Belisama in the operation room... 16 November

On 4th June 2021, as Belisama was lifted in Sables d'Olonne for the yearly check-up, I had asked Thierry Leprince from Alubat to have a look at the rudder as we had struck a rock two years before, without any noticeable steering consequences (see the post). But in fact the hull had been slightly pushed-up and this required to change the rudder posts on both sides, kind of a hip surgery...

Belisama had been in Alubat shipyard since early June. By mid-July, the insurance experts had reviewed the problem and agreed to cover the damage. Too late though for having it done before the annual summer Alubat break in August. As Belisama is now wintering in Sables d'Olonne, the time pressure for completing the repair became lower and the work just started recently.

The first step of the surgery was to open the body and remove both hips (rudder pods)...

Yellow foot chanterelles in November! 14 November

Sunday 14 November, sunny cold morning, 4°C, ideal weather to get to the forest and check what mushrooms could still be found there... As for the place, we chose the island of Selaön, in the lake Mälaren, around 100 km from Stockholm. For picking the spot, we relied on a Swedish friend telling us to go on the southern shore of the Lake Mälaren for picking mushrooms. The reason is that Lake Mälaren is what remains from the glacier lake located on the south of the ice cape on the North pole during prehistoric times, 12,000 years ago. The good soil that had accumulated over the years rose over the sea/lake level in relation with the rising of Sweden after the melting of the ice cap. On that basis, we checked on Google Earth which area could be good. Criteria were: 1) presence for a forested area, 2) on a flat ground, 3) far from villages and habitations. These proved to be very good criteria as you can see in the picture below, gathered in 2 hours.

4 kg of yellowfoot chanterelles!

What to do on All Saints Day in Sweden, on 6 November 2021?

All Saints Day in Sweden is always the first Saturday of November, therefore not related to the 1st of November, the religious date. By then, the days are very short, the temperature around 5°, the mushroom season finished, and the snow not arrived yet! However, on All Saints Day in Sweden, you can be sure that every church and chapel will be opened for the day. And only in the Stockholm area, you can find dozen of churches dating from the Middle-Ages, and decorated with fantastic frescoes. Therefore, we rushed to visit three of them...

Jonas and the whale, Danmark church

We visited Almunge, Tensta, Danmark and Odensala church...

Glada Hudik, Hälsingland, 30 October-1 December

Why to visit Glada Hudiksvall (happy Hudik) during the all Saints weekend? Apparently, there is not much to do around there. But upon advice from a friend, we decided to go and explore the area, and in particular visit the Decorated Farmhouses of Hälsingland, a Unesco World Heritage Site. But we did not realise hat they would be closed in Winter...

Habour warehouses along Magasingatan, the iconic view of Hudiksvall

A weekend through the solar system, 30 October-1 November

What to do in a dull cloudy cold first weekend of November? We decided to go to Hudiksval, the main city in Hälsingland province, 300 km from home a place that we visited twice with Belisama, but never ventured in the countryside. While searching for spots to visit, we realised that several planets of the Sweden Solar System (SSS) are located along the way. 

Pluto and Charon, Delsbo, 12 cm diameter, 300 km from Globen

The Sweden Solar System is the largest representation of the solar system planets in the world, centered around Globen in Stockholm, representing the Sun and its corona...

Back to autumn in Sweden, October 2021

Since the last post, a lot of miles have been travelled, from Iceland through Croatia, back to Sweden at the beginning of October. And as you should know by now, Sweden in October is the place to collect mushrooms! So we did, and it has proved to be an exceptional year, just like in France it seems!

The yellow foot chanterelle, alias Craterellus tubaeformis

Surprises on the way to Reykjavik, 11-12 August

On 11th August, we decided to sail to Reykjavik from Vestmann Islands, despite a no supporting winds forecast. The first surprise during a night shift was to spot on the horizon a red light not indicated on the nautical charts. Getting closer, it became apparent that this was a fire of some sort. 

Night sailing along the Fagradalsfjall volcano

Only then I realised that in Iceland, such fires are erupting volcanoes...

Vestmannaeyjar, fascinating island, 9-11 August

Vestmannaeyjar is a set of volcanic Islands. It is the first safe harbour when sailing from Ireland or Scotland.

Yet, the Island has an extended record of disasters...

Crossing over to Vestmann Island, Iceland, 5-9 August

We finally were able to sail the 574 nautical miles from Bara, in the South of the Hebrides archipelago, to Heimaey, the harbour on Vestmannaeyjabær (the Vestmann Islands). All together, it took us four full days, meaning that our average speed was 6 knots. Not too bad!

The window of opportunity was quite narrow as gale level winds were expected along the Hebrides around 8 August, which would have delayed our crossing for another week. But, after carefully looking at the weather forecast we decided to leave within few hours of our assessment as there was an opening with fair winds along the course. 

So, we made it...

Inishkea-Buttenport-Castlebay, 1st & 2nd August

 As we had 91 nautical miles (168 km) to go from Inishkea for Buttenport, we decided to sail at night in order to arrive in Buttenport in the afternoon. On such winds, it could take us up to 20 hours for the distance, and it did. Night sailing on Cybèle 17 was very comfortable as we could keep the tent all way long given its many windows allowing a good watch in all directions, including the sail over the tent roof. It was most pleasant when it started to rain!

Night shift on Cybèle 17

Ghost Inishkea Islands, 30 & 31 July

Inishkea Islands are among the most interesting places visited so far on the West coast of Ireland. They are uninhabited nowadays but have a fascinating history and a lot of vestiges from the past.

François exploring Inishkea South Island abandoned village

Let's have a tour...

Across Clew Bay from Westport to Achillbeg Island, 30 July

A ride across Clew Bay is a ride under the distant attention of sheep grazing on the drumlins. 

We continue our journey towards the Northwestern tip of Ireland before crossing to Iceland.

Inishbofin-Clare Island-Westport, 28-30 July

 On 28 July, we departed from Inishbofin to Clare Island, a short 15 nautical miles ride. The Island is guarding the entrance of the Clew bay.

Cybèle 17 on the visitor buoys in the Clare Island harbour bay

Clare Island is a small paradise for its 150 inhabitants and thousands of visitors...

Encounter with dolphins on the way to Inishbofin, 26-27 July

 From Roundstone we head North to the island of Inishbofin. As we departed from Roundstone, a herd of dolphins swam up all around us. Unforgettable experience! 

See the video below...

Galway to Roundstone, Ireland - 22/25 July 2021

Deprived from sailing on Belisama for the 2021 season because of needed maintenance, I joined Fañch & Valérie on Cybèle 17, en route from Ireland to Iceland, through the Faroe Islands. A 2200 nautical miles ride!

I flew from Croatia to Dublin, then commuted to Galway where Cybèle 17 picked me up. 

Cybèle 17 approaching Galway harbour

Brise de mer, "a winning machine", back in 1971...

 Following the 50th anniversary of "Voiles et Voiliers" and the article on the Brise de mer "La MaLouine", I got the original articles from June 1971 about the Brise de mer, thanks to my sister.

Unexpected need for surgery, 4 June 2021

Belisama was put off water today for unplanned surgery on her left hip. This may take a couple of weeks, and for now, we are all land-borne! Two years ago, Belisama struck a rocky shoal without apparent damage as she was behaving as always, without an apparent hitch on the rudder. Since then, we cruised for more than 2500 nautical miles without problems.

Belisama back to Alubat shipyard, 5 June 2021

But once the Alubat expert looked at it, it became apparent that the hit resulted in more that just a litlle bending on the rudder post...

How to kill a battery bank, 25 May 2021

 I noted at the end of the last season that my service batteries were not really holding their charge. At night particularly, since the solar panels were not producing any electricity. From Cherbourg, we mainly sailed at night, and every time, after a few hours at night, I was getting an alarm indicating that the voltage of the batteries was getting too low. 

If I ignored the alarm, after another half-an-hour, the whole system would collapse, to the extent that I had even difficulties to start the engine! Not to mention that when starting the engine, I had another alarm for a too high voltage. So what was going on?

The hidden missing black cable, 25 May 2021

I started recently having a new electrical problem when starting the engine. An alarm would be triggered for the engine alternator producing more than 15 volts of power. A red scary beeping alarm triggered the minute you start the engines. And by the way, I had to start the engine in the middle of the night while sailing through the Raz-de-Sein because of a general battery failure...

The Mastervolt alarm message is a bit cryptic. The only understandable part is "hypertension". A as common problem for boats as for humans?

No trust in our bow thruster, 25 May 2021

At the start of the 2021 season in Cherbourg, as we were ready to depart in one of our narrow weather windows for a night ride to Aber-Wrac'h, I had the nasty surprise as we were leaving the cat-way under serious wind that the bow-thruster did not respond to my attempts to use it. 

Trying it before freeing the mooring lines will be on our departure checklist now on! But what happened to it?

Happy birthday La MaLouine!

 La MaLouine, a Brise de Mer 31 from 1974, is being celebrated in the 50th anniversary issue of the magazine "Voiles et voiliers".

Double page picture in the magazine (Picture by Jean-Marie Liot)

I am feeling very proud of this celebration, as I resurrected La MaLouine in 2008 when I found her in a field near Norrköping in Sweden! Let me tell you a bit her story...

Back to "Les Sables", right in time! 15-16 May

Once in Port-Haliguen, a new gale warning, with gusts up to 20m/s (Beaufort 8), prevented us from departing the following morning for Sables d'Olonne. 

Forecasted wind gust for 15 May, 6:00. Scary!

We waited until late afternoon for decreasing winds and made it by 18:00 for a new night cruise with 10 to 14m/s winds...

Crossing the Iroise Sea in one shot, 13-14 May 2021

13 of May was "the window"! After consulting with my "master" Fañch (Cybèle 17), we decided to choose for a departure at 16:00 from Aber-Wrac'h, in order to arrive at the entrance of the "Four channel" by 20:00, at the reverse of tides, and take the rolling carpet at night through the "Four Channel" and the  "Raz-de-Sein", a 30 nautical miles through the "Iroise Sea", one of the most challenging sea in the world. 

Early morning in the Audierne bay. See the porpoise accompanying us?

No way Wednesday 12 May, next is Thursday 13 May

Yesterday, the forecast was indicating a good window for passing through the Four and Raz-de-Sein on Wednesday morning. But today, the Arome model, which is probably the best close range forecast model is indicating up to 20 m/s (40 knots/Beaufort 9) South of the Raz-de-Sein around tomorrow noon, which is clearly prohibitive of any attempt to go through. 

Windy wind gust forecast for Wednesday 12, 14:00. No way to get through even with back winds...

So we had another day waiting in Aber-Wrac'h...

9 & 10 May 2021, who is sailing in these Covid times?

So, who are the people sailing along the Channel in these Covid times with such bad weather in the past 10 days? They are interesting people. Let me tell you...

Trifon, a "Lévrier de Mer" from "Le Guen et Hemidy", from 1990 (picture by Jean Cadin)

Our first neighbours is Trifon, a "Lévrier de mer" from the boat constructor "Le Guen et Hémidy", the same that constructed La Malouine, my previous Brise de Mer. They are six crews on board. They came from La Rochelle, and heading North to Iceland with a funny small carbon rowing boat on board, and a project...

Start of the 2021 season, Cherbourg to Aber-Wrac'h, 6 & 7 May 2021

After ending the 2020 season in Cherbourg late august last year, I came twice to visit Belisama there to ensure everything was Ok. Finally, late April, I came again from Sweden to welcome the crew that would accompany me from Cherbourg to Sables-d'Olonne where Belisama is expected on 17 May to get her skeg fixed... Here is the crew on the way from Cherbourg to Aber-Wrac'h, the first step on this difficult route. 

Discovering the Bora along the Croatian coast... 13-15 February 2021

In Croatia for two months by now, with renovation of the new house almost completed. Weather was cold in past weeks and we took advantage of a nice sunny forecast over Croatia to explore the coast between Rijeka and Zadar during last weekend. It was sunny, windy and cold when we left Pula. The picture below is the view towards south-east as we start the journey along the coast. 

Typical Bura configuration along the coast

The weather was fantastic when leaving Pula (by car, not by boat). Just a few questions regarding the heavy cloud load over the mountains on the horizon and the whitish haze over the sea in the distance. Any serious resident in Croatia would have warned us about Bora in this configuration. In fact, the cap on top of the mountains is the sign announcing the Bora, but not much time in advance. In the absence of warning, we discovered what it means by ourselves!