Where are we? Perhaps not the most exotic country we can boast of having visited for the time being, but Denmark deserves its own little story, even though the trip down to the southern tip of the danish island Fyn was more of a transport stage without too much time for experiences and excursions. All Norwegians who have visited this country know how lovely it is to be Norwegian in Denmark. And here we are really relaxing!
The real sheetblowers
Did you know that the Danes are a real sailorfolks? One after the other pulls up his main sheet and elegantly tacks out of the harbour. And into the dock they are equally confidently nonchalant; Quickly, they throw a loop over the mooring pit before they walk over to the pier, makes a couple of knots and that was it. It’s as though they park a baby carriage (anyone who has docked a boat knows that these two operations are quite different). All ports we have seen are well organized, often with modern facility sailor kitchens and machines for paying harbour fees, showers etc. There is always a vacant space and often they have a helpful harbour master in smashing uniform.
From Skagen the trip goes to Læsø, with its always smiling harbour master. Tipsy Danes and Swedes are enjoying themselves at the tables on the pier, and we all feel that we belongs in a bunch. The Boat bunch. There is always a helping hand with ropes and moorings when someone is going in or out, we tip each other about where the port fee can be paid or where you can find the nearest “Brugsen” (a food store ).
We just had to take a few days on this amazing island in anticipation of better winds. As one do in Denmark, we rented bikes and took off to the village on the other side. After having eaten ice cream and cake, we ride back on straight roads, through monotonous and dry forests. Læsø is clearly affected by the summer’s heat with no rain. We jump in the turquoise waters on the shallow beach that might as well be the Mediterranean or the Caribbean. There is sand everywhere, in our trousers, our sandals and eventually in the cabin. In the harbour we can pick fresh herbs from the public herb garden, and we discovered that fresh peppermint will make an exquisite tea. The children are constantly running back and forth picking fistfuls of these greens! And we contemplate the new feeling of not having to hope for favourable wind that can take us north and home again, back to work and the everyday life. Now this can only continue … we are going further…
The more south in Denmark we go, we see fewer Norwegian boat flags. Eventually, they become a real rarity, and at the same time the Danes are consistently responding in English. Do I speak strange or what? Norwegian and Danish is in fact the same language. There are also delightfully less of the “Princess 47’s” and virtually none of these noisy wave runners that we see more and more of in the Oslo fjord. It also seem to be more space in the harbours and the prices are going down.
Port of refuge
In Ebeltoft, on the east coast of Jylland, we spent a couple of days. It is a perfect little town. Here you can swim from a fantastic bathing pier, buy fresh flounder and crayfish from fishing boats or smoked fish from the small shop nearby, wander in cozy cobblestone streets with timbered houses. We did almost all this, and in addition we argued a bit; After many weeks together in a very small space, some crew members are stuck with certain roles and tasks. Who are going to be at the helm, who will plan the route and who will be sweating in the galley? Should everyone only do what he or she is doing best, or should we all be able to do a bit of everything?
When we have reached all the way down to the island of Fyn, we see almost only German boats coming towards us. It seems obvious that the Germans begin their summer holidays now in August. We are surprised by a gale between Fyn and the elongated island called Langeland, so we seek port of refuge in Rudkøbing. It felt a bit dramatic trying to dock the boat with 15 m/s from the aft and it could have gone wrong. But believe it or not it went well. Besides, we try to follow a tip from a skilled sailor we met in Skagen, namely to aim for the cheapest item in the harbour.
We do not know it yet, but the following evening we we will actually go to bed in Germany!