We rose at 06.00 to torrential rain so stayed in bed until it stopped, we left at 08.00 with a few showers but as the day went on the sun came out we had winds from nothing up to ten knots but mostly on the nose so we covered the 60 nm with the engine running. We arrived at Klintholm in Denmark, this was the same first day as last year but with light winds and sunshine forecast for tomorrow we hope to sail, unlike last year when we were stuck for three days but ...

Brenda well again, so just 5 miles south to the bottom of Bornholm, not the most picturesque town on the island as the Russians bombed it flat in WW2 but for us it a staging post, last stop in Denmark before a 70 NM trip south tomorrow to Poland or Getmany depending on the wind. We've just enjoyed a lunch out and used up our last Danish money.

When sailing, history has taught sailors to be flexible, when planing a destination we always write in our log books towards then the name of the hopeful port. Well last night I wrote Towards Christianö an island 11 miles off the much larger island of Bornholm a distance of 44 NM. We had a very good sail for 35 NM in about a F 4 then the winds went crazy up to 31 knots, with 2 reefs and half a Genoa we were still seeing speeds in the high 8 s. When off the islan...

Still at Klintholm, today was sunny but with a steady F5/6 gusting to F8 blowing we decided to take a bus trip to Stege a small town on the other side of Mon. Other yachts sailed but with the conditions and the fact that Ystad is a lee shore in this wind also a new port for us we felt we would wait till Thursday and the expected wind drop. The expected F8/9 came through in the night giving us quite a noisy night

Continued. Just three quick views of his fin before he disappeared. We spent the rest of the day alternating between sailing and chugging on the engine. It was a great evening we arrived at 21.00 after a 60NM trip just in time to see an amazing sunset. The next day we should have been going over to Ystad in Sweden but woke to strong winds F5/7 with waves breaking over the harbour walls and an evening forecast for F9 44 knots. The book says F9 A Strong Gale will c...