Vedön

Still in harbour in Bovallstrand we woke up to a wonderful weather. Blue sky with a light wind coming in. After a morning workout and a quick swim in the refreshing we water felt ready to finally take off. David and Andreas, being the most experienced out of us, made everything ready for departure and once we hit a good spot they raised the sail. Bringing forward a vessel of that size merely by the power of the wind is such a peculiar thing. Some kind of ancient magic being used in our otherwise high-technology society. David handed me the rudder wheel to let me try steering while sailing. Felt really scary when the boat started tipping to one side, almost as it would tip over any second. We even tried doing a luff (I think it's called, the sailing terms are confusing) but I failed miserbly almost crashed into a big motorboat. After that incident I felt that I had done my part for the day.

We held course for Vedön, a small island with a natural harbour used by sailors for hundred of years since it gave good protection for hard weather and could store large ships. Almost every island we saw had nearly no vegetation, mostly consisted by a bright rock surface. David gave the explaination that the islands have had trees and such but they were cut down centuries ago. The effect had been since no trees were left for protection against the hard weather the sea had washed away whatever what was left. Leaving them as we saw today.

We arrived at Vedön and set anchor there for the night. We took a stroll around the small island checking it out. Some boys from another boat were collection crabs inside the inlet and proudly counted up to 169 crabs. Being quite impressed by the number David starting telling a story about when he was younger being on this very same island together with Daniel. He had apparently encoutered goats, which Daniel on the other hand believed weren't true since he was there with him and hadn't seen any. Either way it was true or not we couldn't see any goats roaming the island which Daniel took as evidence for his claim.

Me and Martina went back to the boat to get our fishing rods in hope of better luck at this spot. In the meanwhile, Andreas and Diana put on diving gear and went out snorkling in the passage just outside the island. Not getting any fish or any sign that they existed at all we gave up and started preparing the evening's barbeque. We sat out on the rocks watching the sun go down. It wasn't particulary warm but cozy still. The evening was rounded up by a game of card in the salon.

<< Previous day | Next day >>

Smögen again

With David feeling better the next day him and Martina wanted to try again at Smögen. Taking the car today as well since the wind speed wasn't farvorable with such a rookie crew for taking the boat. The sun was out but not as warm as you would expect. Said and done we took the car to Smögen for a second time only this time David and Martina could experience it as well.

We ordered lunch as soon as we arrived at a small seafood resturant down at the dock. I ate a superb seafood soup. Then a coffee with another cinnamon bun. Can't get enough of those! The rest of the day we spent going around the shops looking for something interesting. I was on the hunt for a fishing rod but it was a fruitless hunt since most of the shops were either interiour or clothing shops. Though it kind of weird that an island (and what I presume an old fishing village) didn't have any shops selling fishing gear.

David then took us on a little sight seeing a bit outside the central of Smögen. Showing us the bathing spots and sea view in all it's glory. After that the sun disappeared and it got cold making us seeking refuge further up the island where the wind wasn't as palpable. We found ourselves at a small bar drinking beer and having a good time.

On the way back to the car I finally found it. A fishing shop. Strangly enough it was a fishing and hardware interiour shop. Either way I finally found my fishing rod. Which I offcourse had to try out once we got back to Bovallstrand. Me and Martina made a deal. The one of us that caught most fish during the trip would win a dinner (three-courses) from the loser. And that evening I actually caught one. One of the smallest fishes I ever caught. I hade hooked it by accident when reeling in. But it still counts. And with that I took the lead in the competion. Later that evening David's brother Andreas and girlfriend Diana arrived as well.

<< Previous day | Next day >>

Smögen

Day three of our sailing vacation and we were still in harbour in Bovallstrand. I could see it on the others that they saw it as a failure. Especially David. He was still little torn up since yesterday's traumatic experience. We decided to stay in harbour today so David could inspect the hull and assess the damage. Right after breakfast he stripped down to bathing gear and went in the water. You could tell it was cold. He was hyperventilating through the snorkling tube. Eventually he got his breathing down to normal and went under. Circulating the boat. When he got up he summarized the situation. Apparently wasn't the damages as big as he had initally feared. We could breath out and start plan what to do with the rest of the day. Since we never got to visit Smögen yesterday we decided to take the car there today.

In the car on our way to Smögen David started complaining about a pain in his ear. We didn't think much of it at first. But when we arrived in Smögen we could see how much pain David was in and started to look for an open health center. It was sunday and proved to be harder then first anticipated. Nothing in Smögen, nor Kungshamn. What was left was the emergency department in Uddevalla. A 60 kilometer drive from Smögen. Martina and David decided to take the car to Uddevalla and left me and Daniel in Smögen and said to hold contact by phone during the day.

Feeling sad for David's series of bad luck we headed out for the harbour in Smögen. It was a lot of people. A lot. Could barely take us forward on the narrow docks by the water. We started of with coffee and cinnamon bun. Ah cinnamon bun! One of life's greatest things. We sat down on a staircase with a view over the harbour enjoying the sun.

Later we took a walk around looking through the small shops planlessly until the hunger came over us. Daniel recommended a resturant/bar he had been to previously. A surf bar with good drinks and bbq meny. We found ourselves there for the rest of the afternoon sipping drinks, talking and eating some delicious burger while keeping contact the development of David. At the end of the day David and Martina picked us up and we went back to Bovallstrand. In the car David told us what a nightmare day he'd had. Hours of waiting in pain only to finally get to see a doctor. Followed by a three minutes examination and a prescription for eardrops. They were both hungry, tired and disappointed. While back in Bovallstrand they bough each a pizza for dinner and took a beer. They both agreed that this had been the best of the whole day.

<< Previous day | Next day >>