Rörö/Sweden - 08/04/2016

We left Denmark-Ulön very early that morning, since this beautiful skerry is not very protective because it is rather flat. The wind became stronger that night and Wolfgang felt that we might be too close to the rocks. Therefore we made it to Rörö, an outer skerry close to Gothenburg.
Rörö is of absolutely beautiful nature!

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Wildflowers

I tried to take pictures of all flowers/plants I could find on Denmark-Ulön/Sweden this summer...

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Danemark-Ulön/Sweden - 08/03/2016

Danemark-Ulön is one of the most beautiful skerries we know of :-)

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Way to Sweden - 08/03/2016

We left Skjerhalden that morning and were finally on our way back.....

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L. Ravholmen Stryso/Sweden - 07/22/2016

We leave Anholt in the morning. The harbor is to full anyway and the winds are fine to reach Sweden today :-))

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Glommen/Sweden - 08/18/2015

Not much was going on in Glommen.....Not even the fish shop, we read about in the pilot, existed anymore....some people told us, all fish is brought to a large fish factory somewhere else.....

At the beach near by the harbor, there is a huge rock called Glommen, which gave the name to the village and was already recognized as landmark in ancient times.

However, we had a nice hike to the lighthouse in the afternoon and even found the endangered sea holly...

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Fortress Varberg/Sweden - 08/18/2015

After a long day sailing the day before, we took it more easy and started the day by exploring the Fortress Varberg.

We were too early for the museum, but the whole complex of buildings was very interesting anyway.

The first fortress was built here in the 13th century by an danish earl and it is were well observable that over the succeeding centuries the site was rebuilt, changed, extended and rearranged even in the 20 century.

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Varberg/Sweden - 08/17/2015

At that point of the journey, we felt rather short of time and therefore made it a day full of sailing. we did 51,24 NM that day and arrived in Varberg in the evening when the sun was about to set.

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Rörö/Sweden - 08/16/2015

Rörö was definitely one of the most beautiful places we visited this summer!
Since we were there at off-season, it was not crowed (what I assume would be the case in main season...) and the nature of the natural reserve was just beautiful! I liked especially the fresh water pond with water lilies close to the beach.

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Ellös/Sweden - 08/15/2015

Wolfgang started antibiotics that day and we made a short trip of 10 NM to Ellös.
No much was going on in Ellös, but it is the town of the very famous Haller-Rassay shipyard and we had a neighbor at the pontoon with a rather unusually ensign.....take a close look at the pictures ;-)

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Lilla Körna/Sweden - 08/14/2015

Wolfgang was still not feel that day and I had some dubious knee hurting....
Well, sailing along the skerries and being at Lilla Körna, where we have been last year, is very beautiful anyway....

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Reso/Sweden - 08/13/2015

There was no wind today, so it took us back to Sweden by engine.  At that point it definitely felt like being on the ay back, although a whole bunch of vacation days were left.

What made the mood even worse, that Wolfgang had a really sore throat with high fever and had to spend the rest of the day inked. Therefore we went for a  harbor and Resø was a very good choice.
It is an active fishing harbor, has a little supermarket with (most important ice cream :-) ) and the atmosphere was busy but relaxed.

I did a lot of laundry that day and we simply hoped that with the help of some antibiotics Wolfgang would feel better the next day...

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Havstensundet/Sweden - 08/04/2015

We had a very calm trip with an amazingly clam Skagerrak. Last year when we made this passage it was rather rough and we were impressed by the waves splashing the rocks in the water.

The reason to go for Havstensund was to get water and diesel, both we though would be easy to get here. Fuel was no problem, but there was no water at the pontoons and we had to get it from a near by tap going back and forth several times... anyway it is a nice day here with a very quiet atmosphere in the evening.

After dinner we started for a short walk again. Boat neighbors told us that there is a very narrow way through the hill next to the harbor and we had to try that. Actually  it was very narrow and huge rocks were hanging over our heads. The children enjoyed the thrill of it a lot ;-)

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Danemark-Ulön/Sweden - 08/03/2015

On the second day of our summer vacation we already experienced the full beauty of the skerry landscape.

We had a very nice sailing trip passing the City of Lysekil and traveling through the Sotten-Chanel.
Up there in the North it was already off-season and we were quite happy that everything was less crowded and calmer.

Again we were very impressed and touched by the rock formations. Behind Lysekil the stones changed their color to relish and became very smooth and rounded.
Hugo insisted to stand at the bow the whole day, although the sun was burning down on him....At one point I a wet scarf around his head to cool his little brain a bit and he seemed to like that :-)

Early evening we anchored at a bay at the nature reserve Dannemark-Ulön and simply enjoyed being in nature for the rest of the day.

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Stocken/Sweden - 08/02/2015

At the beginning of August we finally started for our summer vacation.
A few weeks earlier Wolfgang and his cousin took care of bringing Madita to North Denmark to give us a chance to reach Norway and go back unhurriedly during the 3 and a half weeks time we are going to have....
We started from Frederikshavn/Denmark going North first. Our plan was to peek around the corner at Skagen to figure out how bad the Skagerrak with all it's waves would be....well the wind is coming from the west with 4-5 Beaufort.....when reaching the Skagerrak we spontaneously decided that the West Skerries of Sweden are perfect for the beginning, changed our course and ran for Stocken/Sweden. It was a good decision, as on every first longer trip everybody felt slightly seasick with no sealers to speak of yet. On open sea it was still pretty shaking, but once we reached the skerries all the sudden the waves calmed down and the last stretch towards Stocken was very pleasant :-)
We have been to Stocken twice before, a very calm little harbor with an excellent seafood shop ;-)

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Donsö/Sweden - 07/24/2014

From Stocken to Donsö, distance 42.8 NM, weather sunny 30°C, water temperature 22.7°C, wind 0-1 Beaufort.

No wind, no sailing.....we run under motor towards Donsö, which is like a suburban to Gothenburg. During the day the island Donsö is rather quiet, but in the evening many ferries are bringing the people back from work.
We like this place, because of the many locals around and not so much tourists. Hardly any car is driving here. The people rather using little electro cards or elector bicycles.
The highlight is, that Wolfgang hires a water scooter for one hour. Magdalena has a fabulous time with her father dashing across the bay. Friedrich says, only if his life would be threatened, he would get on such a vehicle......same is true for me ;-)

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Stocken/Sweden - 07/23/2014

From Lilla Körna to Stocken, distance 10.5 NM, weather sunny 30°C, water temperature 23°C, no wind.

Again a windless day.....We start after breakfast but soon we are in the middle of all these fast running motor vehicles again.....Although we think we should go a bit further this day, we quickly decide to take a side trip and go for Stocken.
We have been to this calm harbor last year. What we like about this place, that it is mostly used by locals, calm and with interesting view all around. And there is a wonderful fish shop,  not only selling very fresh local fish but also a brought variety of fresh vegetables. And handmade sea salt. (Since last year's batch is almost used up, it is a good opportunity to get new sea salt :-).
We have a joyful, happy and warm summer day.
The children meet some very friendly children and play with them until late that evening with much cheers and laughter. We spend the evening with the family and have nice talks about children, family, sailing, Sweden and Norway etc...
A blessed day!

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Lilla Körna/Sweden - 07/22/2014

From Fjällbacka to Lilla Körna, distance 25,3 NM, weather: sunny 28°C, water temperature 23°C, no wind.

We leave early and enjoy the peace of the morning.
We stop in Hamburgsund for breakfast shopping and filling the tank, since the forecast predicts absolutely no wind today and we are going to use the motor the whole drive.
But even although there is absolutely no wind, this becomes one of the most disturbed and wavy trips we ever have done...all over around us are motor vehicles of any size, most of them going full speed.....
Anyway we are enjoying the nature around us and looking forward for Karlsvik, an anchoring bay we plan to reach today.
But when we came closer to Karlsvik the the huge chimneys of the nearby refinery are greeting us....and the bay is filled with boats.....
No one of us feels like staying here. We drive a little farther to Lilla Körna. This old little fisher's village is only inhabited during the summers and the harbor tends to be very full as well, but the grand rock formations of the island and the very friendly and summerly relaxed atmosphere in the harbor excuses that.....
We enjoy our stay very much. The best is the evening walk (or better climb..;)) to the rocks at the other side of the island, which we find in the warm light of sundown.

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Fjällbacka/Sweden - 07/21/2014

From Kuvauen/Norway to Fjällbacka/Sweden, distance 35 NM, weather: sunny, 28°C, water temperature 22.5 °C, wind northeast 2-3 Beaufort.

Before we are on our way back to the west swedish coast we have a relaxed morning in the peace of the Kuvaun bay. After a refreshing bath, we get ready. Although we do like the swedish skerries very much, we have a little tear in our eye when we have to take down the Norwegian courtesy flag......
In accordance with this semi sad mood: This is not our day. First the iPad we use for GPS navigation breaks down, most likely because of the heat.....Next the stopper part of our port side winch breaks and the sheet jammed, so that Wolfgang has to use much force to release it....
We are kind of happy when our today's destination comes into sight: Fjällbacka. Our mood rises when we see the neat houses in front of the mountain Vetteberg, which is rising steeply into the sky. But soon the spirits are even lower.
Over one hour we are circling in the port searching for an unoccupied place for the night. Although a few berth are empty we are ensured, that the owners will return in the night....we try to go long side of other ships, but the first ones tell us, that they will leave really early the next morning (our question how early early is, remains unanswered...). The second tells us, that the whole package of three boats will become too heavy, but the unfriendly sound in their voices make us wonder, whether the reasons are quite different. Absolutely no other ship has fender outside, so that we feel no one is willed to take a boat to the side......
However, we try to anchor in front of the harbor, but the anchor does not dig into grounds several times, so that we have to give up this project.
All of us are exhausted by the sun burning down all day and this futile attempt to find a tiny place for us just for the night....Finally we go alongside a Norwegian boat, which has no fender outside and no one is on board....it is an uncomfortable feeling to do so, but good luck, later we find out, that the people on that boat are really friendly and cool.
The crew is very hungry and we go for eating but besides the neatly and picturesque houses and streets this place is overcrowd, loud and uncomfortable.
After eating (in a very descent restaurant at the very end of the harbor, where the streets become calmer) the only thing we wish for is to sleep.
The next morning we start early at 6:30 happy to leave this place behind....btw the boats owners, who claimed they can not take us long side, because they have to leave really early, are still fast asleep, when we leave. There was a little temptation to wake them just to make sure, they didn't miss the alarm clock....but no.....shall they stay in the arms of Morpheus as they wish ;-)

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Längeskär/Sweden - 07/16/2014

From Lysekil/Sweden to Längskär/Stora Gluppan Sweden, distance 41,1 NM, weather: sunny, temperatur 24°C, water temperatur 20°C, wind southwest 3-4 Beaufort

We start early this morning, so that the children will sleep for a good part of the journey.
It is a wonderful warm day and we are happy to be here. On our way we try to avoid the open Skagerak whenever possible for the same reason why 1931 -1935 the Sotenkanalen was build. Like 60.000 other leisure boats a year we enjoy the calm trip between Hunnebrostrad and Smögen, passing solid rocks on both sides or open meadows with grazing cows. 
When we let Hamburgsund behind us, we had to sail on the open Skagerak every now and then. Although we are always happy for the chance to hide behind a skerry, we are very impressed by the 3-4 meter high waves. How would the sea look like here, if there would have been real wind be blowing?!
We reach the skerry Längeskär after 9.5 hours. The quietness of this uninhabited island is wonderful after a day on sea. The children enjoyed climbing the rocks after a whole day aboard.
This Skerry is not all rocks, but with rather a lot of vegetation. Small bays with sandy beaches allow Hugo to go for swimming (and of course his favorite: diving ;-)).

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