On 6 June the moment had come: Klaus had his last working day – officially still on leave until the end of the month, but already mentally in retirement mode. The sailing season in Norway is short, and by early June we were already late. So on the afternoon of 7 June it was time to cast off in Travemünde. Our target for the first night was Klintholm on the island of Møn, around 70 nautical miles to the north-east.
The afternoon started quietly, with light winds and a calm, even sea. In the evening Klaus took the first watch – and it nearly ended dramatically. In the dark a brightly lit object appeared ahead. Overtired and not yet properly in night mode, Klaus assumed it was an approaching vessel. Only at the last moment did it dawn on him that it was a buoy – and he swerved hard to starboard. The journey might almost have ended on the very first night. It was a shock that later often reminded us how narrow the line is between fatigue and alertness. After that there was, of course, no thought of sleep, and it was a useful lesson in judging one’s own reaction and decision-making when overtired. The next morning we arrived safely in Klintholm. The rain was actually welcome, giving us a chance to sleep off the scare.
A day later the weather had improved considerably, and a strong north-westerly with gusts up to 30 knots carried us past Copenhagen to Helsingborg in ten hours – a harbour we know well and one with generous berths for Anori.
On the passage from Helsingborg to Anholt we had a small highlight: an unofficial race with Despina. At first Despina was clearly ahead, but as the wind increased we managed to catch up and were first to secure a berth in Anholt – much to our satisfaction.
In Anholt the wind dropped away completely, which suited us well enough. We had been wanting to visit the island for ages. We explored the sparse, wind-shaped landscape and met Beate and Herbert from Birdy – two friendly sailors with whom we would stay in touch throughout the summer.
From Anholt we had originally planned to sail straight through to Kirkehamn. But by evening the wind died away, and so we put into Skagen for an unplanned overnight stop. The next morning brought perfect sailing conditions: a fresh breeze and a steady direction – just as one would wish. Twenty-five hours later, after 153 nautical miles, we arrived in Kirkehamn. Tired, happy, and with the feeling that the adventure had truly begun.
Leave a reply