Monthly Archives: Saturday June 25th, 2022

Risør – Mebø – Farsund

It was a good choice to wait that one day in Risør. – Yesterday we then had perfect conditions. Our sail down towards Kristiansand probably was the fastest I ever had. Not in the beginning though, when we thought the promised northerly wind wouldn’t come, but then it did ! First with a good 5 Bft and in the end, the last 10 miles or so it was blowing with up to 30 knots. This and having the current with us resulted in an average speed of >8 knots and sometimes two digits when we were surfing down the waves. Oh what fun !

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We decided not to go too far into the islands and chose a little island southwest of Kristiansand for the night. We found an empty mooring, asked, and were allowed to use it for the night. It was a long and super exciting sail and when I lay down and hear some raindrops falling, I fell asleep instantly.

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Again we awoke to a blue sky … and the sound of children jumping into the water. (brrr) We had breakfast and left just to find ourselfes in fog as soon as we exit the anchorage. Going through the skerrys in foggy conditions is quite eerie. But after two weeks of sailing through narrow gaps in between rocky islands we’re not getting too nervous anymore.

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After passing the southernmost point of Norway, we arrive in Farsund and tie up on the guest bridge. The small town is a little marvel like most we visited the last week. But the real stunner we only see when going up a little hill: There is a fjord hidden in the back, all covered in thick, lush green ! Beautiful.

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Gothenburg – Grebbestad – Koster – Risør

Bruno arrives on the 18.6. by plane from Berlin and I feel both proud an happy to continue this trip with him. – What could be better than 500 miles father and son sailing ? Next day we take two bikes of the sailingclub to get some fresh groceries and then we immediately leave. – Into the Skerries an easy 30 miles north and drop the anchor behind a fish farm in the Möllösund.

Leaving GothenborgLeaving the anchor place in the MöllosundPassing Gullholmen...where we decided to get a boat agagin...

After breakfast we immediately leave and it should become one of the most amazing sailing days in my life. We tack 52 miles towards north in between the islands and sometimes only have a few shiplengths to maneuver. Really exciting  – and challenging to navigate.

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The Skerries get more beautiful as we go north and although most of the islands seem empty, one can find hidden little (or not so little) houses hidden in between the rocks on most of them. We are very happy to have met John with his SY Josin, a very well outfitted Ballad 30 . He is a very experienced sailor and gave us many tips for our trip of which all have been absolut marvelous so far.

Aufkreuzen_zwischen_Gullholmen_und_GrebbestadIn the Gasthavn at GrebbestadGrebbestadTomorrow is Bruno's bd !

On the island Koster we actually wanted to celebrate Bruno’s 16th birthday and go out for dinner but it seems like the whole island is closed. The only thing open are the footpaths – everything else is closed. And I thought it would be big party as it’s midsummer today ? – But the swedish people will celebrate on the next weekend it seems. Well. We cook and Bruno blows out the candles and next day it’s sailing again. We don’t have much time as we should be in Bergen on the 30.6. and that’s not too much time.

Leaving KosterEntering the skerries W of KosterBruno chillin'First view of the E coast of Norway

So we’re really happy that the light wind that was predicted actually blows with nearly 20 knots. Going against with a 30ft boat is not too comfortable but on the other side we’re doing 7 knots and arrive in Risør, Norway at eight in the evening.

Bruno doing a Lebowski-pose on the foredeck (Tai Chi)In RisørBeautiful wooden houses in RisørRisør

The little town is really beautiful with it’s white wooden houses. – We’ll stay for a day as the wind will continue to blow from SW. Tomorrow it’ll be better and we’ll continue our way towards south Norway…

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Summer trip pt. 1: Stralsund – Gothenburg

After many years, the opportunity has finally come for a slightly longer sailing trip. I have eight weeks off and since this might be one of our last trips up here in the north, we wanted two things off our bucket list: the Skerries of the swedish west coast and the fjords of Norway.

Since the way to the fjords is long and the wind is usually not in the right direction, we decided to split the trip in three legs. The first one to Gothenborg I’ll do with my old friend Wolfgang who also came with us across the Atlantic back in 2011. The second part from Gothenborg to Bergen, Norway I will do with Bruno who just turned 16 ! Then, once in Bergen Gui will join us with the two small ones, Moana and Kilian. Viola will join us later in Stavanger where Bruno will fly back to Berlin.

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We headed out of Stralsund on the 8th of June with wonderful blue skies and light wind from southerly directions. As the wind was absolutely perfect, we decided not to stop for the night but keep sailing through the Øresund until we want to stop. We slid under the huge Öresund bridge right after sunrise and were pushed northwards with a steadily increasing current.

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In the evening of the second day the wind went to zero. – So we pulled into a tiny fishing harbour called Skallbroken for the night.

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Next day we encountered our first Skerries and also met some seals sunbathing on them. After a beautiful day sailing, we anchored behind the little skerry called Öckerö.

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The last day we sailed into Gothenborg with a wonderful blue sky and perfect wind. Here the trip ended for Wolfgang and I did a bit of work on the boat (and in the “homeoffice”) while I waited for Bruno’s arrival on the 18.6.

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Short update

Six years have passed since the last entry…  A few things have happened since then, some of which might be told here later on … but first of all this reactivation is mostly for family and friends who wonder where and how we are. For all others who still might be reading this blog, here comes a very very short update:

Since 2014 we are landlocked again in Berlin. My wife became full time teacher and I started a company specializing in energy consulting (and we build our own ultra portable energy meters). Of course we’re still travelling a lot. Initially with an old camper van, until one time when we visited friends in Gullholmen, Sweden – the sailing fever hit us again. So sometime in 2018 we exchanged the VW van for a small Compromis 720.

Mit dem VW Bus in AlbanienIMGP9519Die Schummla (in Wiek, bei Greifswald)IMG_2782

And then … we got two new family members – first Moana (2018) and then Kilian (2021). So now we have a wonderful family with four kids (and two cats). The boat of course was a little to small so since 2020 we have a Carter 30, Bj. 1979 which we share with another family who are very good friends and neighbours.

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Or to put it short: Yes. We still are LosLocos. :-)

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