Summer 2011. Sailing back home 3. Frederikshavn, town of sculptures

We left Grenå sailing towards the north and decided to stop at Frederikshavn while waiting for fair winds to cross the Skagerrak.

Frederikshavn was a nice place with a lot of interesting sculptures in the town and a nice marina with free hot showers and internet.

Escapade moored next to another Voyager 35, in Frederikshavn Marina.

 

Moon rising over Frederikshavn Marina

 Sculptures around Frederikshavn Marina

On a sunday afternoon, Frederikshavn streets were quiet and we had a nice walk and photographed more sculptures in the town.

 

 Sculptures with running water

Summer 2011. Sailing back home 2. Middelfart - Grenå

With forecasts of southeasterly winds, we left Middelfart in late afternoon and arrived in Grenå after 77 miles of pleasent sailing.

Strib Lighthouse

Looking south to the new Lille Sund bridge past Strib Lighthouse

Grenå was very different to our last visit a month ago. Then it was full to overflowing every night. Now, in mid August there were lots of empty berths in the evening.

Back to Grenå Yacht Harbour

Our return trip to Ærø island, via Great Belt and Little Belt, forms a nice loop around Fyn.

Summer 2011 11. Kerteminde to Aeroskobing

July 26^th, we left Kerteminde early morning in a flat calm sea,  passed under Great Belt bridge and anchored in Thuro Bund in the evening after 34 miles of motoring.

July 27^th, recovered the anchor in the morning and started sailing towards south, passed through Svendborg Sund joining the line of yatchs in Hojestene lob, a narrow dredged channel through shallow sand and was passed by 2 large ferries. 

Svendborg harbour and an old wind mill in town

Svendborg Sund Bridge

Aeroskobing Ferry

We anchored south of Drejo harbour for the night. Enjoyed seeing some nice boats.

  

Arriving to Aeroskobing:

July 28^th , Recovered anchor at 8 am. and started  moving towards Aeroskobing marina which was only 4.5 miles away, so arrived in berth at 9:40. We decided to be there early as the berths fill up very quickly in Danish harbours. 

Swallow in Aeroskobing , on our mooring rope.

Summer 2011 9. From Skagen to Grenå

From Skagen to Grenå : different sailing with 84 miles of shallow sea in Kattegat.

We left our berth in Skagen with the help of the owner of a Danish boat that was next to us and motored to the fuel berth for diesel and water. Getting out of the harbour proved difficult as first one, then another, large fishing boat appeared in the entrance. Eventually it was clear so we headed out, only to have the engine die right in the harbour mouth. 

We had a fair westerly wind, so unrolled the staysail, then the jib to get clear. Up with the main and on our way. Investigation while under way seemed to indicate a blocked filter as the pump leak appeared to be fixed. Changing fuel filters while sailing in a fresh wind is not much fun so we carried on. 

Laeso Rende lighthouse , marking a large shallow area with depths of 2.5 metres between Laeso and the mainland.

I feel more comfortable with night watches and even enjoy some views with interesting boats passing by , despite very busy shipping routes in narrow stretches . 

Here are some pictures taken at dawn :

 

We tacked in between two shallow banks to within a quarter of a mile of Grenå yacht harbour, easily identified by the forest of masts and the regular appearance of boats leaving in the early morning. The wind was blowing straight out of the narrow entrance making sailing in very difficult so the main anchor was unlashed, just in case, and the engine started. We got to about 50 metres from the starboard pier end when the engine stopped, so down went the anchor in 3 metres of water. A few of the boats leaving waved, some looked puzzled, and others just ignored us.

Grenå with forest of masts !

We used this break to rig fenders and lines for mooring, then recovered the anchor and made a second attempt with the engine.  This took us about 150 metres and around the end of the breakwater pier, then silence. Anchor down in even less water and dropped back on the chain until the stern was just clear of the breakwater rocks – not a nice place to be. Inci started the engine again, and Sean switched over the fuel feed to the small header tank used to bleed the system, then recovered the anchor. We made it between a pair of piles directly ahead and achieved our first Baltic box mooring without too much difficulty. This time we stopped the engine!