ROSTOCK, Germany - 54 10.97N 012 05.90E
OOJAH's AWESOME ODYSSEY
Peter & Christene Tanner
Thu 18 Jun 2015 18:41
From Copenhagen we sailed South down the Oresund past “the Bridge” from Copenhagen to Malmo in Sweden, more famous since the Scandanavian television crime drama of that name. It is actually a 4km tunnel connected to a 4km artificial island from which there’s an 8km bridge - we went over the tunnel on the Danish side rather than under the bridge to the East. After a brief stop at Rodvig we visited Praesto, a very attractive small town on the shore of Praesto Fjord, accessed down a 5nm shallow channel from the sea. It also warmed up for a few days making it doubly pleasant to wander down the cobbled streets amongst the colourful old houses.  Our final stop in Denmark was at Klintholm on the island of Mons. Much is made of the chalk cliffs at nearby Mons Klint but although unusual for Denmark, they were not so special if you come from coastal chalk downland. The surrounding countryside with woodland, pasture & a few small hills was lovely - the Aborrebjerg at 143 metres is on of the highest points in the country! With more unsettled weather forecast we left a few days ahead of schedule for Rostock in North Germany, 50nm to the South. We will remember Denmark for its lovely welcoming people - it is stylish & well kept, but very flat & low lying. We visited 20 harbours in little over a month & covered the vast majority of our 450nm under sail which has been very pleasing. Berthing was good value at under £20 a night but usually all you got was a jetty with a couple of stern posts, power, water & a self service machine! Their beer was very flavoursome but drinking out cost twice what we are used to - eating out was always good & we had the odd treat. And then there’s been the wind which has been incessant - as I write it’s blowing 25-30kts from the North West & our lines are doubled. I now understand why the Danes generate so much electricity from wind that on a good day they have a surplus to export to neighbouring Norway, Sweden & Germany. Rostock is a historic Hanseatic (a trading alliance of the middle ages) city with tourist resorts, beaches, shipyards, & cruise ship & ferry terminals. we are in a soulless 750 berth resort marina opposite Warnemunde from where will will join the ARC Baltic in early July. But first we're flying home for 10 days so next report will be in a couple of weeks.  best wishes to all, Peter & Christene |