Knipplan-Vinga-Göteborg, 24-25 July

The plan for today was to go to Vinga, another of the coups de coeur of François and Valérie on Cybèle 17. However, "significant" North-East winds, the anchoring place is not so safe. Therefore, we decided to stop a bit before in the Knipplan marina on Källö, very well protected from all winds.

Källö

Belisama on Knipplan

Källö is a very small island, which we discovered on bike. From the top of the island, there is a very nice view in all direction, but very exposed to winds. The restaurant in the harbour is fantastiskt! In addition, there is a small footsore, a pizzeria and a Thaï food to go place.

But what made the magic of the place was the night...

Kyrkesund to Marstrand, 23 July 2020

The plan for the day was to stop at the Pater Noster lighthouse on the island of Hamneskär as there is a small pier that we could see on the areal picture of the island. However, as we went by, we realised that the swell would make it uncomfortable, if not dangerous to moor there. So we just passed by... 

A name as "Pater Noster" cannot have been made-up! It came from the prayers that seamen were making when passing these most dangerous waters...

Forgotten fata morgana, Djurö, 1st July

Witnessing a fata morgana is always a special event. I realised that I forgot to process the pictures I took of a fata morgana on first of July on our way from Sjötorp to Djurö...

The typical aspect of a fata morgana in our cold countries, is a reflection of the horizon on a cold layer of air which superimpose to the horizon line its inverted picture. On the picture above, you can see a line between the sea and the horizon, and the islands and vegetation on the horizon being replicated in an inverted way above the sea.

A day in Kyrkesund, 22 July

On 22 July, we decided to get a day of rest and visit the Pilane sculpture park situated a few kilometres from the guest pier. A quiet refreshing day indeed...

The guest pier at Kyrkesund

Fjällbacka-Väderöarna-Gluppö-Kyrkesund, 20/21 July 2020

From Fjällbacka, we went to Väderöarna, a place highly recommended by François and Valérie from Cybèle 17. On Väderöarna, there are two possibilities. Either to moor alongside in the sound on the North-East of the island, or in the harbour on the South-West. An attempt to enter the sound from the North-East failed as there were so many boats that we could not even get in between them. As for the harbour on the South-West, it looked as a forest of masts where no one could add-up. Therefore we anchored just outside the harbour, but had to leave a few hours later when the swell started to form and the wind reached 12 m/s. We went then to Gluppö, a few miles east, where we could anchor, well protected from winds from the North-West sector.

Reaching Gluppö by 22:00 after failing to stay anchored in Väderöarna.

Koster-Fjällbacka, 18 July 2020

Where preparedness would have made a difference... From Koster to Fjällbacka, we had a 23 nautical miles to go, with head winds. We therefore decided to head to the open sea towards the West to avoid having to tack in the narrow rocky passages along the coast. But we forgot to consider the current in this area of the Skagerrak.



As we were tacking our way, we soon realised that the 3.5 knots SOG (speed over ground) was very low compared to the 10 m/s wind we were experiencing. We realised too late that we should have had a look at the 1.5 knot current that we had right in the head. At there end of the day we had cruised 37 nm!

Hållö - Koster, 16 July

We are now in Skagerrak, meaning "the strait", the sea area between the South East coast of Norway, the Skagen Peninsula in Denmark and the west coast of Bohuslän in Sweden. Skagerrak is one of the busiest strait in the world for sea traffic nowadays. Its control has been of much strategic importance during the two World wars in Europe. 

Belisama riding north to Koster under spinnaker

Lysekil to Hållö, 15 July 2020

After picking a friend couple in Lysekil, our first stop is for Hållö, a nature reserve close by and highly recommended by our friends.  

Mid-July is the peak season and the natural harbour is packed with motor boats. All along the coast, in the marinas and natural harbours, we will be told that there are only very few boats compared to past years because of the closure of the border with Norway. More than half of the boats in any spot along the coast is Norwegian otherwise! 

First miles along the Swedish West Coast-12-14 July

Coming from the Baltic sea, sailing North along the West Coast of Sweden looks like sailing in a different country. The large deep green forests have given place to villages holding on bare rocks. Very few Falun red houses here, mainly white wooden houses with orange roof tiles. Super nice looking from the sea!