to meet you at Malö, and I'm most impressed by you
extensive cruising ability and great distances covered - great!
I have
wondered where your course took you? For quite some time we were
curiously awaiting, whether you would manage to come all this way, but
you probably listened to the advice of heading for SØRLANDET, a
most wonderfull cruising ground - all the way to Cape Lindesnes!
In English
you'll find two of W1348's stretches from this summer; the latter
having Dick Harrington's pictures included. If interested please find www.wayfarerjoller.dk/1348
select from the left margin and click on the pictures in order to
enlarge them.
When you have
found your footing, and the time, please let me learn about your cruise
after Malö!
All the best
wishes and W-regards,
Ken W1348"Maitken"
Dear Ken, Bo, Neel, Ton, Thomas and
Ralph
Firstly, Ken, thanks very much for your e-mail and request for an
update. Secondly, a very big thank you to Bo and Neel for organising
such a superb rally. Hope you don't mind the general nature of this
e-mail but I thought I might take this opportunity of responding to Ken
and letting others know of our further adventures.
We left the rally on the Monday after visiting the fascinating boat
museum at Bassholmen and the beautiful town of Fiskebackskil with the
remaining 3 rally boats. We sailed north, passed Lysekil and found a
wonderful remote anchorage on the island of Salto. From there we
continued ever northwards, in beautiful sunshine, weaving our way
through thousands of rocks and islands and taking the outside route to
avoid the Sotekanalen, stopping briefly at Hunnebostrand and then
camping for the night on the south bay of Danmark (too shallow for
anyone else!).
Bo had mentioned the Vaderoarna Islands as an interesting area to visit
(in settled conditions) so that was our plan for the next day, despite
forecasts of increasing winds. We set off in a good F4 (sorry my brain
doesn't think in m/s) and had a cracking sail punching the waves out to
Vaderoarna. Had 'great fun' trying to get into the very narow cleft in
the rocks marked as the anchorage against a very strong wind and in the
end had to accept a tow for the final few metres. Explored the island
from top to tail (it took all of 30 minutes) and then discussed our
options. It was by now a F5 and a moored boat was registering 12 m/s
and the forecast was for more. We didn't fancy being storm bound on
this rocky outcrop so, with horrified looks from the other yachtsmen,
set off. The skipper of the adjacent yacht said he would put the kettle
on ready for our anticipated quick return - it's been boiling a long
time!
Double reefed and with no foresail we sped back to Fjallbacka in about
an hour and a half. We were then gale bound for the next day and became
land tourists. Friday saw a change in wind direction and we had a very
tiring 25 Nm beat to Stromstad - mostly following the E6 (as the locals
call the main track through the islands). As we moored, a crew member
on the adjacent Norwegian boat came over to us and said, "I saw you
earlier in the fjord and I take my hat off to you. There are many
English words to describe what you did but I can't repeat them!" And
then he promptly gave us two beers. Now that's the sort of welcome I
like. Unfortunately, Friday is not the night to arrive in Stromstad.
The disco finished at 5 a.m. and the partying continued from there. We
had little sleep despite exhaustion.
We spent most of Sat. doing our domestic chores and buying Norwegian
charts, and then set off for a wonderfully quiet anchorage in the
Kosters. As the sole residents of our island, we claimed it for the
British! Sunday saw us sailing across the border (still no one wanted
to see our passports) to the Sandoy islands and another remote
anchorage, tucked behind a rock.
From here on, the number of boats we saw on the water decreased
dramatically, with fewer maniac power boat drivers (thankfully) and
most cruisers actually sailing rather than motoring, as the schools had
now all returned. The real sailors obviously wait until this time to
enjoy the pleasures of sailing. Having weighed up the options, we
decided that we would return south to Gothenburg rather than spend time
in Norwegian waters as this was now off-season and there was only one
ferry a day from Larvik which would have involved about 4 days wasted
sailing time retrieving the car and trailer.
Our northern most destination was Fredrikstad, which proved to be quite
a challenge. The problem with only having a chart to sail by is that
sometimes there are critical pieces of information missing - like the
speed of the current and the top loop of the river through Fredrikstad
with the identification of a low bridge (our chart stopped just short
of this). Fortunately we were on a run up to Fredrikstad otherwise we
would have never made it. We reckon the current running down river was
at least 4 - 5 knots and at best we could only make 5 - 6 knots. We
dodged into the shallows where ever possible and found some wonderful
back eddies, and found ourselves surfing down the standing waves as we neared the town.
We became quite an amusement for on lookers but we clawed our way in.
The river splits at Fredrikstad and we then sailed down the other loop,
with the current, through the town. The first bridge we knew about. One
of those heart stopping bridges where the chart says its high enough
but your eyes tell you differently and you can't quite believe it until
you're through. The second bridge however ...... Put on the brakes and
ferry glide to the bank. As we hadn't anticipated doing any mast
lowering this trip, we hadn't rigged the boat for easy lowering, and it
took some time to sort out the mast to shoot the bridge. Once safely
through we sailed back through the maze of small islands to another
perfect anchorage on Furuholmen. If you ever want to visit Fredrikstad
can I suggest you do it in the opposite direction as the current is far
less severe in the other arm of the river.
Now we had to retrace our steps but tried to pick out a slightly
different route round the islands. Tuesday saw us back in Stromstad
harbour for our second gale and our second day's shore leave. Met our
first British boat. No discos this time, just howling in the rigging
and snagging of ropes to keep us awake. The weather had definitely
broken now. Thursday saw a lull in the winds so we made a break for it
and returned to Fjallbacka harbour. Had hoped to get further south but
winds were now rising to F5 gusting 6 so retreated to relative safety
of harbour. Gale number 3 and more shore leave and tugging of ropes -
but she's a good boat and can withstand many a battering! Starting to
worry now about whether we would have enough time to get back to
retrive the car and trailer to catch the ferry from Ejsberg on the
following Thursday.
One advantage of the change in the winds and the sequence of
depressions now sweeping through was that the wind had come round to
the north, where it thankfully stayed for the est of our journey.
Continued south on the Saturday and were even given permission to sail
through the Sotekanalen, although the winds were very flucky and at one
point we even had to get the oars out. Spent Saturday night tied to a
rock just north of Lysekil - ah, calm at last!
As we hadn't sailed the inland route round the islands of Orust and
Tjorn, this was our next destination, on route to Gothenburg. Retraced
the route we had covered in company on our last day of the rally via
Bassholmen and then round Orust. Frustrating sailing in light winds.
However, as wind picked up late afternoon and current was with us, for
once we continued until 8 p.m. and took up an island anchorage in the
shallows off St. Farholmen between Orust and Tjorn.
With time running out it was decision time. We decided to make for
Marstrand and try and get a detailed longer range forecast for the next
2/3 days. All looked favourable - unbelievably, so we continued to the
harbour on Kallo Knipplan. Tuesday dawned bright and fair with a NNW F3
- so we went for it and sailed straight across the Kattegat and back to
Saeby. It took 10 and half hours to do 45 Nm, with speeds varying from
6 knots to 1 knot. Fortunately the wind picked up for the crossing of
the shipping lanes but died off near the Danish coast, making the
latter part of the trip very frustrating - so near and yet so far, with
land visible but never seeming to get any closer. We had full sail for
the whole crossing and not a single beat.
We had done it and with a sense of satisfaction, had completed the loop
- much more pleasing than having to catch the ferry. We were also
extremely lucky. The forecast from Marstrand implied Wednesday would be
a better day for the crossing but we decided to get the journey out of
the way. Tuesday night saw gale number 4. The Swedes never were very
good at anticipating gales. None of the 4 gales we experienced did we
have any more than 12 hours notice and very often they started by
underestimating the wind strength before upgrading to a gale or near
gale warning on the radio.
All in all we had an outstanding cruise. Why anyone takes their boat to
the Med. is beyond me, when Scandinavia has so much to offer. Many
thanks to all.
Anne
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