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Oland Island, where everyone has a windmill.
Classic ships grace Denmark's waters.
Our mast fit under with two feet to spare.
Hano Island haulout.
A pub in Maristal, Denmark.
Our last morning in Thuro, Denmarkk.
Flensberg Germany's waterfront.
Egeskov Slot was our last field trip.
Onora's Winter Quarters at Walsted's.
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The Baltic Sea, Pt. 3 (cont'd)
August 25, 2010
Kalmar Sweden 56 17.9 N 16 04.3 E
It was fortunate that a refrigeration pump failure forced us into port where we received the message and made travel arrangements. This did present another problem. We could not leave with out losing a month's load of frozen food. Reinstalling an old pump that could be run for ten minutes every hour made a temporary fix but not one we could leave. A new pump would not arrive before our travel deadlines. A scramble to find on shore freezer space was successful. Three large boxes of chilled goods were packed up and off loaded just in time for us to catch the train.
After three days of being back; a new pump installed, and one false start aborted by strong headwinds, we decided to rent a car and explore Oland Island connected by a bridge to Kalmar. It is known for birds, windmills and castles. The bottom of the long feather shaped land is a bird migratory route and a Swedish nature reserve. It is also a World Heritage Site for its agricultural history traced to the Stone Age and numerous 'standing stones' marking graves. Our visit was buffeted by the same gale that prevented us from voyaging south. That did not stop us from enjoying the tour and the excitement of driving a car.
September 10, 2010
Als Island Denmark 55 02 N 9 42 E
It is drizzly grey Saturday morning in our sheltered anchorage. The cabin heater is fired up and a German classical radio station entertains. We have just a week of cruising the Danish Belts before heading to the boat yard for a week's effort to ready Onora for the winter lay up. These islands gave birth to hundreds of old sailing ships and dozens are still sailing between the old fishing towns that retain the skills to keep them fit. Here it is a glorious everyday sight to see the barks, frigates, and fully rigged ships under full sail on the blue waters.
We have decided to spend another summer in the Baltic. This is one of the best cruising grounds we have found. Thousands of Islands, sophisticated capitals and historic ports in a beautiful landscape is hard to leave. Most likely we will forgo the Mediterranean in favor of one more year up here. Walsted's boatyard in Denmark can take us for the winter.
Regulations make it hard for non-Europeans. A boat that stays in Europe for more than 18 months is subject to VAT on its value. A US citizen can not stay more than 90 days. The boat's clock restarts each time it leaves and Norway and Russia are non EU so our visits have given us plenty of time.
Our individual time limits are stricter. A visit out of the EU extends the 90 day limit by the days out but one must be out 90 days to reset the limits. The UK and Ireland have not signed this treaty but Norway has. With our trip home we will just make it.
Our plan for next year is explore the Gulf of Bothnia that extends like an inverted Lake Michigan between Sweden and Finland north past the Arctic Circle.
September 22, 2010
Walstead's Boatyard Thuro Denmark 55 02 N 10 40 E
Jeannie flew home two days ago to see friends on the East Coast. I am putting Onora away for the winter. We have been together for just about every hour for the past four months and now several short daily emails attempt to bridge the separation. Meanwhile I am hard at work. Taking the sails off is the major job. Once bagged they measure a very heavy four feet high and three to four feet wide. I will spend several hours removing hardware and then three of us will haul them down and off the boat. Naturally it has to be done when calm.
This year I will also take off the boom to fix a cylinder and a crack in the metal. The systems all need to be winterized. I will set up heaters by the thru hull fittings and dehumidifiers to keep the cabin dry. The oil and filters will be changed. Antifreeze will be pumped through the engine, generator, refrigeration, the washing machine and various pumps. I have become quite an expert at this as each spring I discover something that was missed in the fall and have to pay the price.
At seven, I clean up and defrost a meal that Jeannie has left. After reading for an hour I fall into an exhausted sleep. I am the only soul living in the boatyard which seems to grow bigger in the quiet evening. I love being on the boat but not alone.
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