From Tunø to Endelave, distance 14 NM, weather partly cloudy, 25°C, water temperature 21°C, wind first 0-1, later 2-3 Beaufort from northwest.
After a short trip we reach Endelave today. We have been her in 2011 and again we are fond of this island north of Funen in the southwest Kattegat. It is a great pleasure to visit this lively community surrounded by beautiful nature.
From Langør to Tunø/Denmark, distance 12 NM, weather sunny, 30°C, water temperature 24°C, wind 2-3 Beaufort
After we recovered from last night's alarm, we make a short trip over to the island Tunø. Here we spend a happy day, taking a nice walk to the village and climb the only lighthouse located in the tower of a church. The evening passes for the children with playing in the harbor with a whole bunch of kids.
From Grenaa to Langør/Samsø, distance 27,7 NM, weather partly cloudy, 25°C, wind northeast 2-3 Beaufort.
It is not like the end of our wonderful summer vacation is coming but a second journey starts today. We clean up Madita from outside and inside and fill up fuel and water before setting our course for Samsø. The children take responsibility today setting the sails and it becomes a beautiful sailing day.
The plan for today is to anchoring in a bay close to the harbor Langør on the danish island Samsø. When reaching the bay it is already rather full, but in the harbor there is a forest of masts. We give it a try and let the anchor down at 5 meter. The first attempt fails. When going for a different spot another ships passing us with high speed and let the anchor down right in front of us. Now it is really tight, but anyway the anchor grabs and the weather is calm. We stay and shortly after we are at the small beach of this beautiful and peaceful bay.
Before going to sleep Wolfgang sets the anchoring alarm; soon after we are fast asleep.
At 1:30 am just a second before the anchoring alarm starts beeping someone is shouting very loudly from outside "Wake up, you are drifting!!!". We jump on deck and I am shocked, that we are already bumping against another ship. The anchor chains are twisted around each other. It is pitch dark and only in the light of our flashlight Wolfgang tries to free the anchor chains, which miraculously works out. Under machine we try to leave the anchoring field, but is hard to orientate and see where the field ends. We have no sight, don't know whether there are blind rocks nearby and hardly can figure out, which way to take to the harbor. Luckly we reach it anyway and go alongside the very first boat.
At the sky there are millions of stars.
We are awake early next morning and the mood is down. We are not sure what our mistake was: Is the anchor to light for Madita? Should we have used a longer part of the chain? Was the ground too bad? Was the field to narrow? We feel frustrated and dispirited.
A little later Wolfgang takes the dinghy to drive out to the other boat we hit at night, to make sure, that there is no damage done. When he is back, he feels much better. The people on that ship reported, that they were already on deck for a while that night, because two other ships before us drifted when the wind turned and had problems. They saw us coming slowly towards them and were prepared having enough fender out. No damage was done, and much more important no one was hurt. Our hearts are a little lighter, but still I am distressed...
From Anholt to Grenaa, distance 27NM, weather sunny 30°C, water temperature 23°C, wind south 2-3 Beaufort.
It is an extremely hot day again and we think about making a second harbor day on Anholt, in a way to give the children again the chance to play with other kids. But later this afternoon we all think, we have enough of days not moving further on.
On top of it, we feel it is a good idea to drive at nights when it is much cooler. We are able to sail a good part of our way to Grenaa. Just one hour before reaching the harbor the wind is gone and we have to start the engine.
It is easy to find the harbor entrance at night and soon we can make out a free box with the kind guidance of a flashlight shining through the quiet night of a harbor almost at sleep.
The car is still where we left it some weeks ago....:-)
Harborday at Anholt, weather partly cloudy with little rain, 30°C, no wind.
A typical vacation beach day, nothing special is happening ;-)
From Donsö/Sweden to Anholt/Denmark, distance 55 NM, weather sunny, 33°C, water temperature 23°C, wind northwest 2-3 Beaufort.
Magdalena helps me today making a trip to the nearby ICA supermarket; afterwards we have to take a shower again....
On early afternoon we are on our way, leaving Sweden behind (for now....;-)) and returning to Denmark, visiting the wonderful island Anholt. Since we have some experience with this harbor, we plan to arrive at night, anchoring in the outer harbor and sneak into one of the first free boxes very early in the morning.
At the beginning we can sail with Genua and mainsail, later we have to start the engine.
During this afternoon and evening we experience a broad variety of weather phenomena.
When we are just about 13 NM east of the island Laesø, the danish rescue station Lingby Radio reports that there might be a sailing ship making water and may be in need of help. We can see no such ship in trouble around and like some others report that back. This incidence makes me think: How you can easily be lost without any help in a fully crowded place, but out at sea everyone around considers himself addressed when the call for help goes out, keeping sharp lookout and would not mind to drive extra miles just to help some strangers....
the sun is going down and the only lights around come from the huge cruising and cargo ships. It is already dark when I look at those giants again and have the vague feeling that there is something in the dark. I take the binoculars and right, there is another sailing ship, running with engine but without any position or other lights just about 50 meters away from us. When Wolfgang uses the flashlight to illuminate the vehicle they are instantly flashing back....at least they knew that we are there for some time....
When reaching the harbor entrance another ship seems just leaving Anholt. But the position lights are going back and forth and we are completely unable too figure out which direction they might take. Feeling a little stressed we try to take a safe course to avoid them, when the other ship just switches on it's anchoring light......
In front of the island about 20 ships are anchoring, at least this is the number of set anchoring lights, it is impossible in this darkness to figure out how much more there are without light...
The mole of the outer harbor bassin is completely full with ships of all sizes. We go along side of another boat at the inner harbor, not sure how many boat are between us and the pontoon. Wolfgang brings Hugo for a walk by dinghy and after being back we both all fast asleep until 6 am, when the first ships starts to leave....mission completed :-)
