SWEDEN AND ANOTHER CANAL July 1st

Helsingor to Varborg was a 70nm sail in reasonable conditions. Varborg marina was unremarkable but at least we managed to find an alongside mooring. Another pay machine! 

Away again in the morning to Goteborg. This proved a much longer leg than predicted as the wind switched to a “noserley” with velocity and we ended up doing more miles than predicted. The Goetborg marina proved the most expensive yet at 500Skr (Aussie $77) per night. We were asked to move the following day to make room for a 100 footer so we negotiated a better rate. At least Goetborg Marina was across the road from a large shopping centre and we were able to top up supplies during the 3 days we were forced to remain there because of strong wind and rain.

Bohus Castle

Out again into the River and north up the Alv in the Trollhatten Canal. The waterway is used by shipping and includes 6 locks in its 47 mile length. Four of these form a staircase at Trolhatten. The locks do require some  technique. There are bollards set into the wall at about 5 foot vertical intervals, and you must get a rope onto these. As you rise or fall, you put a second rope on the next bollard up or down, releasing the previous rope. The drop is too big to leave ropes in place. There is also the odd ladder, where you can use the rungs. The best thing on entering the lock is to aim for a ladder. With only 2 of us we found grabbing a ladder with a midship line gave us more possibility of gaining a forward or aft bollard. It was always stressful and we were lucky to have only one other boat in the lock with us for most of the locks. Once through the Trolhatten locks there is only one other lock before Lake Vanern, the largest lake in Sweden and in the EU. The third largest lake in Europe. 

We found a suitable anchorage and sat out some more foul weather for a couple of days. Less said about the lake the better! We had to decide  to stay a week or possibly longer to see the lake or cut our losses and scarper. With our Schengen time ticking we very reluctantly decided to backtrack and try to make it to some point from which we could jump off to Norway. So back down the waterway we went in unpleasant windy weather and made it that day to the Bohus Fortress to anchor. This fortification was originally on the Norwegian Swedish border. Work commenced on it on the early 1300s. It was besieged 14 times but never taken. The anchorage was small but snug with good holding.

The following day was harrowing in up to 40 knots. We just made it through the Gotenborg lifting bridge before it was closed due to high wind. We then went out to sea but were forced back to anchor in a tiny rock strewn bay just outside the shipping channel. Very pleased to be there however as the wind screamed and howled all night.  Morning dawned clearer, if not fine, so we elected to make the 65 mile dash west to Jutland Denmark and the Limjforden Canal to cross the peninsular to the western side with the hope of getting favourable winds to carry us north to Norway. The day fined up and a pleasant days sailing was enjoyed with a nice anchorage just outside Hals, Denmark.

Cottages are dotted on rocky islands along the  coast.

Next we cross the Danish Peninsular.

COPENHAGEN AND NORTH TO SWEDEN. June 24th.

Unknown photographer shot this in Copenhagen and posted on Marine Traffic.

Now sitting aboard in Hals, a really small village in a pretty farming area at the mouth of the Limjforden in Denmark. Its been a bit of a journey and yes we did go to Copenhagen. 

View from the cockpit in the canal Ny Haven Copenhagen

Our arrival in Copenhagen was thankfully in lovely weather. A false start saw us tied to the wall in AmalieHaven, a large open dock area immediately in front of the Admiralty Hotel. Not an unpleasant place but decidedly busy on a Sunday. There was a lot of activity, music and parties, including swimming in the canal!. It seems that on a nice sunny day Danes bring their chairs to the city docks and sit, watch and get sun burned! 

We went ashore for a reconnoiter to the Ny Haven dock which was our preferred location and ascertained there was space so quickly returning  to Taipan we made the short hop to Ny Haven. Central downtown Copenhagen. We had been told the dock walls were very high but this proved to be incorrect and access ashore was easy enough. There's power and water available and a pay machine at the end of the dock which was happy to accept our card for 320Dkr per night. (About  Aussie $60) The guide books also say it is reserved for boats over 15 meters. There were smaller boats in there.

Rosenborg Castle

By chance we were befriended at the Rosenborg Castle early in our exploration, by Kirsten, a spritely older lady, who took it upon herself to show us the sights of Copenhagen. We walked the beautiful gardens of the Rosenborg Castle then wandered to Amalienborg Palace precinct, the home of the Dutch royal family including our Tasmanian Mary!  Next we visited The Round Tower, up which some Russian Czar reputedly rode his horse and which we climbed for a view of the city. Built in 1642 with an observatory in the top, it was built as the first part of a church complex bringing together  an astronomical observatory, a student church and a University library.

Round Tower

The following day we trekked to Christiania a 35ha piece of land, it is now an autonomous neighbourhood of Copenhagen. Established in 1971 by a group of squatters and harassed by police for years as they continued to squat in the disused military facilities. In 2011 it gained a sort of independence and is tolerated within the City. Heavily involved in the drug trade in Copenhagen there have been incidents of on going violence as the control of this market is wrestled from one biker group to another and the Christianites try to maintain some control of the situation.

Alas the time comes all to soon when we have to depart this lovely city and make our way north. Next stop Helsingoer  Splendid day for a sail and its only 25nm. The weather closing in again so its a forgone conclusion we will be stuck there for a day or two. The approach to the marina is guarded by the spectacular Renaissance Kronborg Castle. Our entrance to the marina was unremarkable in that we actually found a side too berth on the end of a hammerhead. The only kind we like. These bow-in, between pole jobbies are not a Taipan speciality! Safely tied alongside we immediately went to find the Pay Machine. Always such a disappointment then you arrive in a place to only find a machine.  These machines have no information and no friendly advice. They just take your money and spit out a tag. Scandanavia could certainly use a few lessons in marina management from Yacht Haven Phuket!!!

Kronborg Castle

Helsingor is a quite delightful town and luckily we visited on the evening of our arrival to dine in the main street because the following days were rainy and miserable. The excellent and award winning maritime museum designed by Bjarke Ingels Group opened in October 2013. It is situated in a disused dry dock.  Cunningly constructed to evoke shipboard sensibilities with unusual floor angles and construction enabling the transfer of sound as one would expect to hear aboard ship.  It has wonderful light and space. The exhibits were of a high standard and good interactive displays in English available. Kronborg Castle beckoned but we declined to visit the interior as all up the costs are quite high.  We must leave something to come back for.

Clear weather again but not a big window. Off to Sweden!

DENMARK. 16th June

Laboe to Sonderberg was just 35 miles in perfect conditions. The sea was flat and sun shining. A very snug little anchorage just south west of the city provided a good stopover. With marina prices in the AU$40 range we would just as soon anchor if the opportunity presents. We've still to recommission our 13 year old Mercury 15hp outboard and the new dingy hasn't had a wetting yet. 

The following morning we hopped the short leg to Sonderborg. Just 100m from where we tied Taipan on the City Dock the Sonderborg Castle presides over the entry to the straits between ALS and mainland Denmark. The Castle itself is over 800 years old and houses a museum. We wiled away several hours exploring its confines and brushing up on our Danish history. The Schleswig Holstein area has been contested for centuries by the Germans and Danish. Passions run high and blood has been let over these lands. Unfortunately most of the displays are in Danish but we did manage to get the general gist of it. Over the bridge and 3 km away upon the hill is a Windmill and site of the Battlefield Museum. Sonderborg is a small city of only 27 thousand inhabitants. The surrounding lands are extensively planted to wheat and barley which at this time of year is running to head. It will be harvested towards August There are surprisingly few livestock but most farms have huge barns. Perhaps the stock are housed inside??

Weather determines most of our moves here so with inclement weather approaching we decided to head 12 nm north up the straits to a small anchorage in Dyvig near Nordborg in northern Als. The entrance to the fully enclosed tiny harbour was very narrow. perhaps only 15 meters. There was plenty of depth but it was daunting nevertheless. Safely inside with never less than a meter under us we dropped the pick and settled in to enjoy the wildlife and lovely view. 

Dyvig Badhotel

Skinny entrance to Dyvig

Tucked into one corner of the harbour is a Marina and Hotel. The Dyvig Badehotel is a relatively new development built in 07. Its a 4 star hotel and caters to mostly German tourists. Opposite the hotel is another marina, Dyvig Yacht harbour. 

Next day was very windy with the odd shower so after some deliberation we decided to stay put and get the dingy off. The new Walker Bay Genesis 310 RIB was purchased second hand in Makkum and we know very little about it. Having launched it and recommissioned the outboard it was time to try it out. Well we are pretty impressed. It rides well and tracks better than the Swift. The Mercury pushes it up onto plane very quickly so all in all we are happy with the decision to trade in the ageing Swift.

With the dingy off, the following morning, we were able to make the short run ashore where we had a very nice cake and coffee at the hotel but we managed to resist the Grange Hermitage with a four figure price-tag.  There are pleasant walking trails around the bays and into Holm, just a kilometre away so we strolled the trails and exercised our boat bound bones. 

Aeroskobing

Fine again at last and Aeroskobing on the Island of Aero was our aim for the day. We took the scenic route inside a couple of islands as it was such a nice day and arrived at lunchtime after a pleasant 40 nm sail. A couple of hours walking in this picturesque little town was enough to see it all and with plenty of daylight and good weather we chose to up anchor and head on over to Stavoren to shorten the trip the next day.

Stavoren is a very picturesque city with a nice blend of old and new architecture. Its always a pity to pass places by but with the weather window closing again we anchored for the night in a beautiful bay overlooking the Tromse Yacht club and made a reasonably early get away towards Copenhagen. We wanted to be in Copenhagen before the weekend with the hope of getting a berth in the old harbour. 

This plan was foiled by the early onset of unfavourable wind and counter current so we pulled into a marina, there being no suitable anchorages for protection from the forecasted strong westerlies due overnight. Karrebaeksminde was the first marina into which we had to go between poles, dropping on lines as we passed by, jump off the bow and secure line at the front. Well the learning curve was steep again! The poles are all spaced at different distances apart and one has to judge the width. The first one we tried was too narrow so we had to reverse and try another. Luckily a fellow saw us bumbling about and came to catch our bow saving me from the life threatening leap off the bow. Taipan is definitely not designed for these marinas. There are only 4 berths, we found out later, in the whole marina wide enough for us. Anyway we tied up and were very glad to be there when the following day the wind gusted fairly consistently over 30 knots turning the entrance into a wash pool and the sea into a nasty mess.

This marina, we later discovered, labels the head of the pen with the width and price. They also place a red or green plate at the head to indicate wether the berth is vacant or not. There is no harbour master to give you any hints on the VHF, no fingers, no nice person to meet you, catch your lines and provide information. Just a pay machine and an admonishment to pay, or pay extra if they have to come and collect. Make mine anchoring!

The weather settled again and we left in the early afternoon with 45nm to go and a fairly stiff tail wind. A jaunty sail into the strait ensued with us making good time. During the afternoon the wind moderated and we slowed down an enjoyed the scenery passing between islands. Sjaelland, Falster and Moen. We dropped anchor off Moen with just 60nm to go to Copenhagen. It was a beautiful night and nice to be on the hook.

The next morning in a sludgy sea mist we approached the White Cliffs of Mons. We hoped to get the morning light on them and amazingly, just as we arrived the sun forced its way through the mist and behold! Beautiful White Cliffs.

Next stop Copenhagen.