Or early autumn. But the weather was so warm, it could have been August. I had four days alone in the boat, anchoring out in quiet places and one night in a harbour, also very quiet and peaceful. I just want to show how beautiful it is around here in Ryfylke, just out of Stavanger, south west Norway. There are so many islands and quiet inlets, wide strecthes that open up to the ocean outside, and a wide, open seascape.
I started out Thursday September 19, early afternoon. There was a light SW breeze, which took me south towards Stavanger. I intended to visit the town on Friday, but dropped the anchor in twelve metres of water, three miles north of the town, among some small islands, just as the sun went down and the moon was rising. The night was dead calm, and even if I was quite close to town there was not a sound to be heard, except for some sheep on one of the islands, and a heron’s lonely cry.
After a peaceful morning, I motored into town, did some shopping, and beat out west to Kvitsøy in the afternoon. A light breeze was straight on the nose, so it took some hours to cover the twelve miles. But eventually, as the sun went down, I could tie up in a corner of Ydstebøhamn. There were some few other boats there, both sail and motor, who also had found the way out to this archipelago on the edge of the North Sea this beautiful weekend.
A walk ashore Saturday morning. There was help to get for my ailments!
Afternoon sail north east to another, small group of islands. These are uninhabited, and are just west of Finnøy, about six miles from home. A favourite place to visit, but not in northerly winds. But now the wind was westerly, and the little bay provided perfect shelter and anchorage. When conditions allow, I like to not use the engine. So this time I was able to sail from the berth in Ydstebøhamn to the anchorage in Vignesholmane. Great satisfaction! With the feeble wind, it took some time to get through the narrow channels out of Kvitsøy, so other boats had to wait. But they were patient and polite. I only had to fire up the engineering to cross the ferry lanes as quickly as possible. The ferries come upon you very fast!
Another quiet and peaceful night. Not a sound! The moon came up late, over the trees on the next islands, as the night grew darker.
In the middle of the night a thick fog came in, but Sunday morning it had lifted, only a thin mist remained. There was no wind for sailing, so the last leg home was by engine. A beautiful cutter was anchored just around the corner. Its home port is just across the fjord from us. The owner is 87, and still sails. So I should have another twenty years to sail! I met him in Shetland in July, together with his son.
Seil i vestavind/home 