We had a leisurely start to the day. The forecast was for the breeze to carry on blowing hard until early afternoon, so we were in no rush to leave. A visit to the chandlery managed to result in us feeling significantly poorer, but somehow, simultaneously, not minding. Having new toys is always fun ….
Eventually though we decided to leave about midday. Though the wind was still gusting, the sun was shining which somehow seems to compensate until the wind is blowing straight at you and you realise how cold a strong northerly wind is!
On the way, as we headed out of Stenungsund, we decided to try another job. Now readers of a nervous disposition should probably stop reading now. There are only a small number of delicate ways to describe the inevitable conclusions of standard bodily functions, but suffice it to say that the results of the aforementioned bodily functions end up on a boat in what is euphemistically called a ‘holding tank’. True to its name, it holds ….. stuff. However, this stuff needs to be disposed of at some stage and this is where we need ‘pump-out machines’.
So, we managed to find a pump-out at Stenungsund on the way out. Coming alongside it was challenging in the strong wind, but eventually we managed and settled down to the potentially satisfying job of disposing of our …. stuff. This, though, did not go according to plan. First the cap on deck decided not to open and required some less than delicate persuasion. That done, the next stage …. press the green button to dispose of everything. Pressing the green button made a satisfying noise, but nothing happened. No suction, so the …. stuff …. stayed resolutely in the tank!
This is not unusual, so we carried on. We motored much of the way as, despite a force 5, occasionally gusting 7, we were heading all over the place and much of the time into the wind on narrow channels, so we decided to stick with the engine. It was a lovely route, weaving through a narrow channel around the south of Orust, under a 21m bridge (I didn’t look up ….!) and then under 30m power lines (I didn’t look up at those either …!). Once through those we effectively completed a full circumnavigation of Orust.
Passing Mollösund once more we noticed another pump-out. This looked promising, so we moored at the fuel berth, attached the suction pipe, pressed the green button and …… nothing. This time the motor didn’t even start. The net result of all this effort is what can only be described as a ‘no-shit, shit show’. We are simply left with all our …. stuff …. on board still, to look after and nurture!
Once round to Härmanö we were planning to moor in Gullholmen, but realised that in the bay just south of Gullholmen are four lovely Swedish Cruising Club member’s buoys. As a member we are allowed to use them, so our night is in a lovely rocky bay surrounded by eider, oystercatchers and geese. A distinct improvement on the tone of the rest of this blog entry …..