Stage 1: Nieuwpoort – Hafen
Stage 1: Nieuwpoort - Hafen
Stage 1: Nieuwpoort - Hafen
2021: Trip Denmark-Sweden-Norway
This trip was the result of a consultation with my partner Hélène: between the desire to sail in South Fiona, which I had loved when I lived in Denmark, and the 3 countries that my partner didn't know.
So we planned a 6-week trip including sailing in the Baltic and North Seas, and hiking in Norway. The stages below are purely theoretical and their sole purpose is to break down the trip to present it better.
stage 1: Nieuport (BE) -> Hafen (DE)
stage 2: Hafen (DE) -> Anholt (DK)
stage 3: Anholt (DK) -> Oslo/Son (NO)
stage 4: Oslo (NO) -> Kristiansand (NO)
stage 5: Kristiansand (NO) -> Nieuport (BE)
460nm - 5 days
230nm - 9 days
220nm - 7 days
180nm - 3 days
525nm - 5 days
click on the "stage" inserts to access the dedicated paragraphs
Stage 1: Nieuport (BE) - Hafen (DE) via the Kiel Canal
This first leg was an opportunity to sail solo, with Hélène joining me in Scheveningen/la Hague (NL).
Along the Belgian and Dutch coasts, the main dangers for me are
- wind farms, but these are relatively far from the coast and can be seen from a distance, even at night
- the Scheldt estuary, with its heavy traffic of incoming and outgoing ships
- the port of Rotterdam, which also sees a lot of shipping. I passed along the anchorage area to the south of Rotterdam, with an impressive number of cargo ships, oil tankers and others waiting to return to port.
Arriving at the port of Scheveningen was easy. The port was under construction at the time, so visitors were restricted to the outer harbour. A short walk was necessary to stock up on fresh provisions (Jumbo shop along the Tweede Haven).
With 2 of us now on board, we're taking it in turns to round the north-western tip of the Netherlands and aim for the entry point to the Kiel Canal: the Brunsbüttel lock.
The rounding of the Netherlands went smoothly, sometimes with the impression of treading water when the wind dropped and the tidal current set against us.
The arrival in the Elbe estuary is unmissable, and is marked by increased traffic of cargo ships of all kinds, some of impressive size. The expression "walnut shell" takes on its full meaning!
As their speeds are far greater than those of unfortunate sailing boats, even motor boats, these vessels quickly catch up with you... and it's best to stay on the edge - or even outside - the channel, otherwise the sirens will quickly 'ask' you to get out of the way.
As the Kiel Canal (website) is mainly used by cargo ships, pleasure craft do not have priority, particularly at the locks. Passage is easy and requires no dismasting, with in our case around 1 hour's waiting time in front of the lock (VHF 13 in Brunsbüttel). The navigation is then very pleasant, but prohibited at night, as we regularly come across sea-going behemoths that seem very cramped and disproportionate on this canal. At our speed, it takes 24 hours to pass through this 100 km long canal, and small vessels (-20m) do not require a pilot. During our transit, we didn't have to pay any toll, but I think this was due to the work on some of the locks.
Having passed the Brunsbüttel lock in the late afternoon, we opted for an overnight mooring on a secondary branch of the canal, at the Gieselau lock. A peaceful night's sleep guaranteed!
The next day, we continue on to the exit lock at Holtenau, refuelling at Borgstedt (Yachtservice Schreiber) and mooring for the night at Hafen Strande, just outside the Bay of Kiel.
Stage 2: Hafen (DE) - Anholt (DK)
This part of the trip took me back to places I'd visited when I lived in Denmark (2005-2010); I really wanted to sail around Funen, the central part between 'Jutland' (the mainland to the west) and Zealand (the large island to the east that includes Copenhagen).
Funen is the part that I find the most beautiful: a sort of inland archipelago, towns on a human scale, small villages and lush countryside. It's called the orchard of Denmark, and the climate is a little milder than in the west of Jutland (Ringkoebing) where I used to live.
So I couldn't wait to see these lands from the sea, and to share them with Hélène.
First stop: the port of Aeroeskoebing, on the island of Aeroe, the southernmost island in the archipelago and the longest. The arrival was windy and places were at a premium, forcing us to pair up in the 3rd row for lack of space directly on the pontoon. Surprise for our Danish neighbours: I can talk to them in their language!
We hire bicycles, the easiest local means of transport in Denmark, and take great pleasure in stretching our legs after several days at sea. We pedal to the port of Soeby in the north, and take in the local sights: Protestant church, flagpoles, windmills, cobbled town streets and country roads.
A little anecdote about flagpoles: the Danish flag 'Dannebrog' must not be flown at night, otherwise it would be flown for the devil, which is unthinkable. The inhabitants therefore put it away before sunset, only to hoist it again the next day after sunrise. Danes are very attached to their country and their flag. The little pennant, however, can be flown all year round ;-)
With the evening forecast to be rainy, we take the bus to a bar in Marstal in the south of the island for a drink.
The transition to Svendborg, a town in the south of Funen, is short but full of surprises: sailing through a narrow channel, passing ferries and being overtaken by regatting sailing boats, arriving in Svendborg with a crowd of old sailing ships going the other way: their annual "Funen round" leaves from Svendborg on this very day. We lean against the rail to admire ;-)
From Svendbord, we hire bikes to take us to the island of Taasinge via a river shuttle from Thuroe By.
The fruit and vegetable stalls are commonplace, self-service with prices indicated and a cash register for change... trust is very much a part of everyday Danish life!
Some of Hélène's friends are in Denmark on a tour of Europe, and we've agreed to meet up at Samsoe. This island is an essential stop-off point on their tour of ecological initiatives, as it has been a laboratory for developing renewable energies with the aim of achieving energy autonomy (not self-sufficiency). An Energiakademi has been set up on the island to showcase the work being done locally, and to provide support to local authorities wishing to make the transition to energy self-sufficiency.
Initially at anchor in front of Ballen beach, we preferred to set up at the port to make it easier for our group to get around. Once again, bicycles allow us to get around the island and enjoy the countryside, the battle cry being "Who's on holiday? We are!"
Leaving our friends behind, we set off for Aarhus, Denmark's 2nd largest city and the 'capital' of Jutland. We take a tour of the city, stopping off at the 'Torvet' (the city's central thoroughfare), Gamle By (a museum that brings together a number of old buildings in a lively, old-fashioned district) and the seafront. As we're more into nature, we won't be extending our stay ;-)
Our last stop in Denmark before Sweden was Anholt, a small bird-shaped island in the middle of the Kattegat. Arriving in strong winds, we had to quickly tie up at the entrance to the harbour, in a berth designed for large yachts and therefore with a lot of space. The next day, the harbour master politely indicated another berth, more in keeping with the size (and certainly the condition) of our boat ;-)
A new discovery for both of us, we really like this island and once again set off by bike to explore the various beaches, which were rather deserted and therefore ideal for impromptu nudism.
Stage 3: Anholt (DK) - Oslo/Son (NO)
We left Denmark and started on the Swedish part of the trip, which I knew a little bit about because I'd been there a few times from Denmark. But it's a big country, and the landscapes are ever-changing! The watchword on this stage will be granite.
Our aim is to reach Son in the Oslo fjord, to leave the boat there for a few days and go hiking in the Norwegian fjords.
Hélène will then go back to work and my father will join me to sail around Norway for a while and bring the boat back to Belgium.
It was also the last quiet moments before the hassles of the return trip... to be continued.
First stop at Branno, one of the archipelagos just north of Goteborg. We drop anchor in the middle of a stretch of water in front of Kallo. The next morning we discovered that we were almost on the same route as the local ferry.
We went out to explore the area and were amused by the Swedes' ingenuity in building around and on the granite blocks.
The next day, we took the inflatable kayak out to explore the archipelago, which is an inviting place for a swim!
The next sail takes us past Marstrand and its fortress. But the hustle and bustle on the water, and no doubt on land, soon had us on the water again, and we continued on our way with a stopover in the very pretty port of Karingon. The houses built on granite form a tangle of alleyways, and we were delighted to lose ourselves in them.
Arriving at Smogen to spend the night, we moor up and finally set off again after a glance around: crowds, promiscuity with other boats and loud music are not for us. We found a small, quiet 'anchorage' at the entrance to Sotekanalen, where we copied our neighbours and moored to rings fixed in the rock. This is impossible in Brittany due to the high tidal range, but here the tidal range of a few centimetres or tens of centimetres allows this practice, which we will appreciate and make our own for the rest of the trip. Soon we'll even be doing without rings!
The Sotekanalen is truly splendid, with compulsory motor sailing but very quiet. The granite rock is never far away, and plunges vertically enough not to present any danger.
As we exit, we come out onto channels lined with islands, and quietly follow our route towards Hamurgsund. The cable ferry and its back and forth movements leaves little time to pass. We decided to take a break and were literally hassled to pay for this temporary mooring: 3 call-backs in less than 15 minutes, even though we weren't quite moored yet... that deserved a line in the logbook!
We then stopped off in Fjallbacka for a stroll around town and set off again in search of rings in the rock, which we found in the Kranseholmen fjord, near Ramsvik. Deadwood fire and a peaceful night.
The next day, we make a final stop on the Swedish island of Kosteroarna. What's special about this place is that the roads are not asphalted, which gives it a certain old-time charm. A walk with a stop at a café-restaurant, and a short visit because we still have a long way to go. The natural reserve is not accessible by boat or on foot.
We continued on and entered Norway. Apart from the flags, there's no visible difference ;-) We arrive at the Hvaler Islands, more specifically Nordre Sandoy. We're confident, and given the lack of rings available, we moor directly to the cliff, but not before approaching at very slow speed, with Hélène on the bow to watch for shallows... the old-fashioned way! Hélène had to jump onto the nearest rock, mooring line in hand, to tie us up. A few thoughts and tests later and we're settled in for the night. The site is magnificent, the cliff so steep that there will be no visitors, and an unobstructed view of the island opposite: Kirkoy.
Last stop before the hiking break, we head up the Oslo fjord, a long arm of the sea that winds its way to the Norwegian capital. The website www.dockspot.com allows you to view, book and pay for berths in port or in the boot, which is very practical for us as we arrive late and are going to leave the boat for several days without returning. It also means you're guaranteed a berth!
Hiking in the fjords
After a few days on the water, we start with a visit to Oslo, to get a feel for the city and pick up the information and equipment we'll need for the tour to come. Den Norske Turistforening is a mine of information, with helpful staff and up-to-date maps (Skarvheimen no. 2661 for this hike, the ut.no website also suggests hikes depending on the destination). We opted for a membership fee that would entitle us to a key to the refuges, but in the end we won't need it. My stove runs on methylated spirits, so I wandered around looking for something to recharge it with, as nobody seemed to know what was suitable. After a few shops and back-and-forth trips, a trip to the local DIY shop turned up a sales assistant who knew the principle and was able to point me in the right direction!
We set off in the early hours of the morning, after a return trip in the dinghy to drop Hélène and the bags ashore, reinstalling the dinghy on the boat and a swim back to the pontoon. Off we go!
With the nearest station just a few kilometres away and the bus not running at the time we wanted, we were in for an early morning walk. The train takes us (via a change in Oslo I think) to Berekvam station, with a view of the surrounding peaks on the way. From there, the tourist train takes us down to Flam to find a campsite.
There we meet Marco, a young German visiting Norway by bike, to whom I offer to take him back to Belgium by boat from Kristiansand.
As a warm-up for our legs and feet, we opt for a hike around the nearby Naeroyfjord, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Very alpine landscapes and breathtaking views.
A bus takes us to the start of the hike, at Vassbygdi. A final check, a cup of tea and the recovery of walking sticks left behind (not lost on everyone!) and we're off. The day is spent climbing, passing unoccupied sheepfolds and a mountain pasture used as a practice area for a local livestock school. We set up the tent near a wider area of the river, and the blueberry and raspberry picking is under way!
The next day, we pass the Aurlandsdalen hut and continue on to the day's stage: Steinbergdalshytta. The shrubs give way to sparse vegetation and more rocks.
The blueberries were still there, so we took advantage of a waffle break in Steinbergdalshytta to ask to buy some yoghurt to add to the blueberries for the evening. Funny scene: as the yoghurt is not sold separately on their menu, it takes them a while to agree on a price... We laugh about it in the evening, thinking that in other countries a workaround would have been found in 2 seconds!
We decided to pitch the tent a little further away from the refuge, on the heights and close to a stream... icy of course. The night was calm but cool, as we bundled up in our sleeping bags.
The next day's objective is to catch the train back to Finse, but we didn't buy the tickets in advance because there was too much uncertainty about the length of the walk.
The start of the day was like the rest of the day: cloudy with a few sunny spells. The Geiterygghytta hut offered us an internet connection, despite the rough welcome. Horror: the planned train is full, and there are only seats left on an earlier train. This means that breaks are now limited and we mustn't dawdle on the way. The end of the ride was therefore a relative sprint, with clouds and rain at the end.
We finally arrived at the station a little early, just enough time to change and regain our strength. Tired, but content!
Stage 4: Oslo (NO) - Kristiansand (NO)
There was a change of crew at the start of this stage: Hélène returned to Belgium and went back to work, while my father arrived to sail a little in Norway and then sail back to Belgium. The aim is to get the boat to Charleroi to start her refit.
We navigate the boat closer to Oslo, with a little scare as the engine stopped and restarted. We found a place at anchor opposite Kongen Marina. We enjoyed a final day exploring the city by bike (the bike terminal is located at this very marina), with a pool/hammam/sauna break. The next morning, Hélène left with a light rucksack for the station and then the airport, heading for Brussels.
Despite my repeated requests, I couldn't find a club to take a shower. No problem: I use the excuse of scraping the hull to dive into the waters of Oslo Bay!
Thinking that the engine problem was due to impurities in the diesel, I refuelled before mooring the boat near the station, opposite the Opera House. Dad arrived 1 hour later, and we set off again quickly for the Bjornebukta cove to the north-west of the island of Haoya in the Oslo fjord. We arrived late and anchored by headlamp.
The next day we leave the Oslo fjord and sail along the southern coast of Norway. We take a channel through the middle of the island of Store Aroya, before reaching our mooring for the day: the Paradisbukta/Jordsbukta cliff.
We take the opportunity to swim and dine on the only rock in the sun. Night alone in this cove!
No photos of the navigation to Lyngholmen (anchoring at dusk under sail), just before arriving in Kristiansand: I spend the day with my nose in the engine, trying to get it to restart. I spend the whole day with my nose in the engine, trying to get it going again, but to no avail, despite dismantling, re-torquing and various sealing operations. We sailed through this string of islands, but I couldn't see anything and didn't take any photos either!
The next day we arrive in Kristiansand and ask a neighbouring sailboat to tow us to the quay. Marco, the cyclist we met in Flam, joins us. While Dad and Marco did a bit of sightseeing and shopping, I found some parts (filter + filter holder) to replace a cracked filter cover, but the mechanic wasn't available until a week later.
We decided to return to Belgium without an engine. Not ideal, but once out of port, we would have sailed anyway.
Stage 5: Kristiansand (NO) - Nieuport (BE) - Charleroi (BE)
So we set off under sail, the conditions are good and will remain so. Marco's bike is dismantled and installed in the rear cabin.
We pass a few tankers and Marco quickly becomes seasick. It will take him a few days to shake off his lethargy and regain his appetite ;-)
After 24 hours of sailing, we reach Hvide Sande in Denmark and the calm begins to set in. We drop anchor and rest, waiting for the wind to pick up early in the night. We set off again at dusk.
Sailing from Denmark to the Netherlands takes us away from the coast so as not to prolong the route unnecessarily. We pass several offshore wind farms, clearly visible with their synchronised lighting. It sometimes takes us 12 hours to pass some of them, as they were so extensive... and our speed so modest!
After 4 days of sailing, we arrive in the south of the Netherlands and contacted the NYSC marina in Ostend to see if they can meet us at the entrance to the port and tow us to the pontoon. An appointment is made for the following morning.
So we spend the night off Ostend, and unfortunately the batteries, well drained by the autopilot and the onboard electronic equipment, run out at the start of the night: we find ourselves without lights. We take it in turns to keep a lookout, and after a near-miss (avoided by lighting the sails with a torch), I decide to keep us stop moving to limit the risks.
Early in the morning, we are at the entrance to Ostend and have to juggle between:
- a misdirected wind making us arrive close-hauled with little room to manoeuvre
- a fairly strong lateral tidal current
- boats coming in and out regularly
- the port authorities refusing to allow us to pass the breakwater under sail alone
- the marina employee on his RIB getting impatient and refusing to leave the protection of the breakwater.
After a few unsuccessful attempts on our part, the employee goes back to his work, leaving us to our problem without remorse.
I decide to change destination and go to Nieuwpoort, which I know well: a fishing/yachting port with little business activity, and above all friendly and helpful marina staff (VYN). Above all, I decide not to rely on outside help to enter the channel: I put the dinghy in the water, alongside the sailboat, and install the dinghy engine. This will give us a minimum of engine propulsion.
On the way, I inform the VYN marina of our engine failure, and ask them to be able to moor at the end of the pontoon, on the main channel to limit manoeuvres, and also ask them to come to the pontoon to help us stop using the mooring lines.
To enter the channel with the side current carrying us south, we have to aim for the end of the north jetty (against the direction of the outbound boats), so we organise ourselves like follows:
- Dad is on the dinghy, managing the propulsion on my instructions
- Marco is at the bow, signalling to oncoming boats to get out of the way
- I'm at the helm, managing the sails (sheets in the cockpit)
We enter the channel as planned, with just one boat having to divert. We continue sailing in the channel with a single genoa, which we furl before rounding to reach the pontoon. The dinghy's engine comes in very handy to keep up a little manoeuvring speed and also to stop us. It's a great relief for me after all the ups and downs of the last 24 hours! The crew is happy to arrive at last, after 5 days on board. Marco sets off again quickly with his bike to pick up a train in Ostend that will take him back to Germany.
I contact a mechanic who's reluctant to come because he's retired, but apparently he's the only one in the area. At my insistence, he agrees anyway and allows us to restart the engine the next day. The day after we arrived in Nieuport, we set off again for Antwerp with the idea of joining the Antwerp-Brussels canal, which will take us to Charleroi.
We set off in the early hours of the morning, sailing quietly up the Belgian coast before entering the Scheldt estuary (Schelde in Dutch, as most of the Maritime Scheldt is Dutch territory). The wind is northerly and by the end of the day we are sailing past Terneuzen with an ebb tide that is intensifying. Although we're sailing, we've had the engine idling for a few hours, so we can use it quickly if need be.
At this point, the channel loops round to the north, the wind is now against us and the sails ineffective. We push the throttle, but the engine suddenly stops and will not restart. This forces us to weave (zigzag) in the channel, which narrows at this point, with a few barges and cargo ships passing each other. We soon realise that we are not making much headway, as we keep coming back to the same point: the tidal current is pulling us further and further back.
The Dutch river police (Rijkswaterstaat), warned by a ship, comes up to us without us knowing who they are: in the dark we can't see their markings. They try to call us on the VHF, but we're on international channel 16 and don't know that there are local channels on the Scheldt.
When they ask us what we're doing, we reply that we've run out of engine power and ask them to tow us to the next lock or port. They take us to the Hansweert lock.
On arrival, I am interrogated by a translator on the phone, despite my fluency in English: procedure dictates that I speak in my language, they in theirs. I then learn that we'd been manoeuvring dangerously since Terneuzen and hadn't responded to the VHF calls. After I explain, they tell us that there are local VHF channels. Later, I'm in for a court appearance, a fine for dangerous driving (zigzagging in the channel) and another suspended fine (failure to keep a watch on the VHF channels used).
Suspecting a problem with the starter battery, I hurry off the following Saturday to hire a car before the weekend close and go to Middelbourg to buy a battery and charger. This doesn't solve the problem despite repeated attempts.
We take advantage of Saturday to lay the mizzen mast, the main mast will be laid a few days later at the BRYC in Brussels.
I look for mechanics on the internet and get ready to contact them on Monday morning. Dad talks to one of the river police officers who has a friend who's a marine mechanic. He comes on Sunday evening and diagnoses an air leak in the diesel supply circuit: everything has to be tightened up (as he says: a quarter turn before it breaks!). Above all, he installs a bulb (used on outboard motors) that will bleed the air from the circuit quicker than the little lever on the injection pump. A modern miracle: the engine starts up again on the first try. After mooring the boat securely and doubling the hawsers, we push the throttle for a good quarter of an hour: the engine runs normally and doesn't stop!
Hélène joins us at Hansweert and we take Dad back to the station for his return to Nantes. He never saw the engine restart. Hélène leaves again on Monday morning, and I resume sailing towards Antwerp and then the Wintam lock, the entry point to the Antwerp-Brussels canal.
The BRYC in Brussels is the last opportunity to dismast before the canals to Charleroi. I am very well received by Alain, the harbourmaster, who provides me with valuable assistance and experience in this operation.
We set off again a few days later with friends invited for the occasion: Gwendoline and her daughter Axelle, Christian and Huguette. The canal is ours that weekend: we don't meet many other boats because the canal is closed in Brussels for sailing competitions. We take the Ronquières inclined plane, which reopened a few months earlier after extensive repairs and maintenance.
The team disembarks at Seneffe and a few days later I continue on my own to the Vankerkoven shipyard, where Melody is lifted out of the water and installed on her cradle. This is the end of the adventure, and the start of the refit, which will also be full of surprises!