After an entertaining evening on the jetty at Flørli, we headed off the next morning to check out Stavanger. The wind, not surprisingly had gone round one hundred and eighty degrees, so we had to motor back down the Lysefjord in grey, misty, murky weather, but the rain mainly just threatened – simply reminding us that it could get us wet if it chose to, but it...
The weather followed its usual pattern when we were in Tananger, which basically meant staying for a day while another band of strong winds blew through. With 30 knots over the deck in the harbour, this proved a good decision. Once that was through we decided to make an early start. Again, the usual pattern of the wind seems to mean that it follows an on/off switch...
After a day waiting for strong winds in Egersund, we carried on north again up to Tananger. The wind was forecast to fill in around 11am, but, as the saying goes – “the economy depends about as much on economists as the weather does on weather forecasters” – and sure enough, it didn’t do what was forecast and stayed resolutely light...
We had a rest day in Kirkehamn, partly because we figured this would be nice (it is a beautiful spot) but just as much because the weather imposed it on us. Strong northwesterlies, when you want to go northwest are no fun. So I decided to trek (well walk anyway) up the hill we have been staring at from the cockpit – Hågåsen. The walk is a passage through time...
Today we rounded Lindesnes. This, as the southernmost point of Norway, has a fearsome reputation. It is very exposed to the wind and with two major currents meeting there it could be said to be a very confused place – literally in the case of the seas. It is known as the ‘Cape of Torment’ by the locals, though presumably it is the local fishermen...
The next major passage is to round Lindesnes. This has something of a reputation in moderate to strong winds. It is the most southerly point of Norway and with rapid shoaling around it and the meeting of different currents, plus the fact that it is incredibly exposed making it challenging in anything other than benign weather. So, we have been watching the forecast...
After another day in Kristiansand, going to an organ recital in the cathedral and then spending far too much time and money in a chandlery, we moved on again today. We left Kristiansand fairly early hoping for an easier ride before the wind came up, but 18-22 knots of wind saw to that! Although much of the route was sheltered, it was bumpy in the more exposed areas...
Just outside Lillesand is the Blindleia. This translates literally as Blind Alley and does give a clue to the nature of the passage! It is well-marked, but does require constant checking of the chart. Right at the Lillesand end though is the first hurdle – a 19m bridge. Now our mast is 16.1m high, so the maths is clear, there is plenty of space. However, it...
We left Lillesand early. This section of coast seems to attract stronger breezes in the afternoon and, with the wind likely to be on the nose again, we thought an early departure would make life more comfortable. The theory was good, the practice, less so! Fairly quickly we had a healthy force 4 gusting 6 on the nose, making it fairly uncomfortable for while on the...
In most senses (except the scientific one!) the weather is entirely unpredictable, but … one thing we can predict is that when we want to go southwest, the wind will be from the southwest as well. Sure enough, that was the case today! We didn’t leave until around lunchtime while we waited for the rain to clear and stopped to fuel up, but then had to start...