... try and find us

Utklippan from the top of the lighthouse Our next stop was another dot of rock, this time off the Swedish coast.  Utklippan is actually three skerries. Skerries are small, rocky islands that are found in clusters just off the coast.  They are named from the old Norse word sker meaning 'rock in the sea'.  And yep, we think that is a very apt description! The harbour was blasted out of the rock in the 1930s to provide a safe refuge for fishing boats during storms.  The harbour had just undergone some major work.  We felt completely protected and Chinook loved being tied to the solid concrete walls. The harbour entrances are tight but, once inside, it is snug, calm and well-protected. Utklippan is actually a few islands with no pedestrian-friendly connections between them. The more observant reader may have noticed that the harbour consists of two islands ... neither of which hosts the lighthouse.  This was not very conducive to a li...

The harbour, taken from the island of Fredricksø looking across to Christiansø Christiansø is the largest island of the Ertholmene Archipelago, a cluster of tiny Danish islands in The Baltic, quite a long way from home! The islands have been used for defence since the mid-1600s, when King Christian V first built fortifications, until the fortress was decommissioned in the 1850s. There are about 100 people who live on the islands today.  Artists and those who support the 40,000, mostly day trippers, they receive each year.  A tiny dot in a strategic location in The Baltic When planning our passages, we always look for interesting places to visit.  And, when we have friends aboard, things that will interest them.  Gord and Jenny are birders.  Yes, those folks who wander out and about with binoculars.  And right now, as we discovered in Helgoland, is prime birding with the spring migration and nesting season in full swing. The Ertholmene Archipelago, and...

Our 155nm journey from Holtenau (Germany) to Ystad (Sweden) Delaying our departure until the rain had eased, we set off with the plan to stop in Gedesby, Denmark (the blue cross) but the wind was fabulous and we were clipping along at 7kn (14km/hr) with a reef in the mainsail and a full solent so we just keep on through to Ystad. Lilacs in bloom in Ystad We seem to be following spring as we head north.  The blossoms, the bulbs and spring flowers were all in their full glory.  And despite the bitter wind, the blue sky gave us hope that summer was actually coming. Glorious cherry blossoms  An additional day is Ystad gave us plenty of time to get lots of jobs done such as giving the engine a full service, the decks a good clean and a general tidy-up to make everything shipshape.  We were excited, as our friends Gord and Jenny were coming to sail with us for a few weeks. Chain washdown pump with a cracked strainer lid - no wonder it was having pro...