Friday 20 July 2007

X marks the spot


St Anna's - Thursday
click to view

No sooner have we arrived than it's time to start back again. The weather is not kind and in the blustery morning light we don't see St Anna's in it's best light. But here we are, and before we go about and head north we want at least to see something of the Archipelago.. so the day's plan includes a bit of a pleasure cruise around the islands.

There are two main channels through the islands and we plan to head south on the first and then cross to head back up further out among the islands. The only choice is what route to pick to cross between?

Choice made we head south on a reach.. skudding along between the islands and looking for the buoy that marks the turn.

How does this work again? When we reach the buoy we turn off towards this waypoint by this cob - and when we get there we turn between the cob and that underwater stone. Easy...

So which one was the cob you wanted??

Now on a broad reach, rocks, skerries and small islands rush towards us. The compass looks good and the waypoint is dead ahead... That one.
...and the underwater stone???

On the chart it looks like plenty of room, but out on the water - and not wishing to guess when the last proper survey was done - things don't seem to have so much margin. But better the devil you know.

We hold course on the cob and head up as late as prudence allows, slipping past looking at the darker water of it's sunken shores, but never once seeing that stone.

And so we find ourselves homeward bound.. As the channel bends the close reach becomes a beat, judging the legs to avoid the dots and x's scattering the island shores. And then a narrow gap, between a cob and reef to head into more open water towards Arkösund. We thread the gap between two islands, creeping through the lee, to avoid a more buffeting detour - and shake free onto a fine reach towards Arkösund and lunch.

With good tailwinds the afternoon sailing is more relaxed as we trail Karim across the open waters of Bråviken. Arriving outside Oxelösund with perfect timing the wind dies away just as we nose out across the shipping lane. We are obliged to veer away as the speck in the distance rapidly becomes a freighter bearing down on us.
Woow! But from there it's a quiet and leisurely sail to tie up at Liten Trassö, a popular anchoring spot just off the main channel.

....................
19 July 2007
Verkholm to Lt Trassö: 27,4nm
Paul, Pål, Karin
Winds:
W 7-11 m/s

No comments: