Sweden at last

Finally we have left Fehmarn.
Pete had to dash home for a few days as there was a scare with his Mum who is still in hospital after her stroke. An ICE train and two planes got him back to Cornwall in a day and the same to get back four days later.
We began to feel that we were fated to stay in the BurgTief marina for the summer, but on May 24 we sailed the 30 miles across the Fehmarn Sound to Gedser which is on the very south eastern tip of Denmark.
Our cruising partners from 2012 (Chris and Jan aboard Wandering Star) arrived at Fehmarn just before we were due to set up, so we decided to cruise in company at least as far as Kalmar.

Wandering Star (complete with TV satellite dish on the pontoon)


There is absolutely nothing at Gedser apart from the marina a small ferry port and some holiday cottages.
After an overnight stop we sailed north to Klintholm on the Danish island of Mon
Not a pleasant trip as the wind was from the direction we wanted to go NNE and it rained the whole way. Klintholm is another minute place, marina and holiday cottages next to a fishing port. There is a Spar shop two restaurants and not much else.

At Klintholm waiting on weather

 



The weather was running to form as we had to stay in Klintholm for two nights while a low thundered through.
On may 27th we made a longish hop (for us!) of 55+NM to Ystad on the southern coast of Sweden. Ystad is famous outside the country as the base for the Wallander detective TV
series. Having watched some of them, we thought it must be like Midsomer with a murder a day, but it is actually a very nice town.
We stayed in Ystad two days, again waiting on weather, and then decided to move on to Simrishamn.
Not the wisest decision. The wind blew F6, easterly right on the nose and we had a weary time until we could turn the corner and head North. The seas were very big, much bigger than the equivalent wind in the channel. People have told us that the Baltic kicks up a nasty sea because it is relatively shallow and not salt water.
The entry to Simrishamn was also fun, the harbour faces East and we literally surfed in. It was nice to tie up together with other boats who had taken a bashing.
We have a long leg to make next to the North East, so we will wait in Simrishamn until the weather is right.

Ready for OFF

We originally planned to sail from Fehmarn on May 10th, but Pete's mother being ill delayed our departure from the UK.
Then weather and jobs to be done on Jomora has meant that we are not now leaving until 17th May.

Out of the shed

 



Alongside the jetty enjoying the festival



It wasn't all work however, while we were alongside the harbour jetty rigging the mast, Fehmarn had a festival. Bands playing, folk parading, and all kinds of stalls with soup, pork, fish and sweet things to eat.

Now that's a sweetie stall!

On Monday May 13th we moved the boat from Burgstaaken (which is the main working port and rather dirty) to the marina at Burgtief, all of 3km. A very nice marina in the main holiday part of the island. Here we can hoist the sails, finish the last jobs and clean up the boat before we sail to our first port, Gedser, which is on the very south east tip of Denmark.