SUMMER BALTIC CRUISE 2009 having been destroyed by fire in 1806 and also picked out Palace Solliden, which is the summer retreat of the Swedish Royal Family. Passing under the bridge we tied up at Kalmar at 1930 (69.3 miles). Now into August we were keen to visit the Danish island of Bornholm famous for its round churches, which are located in a special geographical pattern similar to that seen in the Templar churches of France. We knew it was a long way and that we would have to cross the busy shipping channel so made an early start arriving at Hasle in Bornholm at 1925. (68.3miles). We cast off late next morning and as there was not much wind we motored most of the way to Ystad and our first experience of tying up to posts, but the skipper took it in his stride (34.3miles). The marina was hosting an ORC European Championship and we initially tied up alongside “Air” a brand new 43-foot yacht designed by Mark Mills. The next day as were leaving “Air” was arriving back from an overnight race having been first over the line and hoping to win the race on corrected time. It was very hot and there was no wind so it was
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on with the engine. We entered the Falsterbokanalen, which cuts across the SW corner of Sweden, and tied up alongside three other boats in the very busy marina of Skanor (47.3 miles). This was a delightful little marina and very friendly. Friday 7 August dawned bright and beautiful and we had a lovely sail to Copenhagen, passing under the bridge between Sweden and Denmark and tied up at Sksovshoved marina, which is located just north of Copenhagen. We were all keen to see Copenhagen so took a taxi to the nearest station and within half an hour we were in the city centre. Colin Massey, who had done a bit of research, knew exactly where he wanted to go and we finally ended up in Nayhavn, the busy street beside the canal with all the restaurants. Here we enjoyed a delicious dinner sitting outside in what the locals later informed us was considered the best restaurant in the street. After changing crew over the weekend at Sksovshoved we headed northwards calling at Helsingor, Nordhaven (15.6miles) where we visited Kronborg
Castle, of Hamlet’s Castle and Shakespeare’s Elsinore fame, and then onto the Island of Hallands Vadeno (31.3 miles). Here we spent a windy night with Peter and Geoff Johnston doing anchor watches, so it was a lazy start the next day after a rather disturbed night for some. There was a strong wind and with two reefs and small jib we close fetched across big seas and we were glad to tie up at the small marina in Lovstavikens Batforening (28.5 miles). It was extremely shallow at the entrance with the echo sounder indicating that we should be aground! We learnt later from the Harbour Master that the harbour was being dredged the following week to get back to the chart datum of three metres! The next morning it was still blowing and we motored out of the very shallow entrance and hoisted the main, put in two reefs and a little jib, luckily the sea was not as big as the previous day and the sun was out. We were soon able to shake out the reefs and with the jib also fully set we enjoyed another lovely sail. As we were coming in to anchor there was a terrific thunder and lightening storm with heavy rain. As we did not relish inching our way into the anchorage in such a downpour, we quickly put down the anchor outside the entrance and once it cleared we re-anchored at Fiord at Malo Hamn. (39.3 miles) Later over a drink on deck, the skipper enthused about how we had travelled ninety miles to windward over the last three days in up to Force 7 in the open Skagerrak with Pinocchio just revelling in the conditions. The next day heralded yet another poor forecast and the plan had been to go to the Lilla Bommen marina at Gothenburg but a Festival of the Sea celebration meant there was no room so we headed for Goteborg Langedrag and tied up at noon (5.6 miles). It blew hard over night, but on Sunday morning 16 August, Geoff and Ibby Johnston and John Bowie enjoyed a