SWEDISH WESTERN ARCHERIES

The Swedish western archipelago has been one of my particularly valued estinations since I was a student in Kiel. Since we were last there in 2012, it was about time again. This year we opted not for the mostly preffered route via Kiel Canal an the Baltic Sea but decided to sail the North Sea and Skagerrak with a quick direct leg from Helgoland to the Swedish coast in one go. The North Sea demonstrated that it didn't deserve the bad reputation it has among many people. Behind Blavandshuk it calmed down completely, blazing sun and smooth sea, we had to use the engine for a couple of hours  and then decided to interrupt the journey in Thorsminde. The following day there was again a cheerful southwesterly blow and we crossed Jammerbugt downwind, then passed between many fishing boats near Skagen in a very dark night and arrived in Smögen in the morning of the following day in gray weather with some rain - we were in Sweden! The weather then changed immediately and it was a great cruise through the archipelago to beloved Marstrand. A swwdish guy gave us a tip about where you can moor alongside a skerry - of course we had to try it out straight away. In Mollösund we met a lively wedding party - Astrid Lindgren's "Bullerbü" is not just a phantasy, it exits! Last stop then Vinga and from there to Anholt in the Sound to Copenhagen. On the way there we briefly visited Sweden again with an overnight stay in Viken at the entrance to the sound - also a nice place. Another highlight on this trip was our stay in Humblebaek to visit LOUISIANA just in the north of Copenhagen. Everyone who passes by should treat themselves to this museum and this facility! The bathing area on the beach near the harbor is also pretty, where the locals come to in the morning in their bathrobes , a wonderfully casual atmosphere with friendly encounters. Then we had a another lovely day in C'hagen and for our way home the chose again the well-known route through Ulvsund and via Vejroe to our favourite anchorage in Albuen on at the southern tip of the Great Belt to Kiel.