SOLD
Restless2 has now been sold after 28 years in my ownership. She will soon sail to her new home near Rotterdam in Holland. For the time being, she is overwintering in Denmark.
Friday, November 10, 2023
Thursday, April 14, 2016
A New Era
A new era is about to begin. From now on I will be sailing without Anne-Marie, as she passed away on March 16th 2016. We had some great adventures together during the last 17 years and it will feel very odd sailing without her and I miss her so much. Restless is ashore at the moment, but I hope to launch within the next two weeks. I still have my ship's dog, Queenie, for company though.
On the east coast of Sweden in 2014
On the east coast of Sweden in 2014
Thursday, June 13, 2013
New sailing season
We had our first proper sail last weekend. We sailed to Nykøbing Sjælland,and stayed for two nights. There we met up with Michael Smith. He owns a Rival 34 called Williwaw, and had overwintered under cover in Nykøbing. It was interesting to compare boats.( ours is a Rival 32). Michael is also the secretary for the Rival Owners Association. The other news is that I now have a Danish Skipper Certificate (duelighedsbevis) so I can go after the CEVNI canal certificate in Denmark.
Saturday, November 17, 2012
Winter Layup
Restless 2 is now ashore, as the harbour is liable to freeze to 30cm thick ice. The engine has been drained, after running antifreeze through it, similarly the toilet system has had antifreeze put in and the water tank and pump have been drained. We have to cope with the possibility of -20 deg C here. I also remove the engine water pump and remove the impeller for the winter. Leon helped with lifting the heavy tarpaulin cover on, so she is nice and snug for the winter
Sunday, July 15, 2012
Ängeviken 15th July
Yesterday, we sailed northwards from Dönsö, with the intention of finding a safe place to ride out the gale forecast for the next 3 days. After rounding the western tip of Marstand island, we caught 3 small mackerel in the open area before the rocky south western tip of Tjorn. A tasty supper!
We thought we could find shelter in the bay inside of Ingegärdsholmen and Sandhomen, but the buoys were taken and the bay was full of eelgrass so anchoring doubtful in the forecast gale. We looked at mooring to a rock, but the water was too shallow for us.
The navigation is interesting around here, not much room for error.
Some of the passages are rather narrow, and you certainly have to respect the buoys.
I have never sailed so close to rocks before! Having decided that the Sandholmen anchorage was not for us on this occasion, we continued to Skärhamn, where we have been before and where we had arranged to meet Dorthe and Brian on Wednesday. But as we approached, we saw a "harbour full" sign. We thought we'd look in to see if anyone had left, but the place was full of wooden boats! We'd hit a wooden boat festival, and not a free mooring in sight. We considered anchoring in Sunna holme, a little further north, but that is open to the south and south west! So we sailed through Kyrkesund (where we fouled our prop not so long ago), and found a little harbour called Ängevikens Marina. It's just a little place, and guests normally moor outside the breakwater. The harbourmaster was very friendly, and suggested a mooring inside the harbour in view of the impending gale. This we readily accepted.
We have really found a marvellous place here, well protected from the gale blowing outside. We are surrounded by cliffs all around us.
We went for a walk on the cliffs overlooking the marina today, and looked out to sea where the seas were breaking over the rocks. Surprisingly, some brave souls were still sailing!
We asked the harbourmaster where the nearest campsite was, for Dorthe and Brian to camp with the boys next week. He suggested they could pitch their tent just round the back of the harbour, on a meadow that goes down to the water's edge, and free! He also offered us the loan of his car tomorrow to do some shopping at the nearest "landhandel" some 7 km away.
The proposed camping pitch.
We have to decided to stay here a while - until the end of next week at least. Afterwards we will probably start the homeward journey. I'm sure we'll be back here one day though.
We thought we could find shelter in the bay inside of Ingegärdsholmen and Sandhomen, but the buoys were taken and the bay was full of eelgrass so anchoring doubtful in the forecast gale. We looked at mooring to a rock, but the water was too shallow for us.
The navigation is interesting around here, not much room for error.
We have really found a marvellous place here, well protected from the gale blowing outside. We are surrounded by cliffs all around us.
We went for a walk on the cliffs overlooking the marina today, and looked out to sea where the seas were breaking over the rocks. Surprisingly, some brave souls were still sailing!
We asked the harbourmaster where the nearest campsite was, for Dorthe and Brian to camp with the boys next week. He suggested they could pitch their tent just round the back of the harbour, on a meadow that goes down to the water's edge, and free! He also offered us the loan of his car tomorrow to do some shopping at the nearest "landhandel" some 7 km away.
We have to decided to stay here a while - until the end of next week at least. Afterwards we will probably start the homeward journey. I'm sure we'll be back here one day though.
Thursday, July 12, 2012
Donsö 12th July
We left Læsø yesterday morning at 0815, I can't remember when I have seen such a packed harbour - worse than Skagen. As we came out, we saw some boats at anchor outside because of lack of room! We hoisted the mainsail in the fishing harbour before going out, and rolled out the genoa as soon as we were clear of the moles. There was a good wind from the south and we made good speed up to the end of Englishman's bank ( named after an english vessel that ran aground ). Further round the coast is a reef called Danzigmand, for the same reason.
After clearing the reef, we set course 051 deg for Donsö, in Sweden ( one of the offlying islands outside Gothenburg). The sea was very lumpy, so we rolled and pitched all the way to the outlying skerries.The breaking swell was a good meter high. We arrived at Donsö harbour at 1430 after a distance of about 28 nm.The wind had gone round to southeast during the morning. We were lucky to find an alongside berth in Donsö, it filled up later in the day, with some rafted out. This is a fine sheltered harbour, from all but northern winds.
Today is wet and windy, but may clear up in the afternoon, so we may walk the nature trail then. The forecast for tomorrow is also for very windy and wet too, so we'll stay here until Saturday. We are hearing that they have had heavy flooding inland in the smålands area, following a dam bursting, because of the unusually heavy rain when we were back in Denmark.
After clearing the reef, we set course 051 deg for Donsö, in Sweden ( one of the offlying islands outside Gothenburg). The sea was very lumpy, so we rolled and pitched all the way to the outlying skerries.The breaking swell was a good meter high. We arrived at Donsö harbour at 1430 after a distance of about 28 nm.The wind had gone round to southeast during the morning. We were lucky to find an alongside berth in Donsö, it filled up later in the day, with some rafted out. This is a fine sheltered harbour, from all but northern winds.
Today is wet and windy, but may clear up in the afternoon, so we may walk the nature trail then. The forecast for tomorrow is also for very windy and wet too, so we'll stay here until Saturday. We are hearing that they have had heavy flooding inland in the smålands area, following a dam bursting, because of the unusually heavy rain when we were back in Denmark.
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Læsø 10th July
We left Fiskebäkskil on the 1st of July with the intention of sailing back to Donsø. We are taking a diversion to Skagen and Læsø to meet Laust and Lise Lotte (family). On the way through Kyrkesund, we picked up something in the prop, and despite our efforts with reverse/forward shifts we could not get rid of it. We decided to divert into Skärhamn to sort out the problem. The concentrated presence of jellyfish and the cold water disuaded us from taking a dip to have a look ourselves.
We carried on under greatly reduced speed and finally reached Skärhamn, berthing in almost the same spot as before. We told the harbour captain of our problem, and he said he could arrange for a local diver to take a look. It turned out that the diver was tied up with a job further north, and we finally got one to come late the next day. The kids from the neighbour boats were fascinated with the diver when he arrived and took on his diving gear.
It took him a while to clear the prop of the remains of a large heavy gauge plastic sack which had wound itself around the propeller and shaft.
It cost us 700 Swedish kroner for the diver, but if we had continued, it could have cost us much more in engine repairs later.
The next day, the 3rd July, we set sail for Skagen direct, a distance of about 35 nm, which we covered in about 7 hours. Skagen is at the very northern tip of Denmark. When we arrived, Skagen was filling up fast, mainly with Norwegian boats who come for the cheap(er) booze and sandy beaches. We moored bows to the quay, with stern anchor out, but the next day we got an alongside berth when another boat left. Rie has a friend from schooldays living here, and we were picked up in their Jaguar and given a tour around old Skagen before going to their house for drinks.
While we were away from the boat, the harbour had filled up even further, and we found out that Skagen was gearing up for a music festival at the weekend. We stayed the next day as well, and walked up to Leif and Lilly's with our shopper full of dirty clothes to put in their washing machine.We left Queenie with them while we looked around Skagen museum, which houses many well known paintings by P.S.Kroyer , Anna and Michael Ancher. There just happened to be a special exhibition of Kroyer's works, which we greatly enjoyed. When we got back to Lilly's, the washing was done, and she had hung it up on the line! The day was really warm, and Skagen became more and more crowded, so we decided to sail next day. In the evening our washing was delivered in the Jag, and we had Leif and Lilly on board for coffee...
On the morning of the 5th, we woke up to a puzzle as to how to get out! The raft behind us had grown to 12 boats! Luckily we were 3 boats that wanted to leave.
View from our cockpit of our escape route!
After a lot of pushing and shoving, we all got out and left those behind to fight for our berth. We moored up to the fuel quay, and topped up our 2 diesel jerry cans. Then we set sail for Læsø in about 18 knots of wind, on a close reach. After a few hours though, it died on us and we ended up motorsailing in only 3 knots of wind. We found an alongside berth in a corner of the newly renovated basin in Vesterø harbour. The basin had only reopened that day! We met up with Laust and Lise Lotte soon after arriving, and drove in their car to their hired holiday flat. After a fine evening meal with them, we walked back to the boat.
The next day we spent on our own, but we had been invited to an evening meal with Laust and Lise Lotte. Læsø lobsters were on the menu - a local speciality. These are much smaller than normal lobsters - a bit like scampi. After feasting on these, we walked back to the boat.
We had arranged to meet up again the next day and take a tour of the island, and our first stop was Læsø Salt Syderi. Geologically, Læsø is rather special. The southern part of the island consists of saltings which regularly get flooded by seawater, particularly in the winter period. Below the saltings is a thick layer of clay which prevents the floodwater from seeping through. During the warmer months, the water thus evaporates and the salt concentration increases to some ten times the concentration of the surrounding sea water. This salty water is collected from wells and is taken to the working area, where it is concentrated further in several steps by heating in large pans until the salt crystals are produced.The pans are heated by wood fires, firewood being harvested from the nearby forests on Læsø.
Læsø salt contains many minerals, including iodine (from dead algae) and is widely sought by gourmets. The remaining water is used for treating skin conditions, such as psoriasis. A disused church in Vesterø has been converted to a treatment centre, in collaboration with Læsø Salt.
Læsø still has some farmhouses that are thatched with eel grass ( tanggårde), and our next stop was Læsø's museum farm. This thatch is unique to Læsø and is very long lived - so much so that the technique was almost lost. Recently, however a local thatcher in collaboration with the National Museum have worked out how it was done and have begun to re-thatch some of the farmhouses on the island. It takes about 35 tons of eelgrass to thatch a typical farm, and it lasts at least 100 years.
The eelgrass is harvested while still green, and dried like hay spread out on a field. It is then baled up for transport. The eelgrass is twisted into long skeins before being lifted onto the roof.The interior of the farmhouse and out houses are preserved as they were when last in use, and were very interesting. Danish farms were usually built around a central square courtyard, one wing being the house, and the other three wings being the farm buildings.
Our next stop was another farm, which is now used as an outlet for Læsø wool products. We saw some really fine work here, and bought a few items. We then drove back to the harbour again.
Today has been really warm. We have washed down the cockpit, done the washing in the harbour washing machines, and some more shopping. After lunch we visited the local maritime museum, which although small was very interesting. Being an island community, Læsø has a strong maritime tradition for both shipping and fishing. One Læsø captain made a lot of money after salvageing a ship and his son was one of the founders of the Læsø ferry company. This company still exists, and runs a frequent service to and from Frederikshavn, on the mainland.
The Læsø ferry.
This evening we have had Laust and Lise Lotte on board for an evening meal. The main dish was a locally caught fish (sej) which had been baked in the oven.
The next day (9thJuly) we teased ourselves out from the surrounding boats and set sail for Østerby on the eastern end of Læsø. We had to sail a fair distance northeastwards to clear the outlying reef before heading southeastwards again . The wind was a brisk 18 knots from the south west when we left, but going round to south east as we neared Østerby, forcing us to motor the last mile or so. Østerby harbour was even more crowded than Westersø, and it took a while before we found a gap that we could squeeze into. We moored up outside an older Swedish boat, so they didn't mind Queenie walking across their deck. A neighbour Danish boat offered us some Læsø lobsters, as he had bought too many and had a full fridge. So we had them for our supper - delicious with white bread
A læsø lobster
Unlike normal black lobsers, these are also red before being cooked.
There were an amazing number of Swedes here, Danes being in the minority! In the early evening, the heavens openedwhich sent all the grill mad Swedes diving for cover!
The wind continued to blow, increasing to 25knots in the evening and night, we had to sleep with a closed forehatch as the rain hammered down. Today, the 10th July, it is still blowing hard, but mainly dry. We took the free tourist bus back to Vestersø to have lunch with Laust and Lise Lotte. This proved to be a very popular bus and also allowed dogs.
We carried on under greatly reduced speed and finally reached Skärhamn, berthing in almost the same spot as before. We told the harbour captain of our problem, and he said he could arrange for a local diver to take a look. It turned out that the diver was tied up with a job further north, and we finally got one to come late the next day. The kids from the neighbour boats were fascinated with the diver when he arrived and took on his diving gear.
It took him a while to clear the prop of the remains of a large heavy gauge plastic sack which had wound itself around the propeller and shaft.
It cost us 700 Swedish kroner for the diver, but if we had continued, it could have cost us much more in engine repairs later.
The next day, the 3rd July, we set sail for Skagen direct, a distance of about 35 nm, which we covered in about 7 hours. Skagen is at the very northern tip of Denmark. When we arrived, Skagen was filling up fast, mainly with Norwegian boats who come for the cheap(er) booze and sandy beaches. We moored bows to the quay, with stern anchor out, but the next day we got an alongside berth when another boat left. Rie has a friend from schooldays living here, and we were picked up in their Jaguar and given a tour around old Skagen before going to their house for drinks.
While we were away from the boat, the harbour had filled up even further, and we found out that Skagen was gearing up for a music festival at the weekend. We stayed the next day as well, and walked up to Leif and Lilly's with our shopper full of dirty clothes to put in their washing machine.We left Queenie with them while we looked around Skagen museum, which houses many well known paintings by P.S.Kroyer , Anna and Michael Ancher. There just happened to be a special exhibition of Kroyer's works, which we greatly enjoyed. When we got back to Lilly's, the washing was done, and she had hung it up on the line! The day was really warm, and Skagen became more and more crowded, so we decided to sail next day. In the evening our washing was delivered in the Jag, and we had Leif and Lilly on board for coffee...
On the morning of the 5th, we woke up to a puzzle as to how to get out! The raft behind us had grown to 12 boats! Luckily we were 3 boats that wanted to leave.
After a lot of pushing and shoving, we all got out and left those behind to fight for our berth. We moored up to the fuel quay, and topped up our 2 diesel jerry cans. Then we set sail for Læsø in about 18 knots of wind, on a close reach. After a few hours though, it died on us and we ended up motorsailing in only 3 knots of wind. We found an alongside berth in a corner of the newly renovated basin in Vesterø harbour. The basin had only reopened that day! We met up with Laust and Lise Lotte soon after arriving, and drove in their car to their hired holiday flat. After a fine evening meal with them, we walked back to the boat.
The next day we spent on our own, but we had been invited to an evening meal with Laust and Lise Lotte. Læsø lobsters were on the menu - a local speciality. These are much smaller than normal lobsters - a bit like scampi. After feasting on these, we walked back to the boat.
We had arranged to meet up again the next day and take a tour of the island, and our first stop was Læsø Salt Syderi. Geologically, Læsø is rather special. The southern part of the island consists of saltings which regularly get flooded by seawater, particularly in the winter period. Below the saltings is a thick layer of clay which prevents the floodwater from seeping through. During the warmer months, the water thus evaporates and the salt concentration increases to some ten times the concentration of the surrounding sea water. This salty water is collected from wells and is taken to the working area, where it is concentrated further in several steps by heating in large pans until the salt crystals are produced.The pans are heated by wood fires, firewood being harvested from the nearby forests on Læsø.
Læsø salt contains many minerals, including iodine (from dead algae) and is widely sought by gourmets. The remaining water is used for treating skin conditions, such as psoriasis. A disused church in Vesterø has been converted to a treatment centre, in collaboration with Læsø Salt.
Læsø still has some farmhouses that are thatched with eel grass ( tanggårde), and our next stop was Læsø's museum farm. This thatch is unique to Læsø and is very long lived - so much so that the technique was almost lost. Recently, however a local thatcher in collaboration with the National Museum have worked out how it was done and have begun to re-thatch some of the farmhouses on the island. It takes about 35 tons of eelgrass to thatch a typical farm, and it lasts at least 100 years.
The eelgrass is harvested while still green, and dried like hay spread out on a field. It is then baled up for transport. The eelgrass is twisted into long skeins before being lifted onto the roof.The interior of the farmhouse and out houses are preserved as they were when last in use, and were very interesting. Danish farms were usually built around a central square courtyard, one wing being the house, and the other three wings being the farm buildings.
Our next stop was another farm, which is now used as an outlet for Læsø wool products. We saw some really fine work here, and bought a few items. We then drove back to the harbour again.
Today has been really warm. We have washed down the cockpit, done the washing in the harbour washing machines, and some more shopping. After lunch we visited the local maritime museum, which although small was very interesting. Being an island community, Læsø has a strong maritime tradition for both shipping and fishing. One Læsø captain made a lot of money after salvageing a ship and his son was one of the founders of the Læsø ferry company. This company still exists, and runs a frequent service to and from Frederikshavn, on the mainland.
This evening we have had Laust and Lise Lotte on board for an evening meal. The main dish was a locally caught fish (sej) which had been baked in the oven.
The next day (9thJuly) we teased ourselves out from the surrounding boats and set sail for Østerby on the eastern end of Læsø. We had to sail a fair distance northeastwards to clear the outlying reef before heading southeastwards again . The wind was a brisk 18 knots from the south west when we left, but going round to south east as we neared Østerby, forcing us to motor the last mile or so. Østerby harbour was even more crowded than Westersø, and it took a while before we found a gap that we could squeeze into. We moored up outside an older Swedish boat, so they didn't mind Queenie walking across their deck. A neighbour Danish boat offered us some Læsø lobsters, as he had bought too many and had a full fridge. So we had them for our supper - delicious with white bread
Unlike normal black lobsers, these are also red before being cooked.
There were an amazing number of Swedes here, Danes being in the minority! In the early evening, the heavens openedwhich sent all the grill mad Swedes diving for cover!
The wind continued to blow, increasing to 25knots in the evening and night, we had to sleep with a closed forehatch as the rain hammered down. Today, the 10th July, it is still blowing hard, but mainly dry. We took the free tourist bus back to Vestersø to have lunch with Laust and Lise Lotte. This proved to be a very popular bus and also allowed dogs.
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