Svendborg

Omø exacted payment for our peaceful and delightful day on the island. The first night had wind, rain and massive windshifts. The second was the Night of the Squeak. The wind was blowing us hard onto the jetty, and also kicking up just enough of a swell to rock us gently, and also to rock our Halberg friends on a slightly different rhythm. The result was that every fender on both sides of the boat creaked loudly all night, and so did most of the seven lines tying us to the jetty and three or four tying the Halberg to us. Not a good night for sleeping.

Today's passage was initially west, then south-west. Naturally, the wind was also west and then south-west (fortunately very light) so what would have seemed like a lovely day with the wind behind us felt like a chilly slog as we headed straight into it. We motored across the shipping lanes of the Store Bælt, then hoped to be able to sail between Langeland and Fyn. We beat into the wind for an hour and a half, then gave up and motored. When we turned into the winding Svedborg Sund we had a really great sail for another 30 minutes or so, but it's a bit traumatic hurtling along a twisting channel that you don't know, leaning right over at speeds up to 7 knots and unable to see anything behind the foresail, so eventually we put away both sails.

The Svendborg Sound is lovely and Svendborg itself is a pretty town. The town harbour seems to be entirely devoted to visiting yachts, with a very grand toilet block, all smart-card operated, which eats all your money while you shower. There is a very convenient supermarket, perfect as our supplies were running a bit low after Omø, where Sam found Newcastle Brown and pork scratchings. And there's a museum-harbour, only open to wooden boats (although they seemed to have made an exception for a steel Dutch botter).

We're not currently sure what we'll do tomorrow. We'd like to go to Ærokobing, but if the wind is SW it would be straight into the wind. We might stay here and sleep.

Miles covered today: 29.