65 04.32 N, 11.48.18 E

 

We left our clean and cosy morning in North Bronnoysund by reversing out of the pontoon into a head wind. The wind was gusty and made getting out rather tricky. Once out in the channel conditions were even more varied. Gusts increased in strength from the east to force 5 and sometimes 6. However it was sunny. We detoured through the quaint small harbour of Bronnoysund (complicated pilotage of many sticks and lights). The bridge to the south of the town resembles a part form a giant scalectrix curling around to swirl back on itself to cross the sound. Heading south to Torghatten we came out of the shelter of the islands and were knocked sideways by a force 7 somewhat funnelled wind that had us struggling to stay away form the lee shore. We had to furl the yankee and reef the main before carrying on. The anchorage at Torghatten faces into the east wind so the idea of leaving the boat there for a walk in such conditions meant that we abandoned our idea and instead used the good wind to head south, pausing to take in a brief sight of the hole through the hill. We had a fine sail south only marred slightly by the fact that we had been towing the dinghy with a view to going ashore in Torghatten. At 8 knots and tender was weaving frorm side to side behind the stern. Things got rather more hairy as we approached the Island of Leka. Gust speed increased to between 30 and 35 Knots and we found we had to turn off the autohelm and hand steer her to handle the gusts plus we were navigating through skerries most of which were lying just under the water. After a spectacular gust reaching 40 knots we decided to look for a sheltered anchorage to get the dinghy back on the foredeck. On the mainland side of the channel past the Isle of Leka is a small anchorage called Rosvikvagen which in the pilot book shows a yacht peacefully at anchor with rocks and sunset behind. It was not quite the same view as we anchored and swirled about but it was peaceful compared to the channel we’d just left. Dinghy back on board we waited out the gusty conditions for about 2 hours before setting off again.