Our position is 56:00.606N 14:50.108E

Distance covered c55Nm

After our extended stay in Gronhogen we decided to combine the next two days planned passages and go straight to Hano, a distance of around 55Nm, so it was up early on Wednesday. We were pleased not to hear the wind howling in the rigging, and it was a lovely morning, with a modest breeze, which would be behind us all day.

The lighthouse at the Southern end of Oland

Before long we had the cruising chute up but as we came out of the lee of the island the seas got bigger and the wind got up. The autohelm was struggling to keep the chute filling properly and at the prospect of hand steering all day we settled for the genoa instead, and were still surfing down the waves at 8 knots.

 Sailing with the cruising chute

Once we had rounded Utlangan, at the south east corner of the mainland, and the course got broader we took the main down and sailed with just a poled out genoa at over 6Knts, only a slight loss of speed,but a lot more peace of mind. We were soon motoring up the West side of Hano and into the little harbour. Apparently the harbour master reckons to be able to fit 70 boats in but it seemed quite crowded enough as we tucked ourselves into an alongside slot near the entrance.

Views of Utlangan and the big waves

We saw practically no other boats all day apart from this one

First sights of Hano and its famous lighthouse

Calmer on the west side  as we approached the harbour

We found a space but others were still looking

The next morning we saw the downside of being near the entrance as the first ferry of the day left

The code flags read “welcome to Hano”  (only ‘welcome’ visible in the photo though)

The log was only working for the second part of the passage and we tried to get the distance covered from the chart plotter, but it was wildly optimistic. Ted thinks it counts all the sideways motion across the waves as well.

There were two other British boats across the other side of the harbour and Mike, a fellow CA member, came across to issue an invitation to drinks. Mike and Helen also overwinter their boat at Fehmarn in Germany, where we are planning to go, as do Mike and Louise on the other boat. They were both heading South, as we are. Increasingly there are fewer Swedes in the harbours we go to but lots of Germans, also heading South, not to mention the swallows.

Getting ready to fly south – or were they expecting a lift?