Klaipeda, Lithuania to Liepaja, Latvia
Al Shaheen
John & Jenny Franklin
Wed 18 Jun 2014 17:03
Several OCC boats left Klaipeda on Monday, all with different objectives and different programmes. Five of us chose to stay due to a couple of days of northerly winds. The next meeting point will be Tallin in Estonia on 27 June so we have lots of time to play around. The next city of interest is Riga, but to go there by boat means a long double-back into the Gulf of Riga, so many of us plan to travel there by bus from either Liepaja or Ventspils on Latvia's west coast before continuing northwards to the Estonian islands.
Early this morning the wind went into the west and we all left heading north. We set off at the 0700 bridge opening and encountered awfully lumpy seas in the river mouth, so much so that we only managed 1.5 knots against the seas in the entrance. Once we could bear away to a northerly course we had a wonderful sail all day, eventually in sunshine - 52 miles with the wind at 60 degrees and a boat speed averaging 7 knots with full main and genoa. Initially it was bitterly cold but gradually warmed up as the sun came out. Water temperature is only 9 degrees, so it is not surprising that it is cold.
We are berthed alongside a long pontoon by the Promenade Hotel right in the centre of the city with an exceptionally helpful dockmaster who speaks perfect English.
Tomorrow we are taking the 0700 bus to Riga and staying overnight in the Old Town.