A voyage through the Skagerrak. Part 3. Grenaa → Læsø → Malmön

From Grenaa

16 June, 5.30am, refuelled and north towards Læsø.

Westerly beam reach, fifteen to twenty-three knots in gusts. Second reef in main, full genoa. In hindsight, furl some genoa too: rounding up in gusts made extra speed less worthwhile than fighting the helm.

Sixty-one miles in eleven hours. Respectable figures; eleven hours of constant rolling. Glad I’d taken seasickness medicine.

Læsø

West-side berth with a stern mooring line. After familiar German and Danish piles, a coordination test: approach, catch windward bow line, pick up dirty mooring line, haul aft, cleat, look as if planned.

We walked village and beach. Quiet, so quiet I didn’t want several days. Tomorrow, south-westerly ten to fifteen knots. After stagnation, don’t waste it.

Navily, Navionics, Windy. Next target: Bohus-Malmön, Sweden.

Genoa alone

17 June, eight o’clock. Following wind, full 140% genoa. Main initially up, quickly down when almost running: blanketing the genoa, and no spinnaker pole aboard.

Often six knots. Briefly the advertising version of sailing: following wind, open water, yellow hull, Sweden ahead.

Halfway, two-metre waves: long ocean swell, slowly lifting and lowering us. Apparently leaving sheltered Kattegat for Skagerrak at last.

Busy shipping too. AIS made calculation possible: course, speed, CPA, TCPA, then choose a crossing gap. Its purpose is knowing where you shouldn’t be in time, beyond technological pride.

Into Sweden

Malmön felt a different sea: granite, enormous smooth rocks, skerries. Suddenly northern after Denmark.

Alongside the visitors’ pontoon. After Læsø’s mooring line, almost hotel parking: approach, alongside, lines, no foredeck circus.

Four-by-two-kilometre island. Coastal loop marked blue and white. Surprisingly absorbing, searching for painted rocks, climbing occasional viewpoints over the majestic sea.

Surf below, granite around, Skagerrak ahead. Every earlier decision suddenly seems right, having brought you here.

Lessons from two passages

1. full genoa on a beam reach in fifteen to twenty-three knots may be too much, despite speed;
2. a large genoa works better alone downwind;
3. AIS turns shipping anxiety into calculations;
4. use good wind when boat and crew are ready.

For the island walk, take a Coop prawn sandwich. Not navigation information; equally important.

#passage