Helgoland to Stavanger, Norway = we have made it!

My last post was done at the Marina Café in Helgoland (Heligoland is on the local brochures), who kindly let me watch the ‘Royal Wedding’ on their T.V.  5 nights on Helgoland had not been in James’ planning and he was becoming increasingly frustrated by our lack of progress.  I found time to use the spa/swimming pool complex on 3 occasions, i.e. every other day to swim my lengths and shower.

Sunday 1^st May 2011


We left Helgoland, the seas were much calmer and we even managed to motor sail until the wind died and then went on the nose!  13 hours later we were in Esberg, Denmark.  I was sent in search of a harbour master, only to find that there were honesty envelopes by the entrance to the marina in which to deposit your DKK100 or 15 Euros. 

Monday 2^nd May 2011


12 hours later we were off again for Hvide Sande which we reached in the early afternoon and were able to order diesel for be delivered by a bowser but we had to pay cash, which necessitated a trip to a cash point, as paying cash for diesel had not been in my calculations!   

Diesel by bowser at Hvide Sande, Denmark

We had also noticed that the water pump was much nosier than usual, so James spent the afternoon trying to find the fault and I thought it did sound better.  Hvide Sande is mainly a fishing port, so yachts have to squeeze in with them.  However, it also must attract the tourists, because there are a number of restaurants and shops of all description.  So before we left we stocked up on vegetables, having been told that a cucumber in Norway is about £8!

Tuesday 3^rd May 2011


We left Hvide Sande mid-morning for a sail to Thyboron, well at least we sailed half the way until the wind went of the nose yet again.  During the journey the water pump would not turn off, so on arrival in the early evening at Thyboron, James set about taking the boat apart again.  In the end the problem was found to be scale in the water tank which was blocking the outlet pipe, so it was not until 11pm that we sat down to supper!  At this point James said he was far too tired to consider the early start required for the trip to Norway on the 4^th and we knew the forecast for the 5^th was for strong winds on the nose, so we had 3 nights in Thyboron.  It does mean that we now have clean clothes as I did a hand wash and turned the boat into a Chinese laundry festooning it all around the foredeck but with the stiff breeze and sunshine it all dried quickly.  I must say I am so glad I have a husband who can turn his hand to engineering jobs!

The last morning I spent cooking a batch of vegetable soup and tried a Nigella recipe to use up rather old Satsuma’s, which she peels and separates into segments then soaks over night in alcohol, I did not have her suggestions on board but used a mixture of Brandy and Rum, which after the soaking is drained off and boiled with sugar for 5 minutes before being poured back on to the Satsuma’s, at this point I changed her recipe firstly by adding very out of date (6 years) orange jelly to the liquid, then I put the Satsuma segments neatly around a pastry case – part of my ships stores, before pouring on the cooled liquid and leaving it to set in the fridge – even if I say it myself it was jolly good!

Friday 6^th May 2011


James had me up for an early start – 4am from Thyboron, nearly 18 hours later and 150 miles we tied up against some staging in Norway, near Egersund and for once the wind was not against us so we motor sailing all the way and after the initial confused sea it calmer down and was quite pleasant!

10 pm arrival in Norway

Saturday 7^th May 2011


I was allowed a little lie in, we only left at 5am for Stavanger again we were able to motor sail most of the way and arrived here in time for a late lunch, we have tied up in the centre - however, we can’t work the machine to pay for our stay and even other Norwegian yachties can’t help us,.  Of course the Tourist Office had just closed by the time we found it and no one will sell us a Norwegian Data card so that we can connect to the internet as and when we want to.   Saturday night is party night in Norway and it was definitely lively discos until 4am and a drunken lad fell on to the boat, luckily he got off before James helped him, he then proceeded to fall into a motorboat who called the police!  

Paddington IV in Stavanger Vagen

Stavager Harbour by night

Sunday 8^th May 2011

The morning was spent doing household chores on the boat as we have bright sun shire and strong winds the washing dried very quickly.  We spent a very enjoyable afternoon at the Petroleum Museum as Stavanger is one of the centres on the oil industry in Norway.  Supper has been had at a Burger King to use their free internet.

It is a relief to have made Norway as James was becoming very depressed by all the weather hold ups and was almost of the point of turning round and sailing home, it took Jeremy and me quite some persuading to get him to continue!  Now we can hopefully enjoy the travelling north with all the summer ahead of us.