Winter work

As of today, days are longer in Sweden, as we have passer the winter solstice. Well, this will give us a day of six hours and five minutes. Not much, but quite appreciated.

Hibernating

Stockholm is starting its hibernation. The canals in town are not yet frozen, but still water did get frozen this weekend. With the sun close to its lowest azimuth as we approach the winter solstice, we get lots of reflections in the windows throughout the city, providing an interesting light over the city.

Terrace by the water, two sun dogs and a plastic tree

Just landed!

Belisama has finally landed at the end of her first season that has seen her coming from France. Strange feeling to put one's boat off water, would it be only for a few months. The impression of missing something, of missing the ability to decide at any time to get onboard, free her up and take refuge at sea!

7 & 8 November - Preparing for landing

Belisama lost her main sail today. Quite an adventure as this is her first time and it takes a bit of time understanding how things are fitted.

2 November - Through the Baggensstäket

The Baggenstäket is a narrow and shallow canal joining Stockholm to the southern part of the Archipelago. It used to be the main entrance to Stockholm until the end of the middle ages. It remained afterwards a rote for smuggling goods without having to pay a toll fee. This is where the plague entered Sweden in 1710 when the first case was disembarked there from a boat coming from Estonia.

Baggensstäket by Olaus Magnus, 1555, via Wikimedia Commons

2 November - Time to document for next year

This time, it is the last cruise for 2015, after 1574 miles for her first season at sea. Back to Pampas, I start to remove the sails to get her ready for her stay on land. 

1 November - Belisama in Artipelag

We spend the day in Artipelag. Belisama is moored on the dock, alone after Cybèle left. Artipelag is hosting a new exhibition called "The monochrome symphony." White is the theme of this hall, through which we can see Belisama.

Two sisters - Belisama meets Cybèle

First November, Belisama meets Cybèle in Artipelag for the first time. They both come from the same matrix, couple of years apart. Cybele is N°16 while Belisama is N°39. But they share a true "air de famille".

Feeling a bit lonely on the dock!

30/31 October - Yet another last sailing weekend for the season

Well,  we could not resist for another weekend at sea for this season. Temperatures are now getting one digit above zero and days are getting short, with the sun setting few minutes before 16:00. Yet, still very much sunny and enjoyable as long as you arrive in time and switch on the heater for the long evening.

Belisama at Nacka strand, on her way to Satlsjöbaden kanal

28 October - Belisama moves to Pampas Lake City

We took a day off today to move Belisama from the private dock where we left her on Sunday to one  of the available slot in the Pampas Lake City. Quite interesting to moor a sailing boat between two floating houses. Weather was fantastic, but the nights are really getting shorter these days in Stockholm.

16:30 in Pampas Lake City

23/25 October - Last sailing for 2015

This was the last sailing weekend of the year. Temperatures are now close to zero in the morning, and it is time to get Belisama serviced for the winter and parked in Pampas Marina. She had been already three weeks in Södertälje, quite covered by Duck droppings.

The ferry to Drottningholm heading back to Stockholm

For this last cruise, we decided to spend the night in Drottningholm, the castle of the Queen, a few miles away from downtown Stockholm.

2/4 October - La Malouine land-borne, Belisama on her way to Stockholm

First weekend of October, we have hired two crane-trucks to get boats back to the field. The season has been 146 days since sjösättning on 9 May. With 1800 miles on waters, I beat this year all my records, with an average of more than 12 miles everyday over the season.

La Malouine on the crane-truck

19/20 September - Bringing La Malouine to Rangsta

Back to Sweden after having brought Belisama to Nynäshamn, I brought back La Malouine from Löparö where she had been for the summer to the good care of Johan and Suzanne. Very strong wind on Friday afternoon, with one tree in Tomteboda being turned down. However, the night was quiet, and I started the journey on Saturday morning.

 Sixty-five nautical miles in solo cruise...

13 September - The race to the finish line

The last leg of the journey brought us from Ystad, at the southern tip of Sweden, to Nynäshamn, a 272 nautical miles race started on Saturday 12 September early morning, with the objective of reporting to work on Monday 14 September morning at 9!

Niklas, in charge!

11 - 12 September - A meteor festival

In French, meteor is used in a generic sense to refer to any phenomenon occurring "up there" (en-haut), not just the trail of shooting stars.

Double rainbow over Den Helder

This rainbow over the pass out of Den Helder tells you the kind of weather we experienced on this day. Interestingly on the left, there is a second rainbow. Note that the order of colours are always inverted in the second rainbow!

Furthermore, note that the sky within the primary bow is brighter than the sky outside! The darker band of sky around the primary bow is called the "Alexander band". See wikipedia for all explanations!

9 September - Kiel canal

Crossing from the North Sea to the Baltic through the Kiel canal took us 7 hours, running the engine at around 7 knots. This is the busiest canal on earth according to its website. Indeed, we will come across quite a lot of boats of all sorts.

Kiel canal, 9 September

Napoleonic marinas, from Cherbourg to Den Helder...

Arriving in Den Helder, we come across Napoleon for the second time. This cannot be just by chance. In fact, the harbour of Cherbourg as well as the one in Den Helder in the Netherlands were built at the initiative of Napoleon, obsessed by his rivalry with England.  

Statue of Napoleon in Cherbourg, overlooking the harbour

2 & 3 September - A passage "en trombe" along the Belgium coast

"En trombe" in French is an idiomatic way to mean as fast as a waterspout. Given the accumulated delays, we decided to go from Dunkerque to Den Helder in the Netherlands.

A view at the coast around Ostende

 Apartment buildings along the shore are competing with cathedrals nowadays to become the "sole moutains" that Jacques Brel sings in the flat land.

30 August - A tide in Granville

Stuck in Cherbourg for replacing the cooling unit of the fridge, we spend the time of a tide in Granville, with my family.

The grand pavois in the church of the enclosed city.

27 August - Passing Raz Blanchard

One hundred and fifty-six nautical miles to bring Belisama from Lanidult to Cherbourg. Back winds, Beaufort 4, great sensations, great pleasure. Clear night with almost full moon. 

Setting sun on the way to Guernesey

24/25 August - A gale in Audierne

Gale warning over Finistère, not a good time to pass through the Raz de Sein. We are therefore stuck in Audierne for 48 hours. Once a prominent fishing harbour for lobster, today, Audierne economy is mainly based on tourism.

26 August - A passage through Raz de Sein

Raz de Sein is a mythical place for French sailors. "He who sees Sein, sees his end!"

We approach the Raz from the south east, on port tack with heavy west winds. The gale warning is over and the wind straight has decreased to 10 m/s. However, the swell is still around four to five metres amplitude, giving Belisama an air of roller coaster. 

Semaphore of the pointe du Raz.

25 August 2015 - One hundred litres of water in the holds

On the way to Audierne, we experience our first long windy starboard tack. Belisama reacts very nicely, keeping us at a good 7 knots. Until an alarm blows off on the electrical panel, indicating a "leakage" in the battery pack. Switching off breakers one at a time indicates that the fridge is the faulty equipment. With the fridge off, we reach Audierne without further problems.

Then comes the investigations...

Special encounters on the way to Audierne, 22-23 August

On 22, on the way to Port Manech, Belmisama met with MACIF, the new tri-hull racing yacht of François Gabart that was launched on 19 August 2015. There was not enough wind to sustain Belisama spinnaker, but MACIF came by at an amazing speed given the absence of wind, turned around us, before heading back to Lorient.

MACIF, along île de Groix, 22 August 2015

Gymkhana in Sauzon - 19 & 20 August

23 hours to come from Les Sables d'Olonne to Sauzon on Belle-Ile. A good sailing by a moonless night. Arriving in Sauzon, all the buoys on the external labour were occupied. Therefore, we had to wait for a couple of hours before entering the back harbour where one can beach as the tide goes and comes back. But the places are rather scarce at this time of the season, and as the level of waters allows, all boats are racing in the ria of Sauzon to find a berth. You can see on the screen capture of my iPad map the gymkhana that I had to do with Belisama to find a spot. This was my first manoeuvre with Belisama in a harbour! Quite a challenge, but a success!

Screen capture of the Avionics map of Sauzon harbour

... but a bit premature!

Belisama was not where I announced her in my previous posting. She is on the Vendée Globe dock.

She is indeed (water)borne, but very premature. We have spent a full week already finalising the preparation, but discovered many small problems that needed quite intense work on board: adding a vent pipe for the furnace, replacing the gauges for the water tanks, finishing the rigging, setting-up the electronics...

S/Y Belisama at the Vendée Globe dock in Sables d'Olonne

Belisama is (water) born(e)

Belisama was put to water today and fitted with the mast according to Alubat.

I could not make it to the Sables d'Olonne to witness this moving event because of the delays in completing the boat.

You want to see pictures???

Greet Åke or Ädla when sailing in Sweden

In a previous post, I was presenting Siarö fortet, where I had taken the picture below. Out of curiosity, I tried to verify what the flags were indicating...

La Belisama ne répond plus...

We lost contact with Belisama! She does not answer our calls anymore! 

What is happening to Belisama??? 

Let's follow the posts!

Rangsta - Löparö, 11 - 13 July 2015

Solo sailing this weekend to bring La Malouine to her summer quarter, to the good care of Johan, while I will be fetching Belisama.

Saturday 12

Sunday 13

Siarö fortet - 59°33.222'N 18°37.474'E

Siarö Fort is located north-east of Stockholm, along the pathway to Finland. On the island there is a café, a youth hostel for around 30 people, a conference room and berths for pleasure boats. Day mooring is free. An overnight charge applies.

Choosing sails

To complement the wardrobe of Belisama, I have finalised the order of two additional sails, a code 0 of 86 sqm and an asymmetric spinnaker of 135. As for colours, I have resisted the temptation of using too many colours!

Surface : 86 m2 Gamme : Polyester tissé  Grammage : 2.2 - 150 g stormlite  Coupe : Coupe triradiale	Surface : 135 m2 Tissus : Nylon Grammage : 1.5 oz - 65 g Coupe : Coupe triradiale

Ankarudden - 58°48.020'N 17°50.129'E

Ankarhudden is a nice fishing harbour with a jetty where one can moor, making sure that the pilot and the ferry landing spots are kept free. Alternatively, good anchoring protected from all winds and swell is available south west of the jetty.

Hävringe - 58°36.170'N 17°18.712'E

Hävringe is a really tinny island entered around a beacon dating XVIII century. The harbour has room for three to four guest boats along the pier at the left of the entrance. No facilities except a pit latrine.

Three visitors slots on the pier

Rangsta, Fifång, Ringsö, Rangsta - 3-5 July 2015

Solar winds in Himmelfjärd on Saturday morning, allowing a good spinnaker run until 11:00 when eh wind turns down. Stop in Fifång, waiting for the afternoon "brise de mer".

Fifång - 58°50.435'N 17°42.994'E

Fifång is a natural harbour in a nature reserve located at the entrance of the fjord to Södertälje. It is a very good shelter located along the main fairway and has a pier that can be used by any visitors.

A mermaid marks the rocks on the way to the pier

Nynäshamn, Ankarhudden, Hävringe, Rangsta - 26-28 June

Leaving Nynäshamn on Friday after a day in office, a train ride to the marina and a good diner on board. Midnight light makes cruising lights optional!

Fejan - 59°44.639'N 19°10.016'E

Fejan is situated at the entrance of the Stockholm Archipelago, along the pathway for the cruise ships. It was used as the quarantine station during the 19th century, at the time of the cholera pandemics.

 

From Stockholm to Nynäshamn - 19 - 21 June 2015

With friends and family on board, mid-sommer saw us cruising from Stockholm to Artipelag, to Saltsjöbaden on Friday. From Satlsjöbaden to Utö on Saturday, and from Utö to Nynäshamn, through Nåttarö.

From Marine traffic, looking for La Malouine, MMSI: 265646980

From Rangsta to Stockholm - 13-14 June 2015

Saturday 13 June, mid-afternoon, departing from Rangsta to Södertälje, with nice back wind.

Encounters in Les Sables d'Olonne

The Sables d'Olonne will be the port of registration of Belisama. Visiting this weekend the Alubat workshop to monitor progress on the building of Belisama, I had a chance to wander around the harbour to meet a few known boats...

Along the quai de Franqueville, in the fishing harbour.

Belisama getting painted

On Friday 5 June, I visited the Alubat workshop to finalise the options that will be fitted on Belisama. The hull has now been assembled and the prime layer of paint on the deck and under the hull. We are still aiming at a water launching by last week of July.

Gotska Sandön - 58°24.254'N 19°13.400'E

Gotska Sandön is located between Fårö and Huvudskär. No shelter on this sandy island, therefore one should check carefully the weather forecast. I have experienced there the strongest storm in my life, unannounced...

Ringsön - 58°44.382'N 17°26.041'E

Ringsön is a very beautiful natural harbour on the way from Landsort, Öja, to Oxelösund. One can always find there a place protected from the winds.

Belisama off boilermaking - 26 May 2015

Belisama is off boiler making today. See below the pictures received from the workshop!

Weekend in Öja - 23 & 24 May 2015

This is the first sailing of the season on La Malouine, from Rangsta Brygga to Öja, for a nice 15 miles in this sunny Saturday afternoon, under spinnaker.

Nynäshamn -58°54.007'N 17°57.316'E

Nynäshamn is a little town with a huge marina very well connected with Stockholm through the Pendeltåg.

Svenska Högarna - 59°26.728'N 19°30.605'E

Svenska Högarna is one of the wildest set of islands at the east edge of the Stockholm Archipelago. A visit to the lighthouse is a must.

Huvudskär - 58°57.946'N 18°34.318'E

Huvudskär means the "the rocks of the head", being the first group of small islands that one founds when coming from the south. Lots of spot on the roks, and well protected from southern winds. Can be uncomfortable with north-west winds.

Nåttarö, Östermarsfladen - 58°53.451'N 18°8.388'E

Nåttarö is an island at the south of the Stockholm archipelago.