After a fast cruise we have arrived in Lerwick on the mainland of the Shetland islands. We are looking forward to a night of undisturbed sleep in the harbour.

Olaf is checking the whether and the details of the election in North-Rhine Westfalia

Strong winds help us across the North Sea towards Scotland. On our way we pass the oilfields which look spooky at night and still alien at dusk. Yet, they provide wealth for these regions of Scotland and Norway.

A strong Easterly with gust up to 8 Beaufort has blown us through the Skagerrak which has provided us with a strenuous night. Now we cruise along the Norwegian coast with still strong bur favourable winds.

We have slept a few hours on the anchor before the island of Samsø, Danmark, and waited for favourable easterly wind. When it finally came we went along the north tip of the island. There we found quite a few seals with there pups on the sandbanks. The howling sound of these cute animals could be heard from quite a distance.

As of today we are finally out on the open sea. We have left the Schlei, a fjord-like waterbody in Schleswig-Holstein. Now we are northward bound trying to leave the Baltic via Kattegat and round Skagen into the Northsea.

The boat has been lifted out of the water. We want to paint new anti-fouling and check the propeller, grease the rudder shaft and do other things that can only be done ashore. We prefer to leave with a good feeling that the chance of technical failure is minimised. However, time is running fast and some necessary equipment has not been delivered yet.
We are afraid that we will most definitely be behind schedule. If all goes well we will be able to leave on the upcoming weekend.

This weekend Olaf has sailed to Borgwedel into the fjord of the Schlei in Eastern Schleswig-Holstein. Here the boat will be lifted out of the water to undergo last repairs for the trip. The weather has been nasty on the trip into the Schlei with high winds.

Final preparations are being made. This includes technical improvements, nautical provisions, clothing, food, and mental preparation.

Stay tuned for more information as the time until our departure progresses…