And then we were three...

St Anna's Semester - Saturday

It was a bright and early start - well, nine o'clock at least - as we left Ängsholm for the next leg. Still with headwinds we beat down Mysingen with fresher winds and more swell as we passed Örnsgrund and tacked towards the open Baltic.

We stuck it out with the genoa for a lumpy and somewhat exhillerating stretch before cutting west and dropping sail to motor into the narrow passage through to Nynäsviken, and lunch with Saul & Cissie - salsa friends of Karims. They have a beautiful summer cottage - and a wee small jetty - tucked into an inlet in this enclosed bay. Here we enjoyed lunch in the sun, talked dance, and listened to salsa. Great!

But we're not there yet. We are meeting Lena on Landsort and have some sailing to do. We go by motor through the remarkable Dragetskanal, just 2.5 m wide - dug by prisoners of war in the 1600s to providing a sheltered exit from Nynäsvik to the west. And from there set sail southward, weaving through the islands towards Öja. The wind is strengthening, and with only part of the jib unfurled it takes a while to get the sheeting position right and get her pointing.

It's a short stretch, and we are soon bucketing in the swell outside the guest harbour, sails down and the outboard complaining, now too deep, now sucking air..
How nice to slide into the lee of the headland and motor into smoother waters.

Lena is already here and we find space rafted alongside... just as well as the small harbour is more or less full. 26 knot winds are forecast for tonight.

....................
14 July 2007
Ängsholmen to Landsort: 25.25 nm
Paul, Pål & Karin
Winds:
SW 5-9 m/s