12/8/24.

Michael and Marise left this morning in their camper van towing a double trailer with two 505’s on board. Glad I wasn’t driving that all the way back to Spain. We were still stuck in Varberg but eventually got away on Monday morning at 5:00am. It was still blowing about 15 knots and quite a bit of swell but we managed 5 hours of sailing out of the 8 and made it to Lamme Fjord.

**Anchored in a gorgeous little bay with nothing but a few wind turbines and ducks to disturb us.**

13/8/24

Only a 2 hr trip around the corner to a place called Holbaek. Was an old harbour that over the last 10 years has been done up with multiple high rise apartments. We moored up alongside in the perfect spot, large space, flat water and right outside a coffee shop. Lasooed my first pole observed by 3 elderly gentlemen drinking their coffee. Got a unanimous thumbs up when I had finished.

Waked into town for a look around. Quite a large town with a very long high street. Multiple coffee shops and restaurants all set up in older buildings. Weather still gorgeous and Chris walked across to a small beach opposite and had a swim. Still the Baltic sea so not quite warm enough or me.

A lady, Mette, came over to talk about the boat. Her and her husband are sailors and were wanting to upgrade to a larger one. They had been looking at a Hanse so were interested in our feedback. She came on board for a look around after which she invited us over for a G&T. Felt a bit weird, but we are being spontaneous!!! Lovely apartment and people. Her husband Bo had lots of questions about the boat and helpful hints on where to go around the Danish coast. They insisted we stayed for dinner and more chatting, walked back to the boat and had coffee onboard. I think we may have sold the idea to them. Such lovely people, they even offered us their car if we were hanging around.

Wednesday morning, we caught the train to Roskilde about 15 mins away. We wanted to sail down down the fjord to it but there is a bridge that we were too tall for, hence, the train. A lovely old city with a working harbour and a large Viking museum that is indoor and outdoor. We watched them building boats, making nails, and even sail in an old Viking ship. It was hilarious watching a group of tourists try to negotiate a viking ship out of the dock. Roskilde also has a large amount of park lands with people picnicking and playing rounders.

This old Danish city is famous for its cathedral built in the 12 and 13th century . It is beautiful inside and well kept, still functioning as a Cathedral with services going on daily. Many of the Danish Kings and Queens are buried there with very elaborate caskets and headstones. There were an awful lot of Fredericks and a common theme was adultery and madness! Roskilde. Bo and Mette brought heir son Phillippe down to see the boat and we chatted for a while. I think it was a PR trip to get the family on board for his prospective new purchase.

Decided to stay in Holbaek a bit longer. Cycled along the waterfront cycle path. Beautiful cottages and woodlands leading to an old Danish town run as it would have been a hundred years or so ago. Followed some people through a gate and locked our bikes up inside. Amazing place with an old doctors surgery, fire station, toy shop, bakery, hundreds of old telephone and gramophones showing the evolution of the devices. Fascinating to walk around.

Went to leave only to be told that the gate was locked and we had to leave through the gift shop. Yep, we had come in the wrong place, not paid and our bikes were now on the wrong side. Sneakily we threw them over the fence into the bush and tried to walk nonchalantly out of the gift shop. Bikes recovered and a fast getaway!

Today had been very warm so I decided that I should join Chris on his daily evening dip. Needed to swim in the Baltic at least once! Despite Chris protesting that it was lovely I managed 5 strokes and decided that was quite enough. Our new friend Bo popped in for a beer.

Rainy and miserable today so we walked into Holbaek in our wet weather gear. Bit over the top but all we had. I practised driving the boat leaving the dock and coming back in to get water. Wasn’t disastrous but definitely room for improvement. Then we left and I drove again to get her out of the channel. Quite scary but it got me out of fender duty so may practice a bit harder.

Found a small bay, that the locals call Beauty Bay in an area called Fjordstein. Tied up to a local buoy, easier than anchoring. Very quiet tranquil place with lots of ducks and not much else. Scenery was amazing. Later in the evening a group of youngsters came down to jump of the pier. The only civilisation we saw all night. Loved his place so much that we stayed 2 nights. Took the opportunity of taking Little Quirky ashore and walked around the local area. Lots of holiday looking houses but not much else. Found a gentleman with a small pink flag sitting by the road. It was the Hansons’s Ice-cream annual bike ride, 120kms, 6-700 bikes were about to come screaming past and he and his flag were marshalling.

18/8/24

Begrudgingly left Beauty Point on our way to Ven, a Swedish island just off the Danish coast. On the way spent a night in Gilleleje. A small busy fishing port where the only place we could fit in was in a commercial working dock. Nobody seemed to mind as it was a Sunday, so we stayed.

A couple of gentlemen came past and started talking about the boat and where we came from. Turns out one of them (the taller one in the photo) was the son of the guy who designed the opera house. Surname Utzon. What a weird coincidence. Had a pretty average, expensive dinner out, but it was nice not cooking on board.

Early 6:30 am start for Ven about a 3 hour trip but we wanted to catch the good weather. Saw lots of Dolphins frolicking around and sailed past a castle at Helsingor.

Found a marina on Ven but very expensive so snuck into a small marina further round the island called Backvikens Hamn. Fortunately, there was a perfect spot for us and the harbour master came out with tourist information and pamphlets. It’s also a ferry stop bringing masses of people over from mainland Sweden. Most seemed to hire bikes and cycle around. The hire place was incredible there would have been 1000+ bikes all parked along the cliff top.

Picturesque place with 300 people living on it. We cycled around the island, about 14kms. Very much a rural community with a lot of wheat harvesting. We also had shore power so I could wash the sheets and towels. It’s the little things that count. ( and great hot showers!!)

Walked around the island whilst Chris did circuits of it….fruitloop?!! Managed to collect a tub of large ripe blackberries which went down very well at breakfast the next day. Took me back to my youth.

Planned to leave the next day, although undecided where to go, but left earlier as weather closing in. Tried to sail and yet another problem- when trying to reef the main it just kept unfurling. Not only frustrating but actually quite dangerous and now a bit of an issue!! Sailed with just Gib and decide to try our luck in the centre of Copenhagen.

Sweden to Denmark (and back)

Varberg and 505 Sailing