Monday 21 May

Svalens Blog,

We were up in good time, and Skipper went to the local baker (he was here before!!) and bought Rundstukker (morning rolls) and kransekakker (apple cake) for him  and crew. Must keep morale high! After frokost (breakfast) skip did the usual engine checks, and as a rarity checked the gearbox oil level, which was found to be a bit low. It took a while to locate the manual, and the right oil, but eventually it was all fixed, and we set off in a good wind, in the right direction. No engine support needed today! Off at 6-7kts and quickly under the famous bridge  that joins Sweden and Denmark in the Öresund. Famous largely because of the Danish-Swedish TV crime series, Broen 1, 2 and 3, with Saga as the gorgeously eccentric Swedish female detective, and martin as her tolerant Danish equivalent and sometimes partner.

After passing under the bridge  and heading up the Sund, the wind soon died somewhat leaving us sailing at 4-5 kts. – a bit of a come-down. But great for getting Lasse bored, because that´s when he turns his practical eye to things that need to be fixed on board. Today it was the caballing for the satellite signal receiver that will give us the ability to send and receive texts and emails, no matter where we are in the world. Fantastic to have thatb more or less solved, while gently covering the miles.

Eventually we pass the charming island of Ven in the Sund – a Swedish island used as an observatory in medieval times. No time to stop, though, as we are in a hurry to get to Jutland before the wind returns to its customary west of north west, when it will be in our face,. Same with Copenhagen – normally I love to stop there in the harbours in the centre of the old town, and see our friends who live there, but today we had to miss that too. Slowly up the Sund to Helsigngør, Hamlet´s famous castle, and the narrows between Denmark and Sweden with four ferries running non-stop between. Finally, we tied up in the harbor in Gilleleije, right on the North of Zeeland, poinsed to take a long day sail tomorrow to Hals, at the western entrance to the Limfjord, after which it will be easy to get to Aalborg and Skive where the boat will be lifted out for cleaning and related work.  We seem to have one more day of favourable winds, so we hope they will be strong enough to give us a fast sail, as it is about 85 sea miles to Hals from here.

That’s it for now. Photos later!

Skipper