Not Just Sailing and Scenery…..

.….but also meeting fun people!

But first, the sailing:

Sometimes we get a wind forecast that is too good to be true!  So as we went to bed on the eve of our departure from Norway we were quite skeptical about the perfect  20+ knots South West winds forecast for our crossing from Lyngor to Skagen, Denmark.  But at dawn there they were! Healthy South Westerlies to speed us on our way!  Adventuress did not disappoint us as she averaged 8+ knots in fairly flat water on an 80 degree beam reach. What a sail!



Once again, we pass a Norwegian square rigger

After the rugged coastline of Norway it was quite a change to see the flat coastline and endless beaches of Denmark.

 Denmark coastline



We arrived early, at 3:30pm at Skagen marina, but still had to raft up.

 Skagen Marina

 This harbor is a useful stopping point but not the friendliest, so we left early the next morning and sailed to Laesso Island, where we went to the Eastern harbor at Osterby.  The harbor was very crowded; but to our surprise, a friendly Norwegian couple beckoned to us to raft along side of them. 

Sissel and Einar in Norway

Now life took a weird turn: we introduced ourselves to “Sissel and Einar” and then discovered after just one minute of conversation that their best friends were ……Shannon and Ornulf, our new Norwegian  friends in Flekkefjord!

By the end of the day, a Swedish boat and a German boat had joined our raft.  Only two of the 150 boats in the harbour were Danish:  most were Swedish due to the proximity to Sweden. 

Laesso Island has two harbours, a central town and miles of dunes:

 Endless Dunes

Sissel and Einar Alme were great fun……introducing us to a Norwegian cheese called Gamalost, served on Knekke  -what JFK calls ‘cardboard bread’ - with lots of butter, and decent swigs of Aquavit.  (Do not ask what JFK called the cheese!)

Gamalost Cheese

In Laesso we had also met a funny and charming Danish couple, Birte and Henning, and we sailed along with them to the next island, Anholt.  This tiny island stunned us with its beauty.  Next to the marina, just 25 yards from our berth, was a magnificent beach.  We spent four nights on this largely uninhabited island, exploring on our bikes and having a fun time with Birte and Henning.

Birte and Henning

 Adventuress in her berth on Anholt

 John takes a dip in 65 degree ocean

(in the Danish tradition)

 Beach next to marina

 Riding bikes through the countryside

 John, Birte and Henning leaving the grocery store
Only purchase what you can carry on the bike

 Danish lobster

A gift from Hemming - an inverted cone to be displayed when

motor sailing

Our next island stop was Samso where we anchored and enjoyed a walk in the beautiful countryside.

 At Samso

 When the sun is shining, Denmark has beautiful skies

Fields of heather

We took shelter from a rainy blast at Endelave, snugly anchored in the corner. From there we went to Vejlefjord, and anchored behind a little spit while it blew like stink. There JFK had an unusual role as reluctant rescuer for a crazy beginner Kite surfer, who had decided to try and learn kite-surfing in 28 knots of wind!

Crazy kite surfers row back to Adventuress

JFK is motioning the "crazy" sign!

So here we are:   it’s Tuesday August 18 and we are anchored along the beautiful farmland of the Island of Kegnaes.  Tomorrow we will be in Germany at the mouth of the Kiel Canal.  Even though the weather has been rainy and overcast for the last week we have enjoyed visiting Vejle, the home stomping grounds of our dear friend Helge Thomsen from Berks County, PA: then Als in a very secure anchorage at Dyvig in the Stegsvig: and next along the town dock of the interesting town of Sonderborg.  We left the busy dock of Sonderborg and went just south to anchor in the Horuphave, staged to sail down to Holtenau and enter the Kiel Canal. 

The people of Denmark have been very welcoming and the country is beautiful.  We hope to return to this wonderful country someday.

Our very best to you,

John and Nancy Knight