Our position is 54:18.289N 13:07.246E

Distance covered 52.3Nm

The following day the baker and the refuelling delayed us so we didn’t get away until just after 9am, which meant we were unlikely to be able to get through the bridge between Stralsund and Danholm at 17.20 and would have to wait for the 21.20, so we motored quite gently as, once again there was very little wind and also the visibility was poor, but at least the autohelm was working properly again.

Shortly after leaving the channel to Gedser we passed across the top of a traffic separation area and with the restricted visibility we needed to keep monitoring the radar to make sure we knew where everyone was going, otherwise the most exciting thing that happened was that a bee landed in the cockpit and rested there for some time. Before leaving it spent a not inconsiderable time apparently grooming. I wasn’t sure if this was an essential activity to ensure it could fly effectively or whether the bee was just a cool dude with a lot of pride in its appearance. The whole episode made me ponder on the opportunity cruising gives you to take time to observe the wider world. I couldn’t help thinking that I wouldn’t have taken that much interest in bee activity during the course of a normal day.

Wonderful to be able to study it closely

Once the bee had flown off and the visibility had improved we were arriving at the approach channel which would take us into the boddens (shallow, relatively enclosed areas of water) around Rugen island and the Strelasund. The boddens have apparently been likened to the Norfolk Broads but from what we saw they seemed considerably shallower than my memories of the Broads. The channel we followed was narrow and tortuous, and at times crowded when larger ships came by or in the other direction.

 Narrow channel and low lying land

Other boats making the narrow channel seem crowded; and Achiever was going fast

The town of Stralsund, where the rally will begin, looked interesting, but we ignored its delights for now and went on down to the bridge, where we tied to a post and had supper while waiting for it to open. 

 Views of Stralsund

After we did it everyone tied to posts

Eventually it opened

Presumably this was a remnant of the cold war rather than a victim of a high tide

Once open we led the charge through, going round the bottom of the little island and into the delightfully sheltered yacht club harbour. Even though it was nearly 10.00pm the harbourmaster was waiting on the end of the pontoon to welcome us and help us into the berth that had been reserved for us by Antje, the local HLR, as the light faded.

Entering the yacht club marina. It was darker than it looks!