Week 19 6 – 13 May 2019 Lillesand/Skageröya – Mandal 34 nm

6 May Monday Lillesand/Skageröya – Kristiansand 18 nm
Quiet but cold night. Sunshine when we woke up. Started the furnace to warm up the boat and cook breakfast. Just above 12 degrees is a bit too cold to be comfortable during breakfast!
We launched the dinghy after breakfast to take a walk around the island. Very nice with a more or less prepared trail. We have been walking without marked trails on many islands and have had to reverse due to dense vegetation or too steep cliffs. This was very comfortable and we could concentrate on the views, birds and flowers.
Nice sunshine and temperature almost all the way, but we got some drizzle shortly before we reach the dinghy. Some very dark clouds were approaching as we came back to Moon and just minutes later we had hail.
Had lunch in a dark boat while rain and hail was pouring down for a half hour. After noon it became brighter, but still overcastted rest of the day.
During the afternoon we got a new weather forecast, predicting stronger westerly tomorrow.
Decided quickly to do the three hours trip to Kristiansand in little wind in spite the time was almost four. The alternative to stay on anchor for another two days was not so attractive; we had already walked the island!
Weigh anchor shortly before four and drove out to sea.
Moon has a too high mast to be able to pass the bridge in Blindleia, the inshore route in between numerous of islands, so unfortunately we had to sail/motor just outside the islands exposed to the swell. We managed to reach Kristiansand almost without any rain, but some gusts were very cold…
Shortly before seven Ally and Wayne from Blue Heeler took our lines on the dock in Kristiansand.
Moon was comfortable warm downstairs thanks to running the engine for three hours, but still it was nice to hook up 220 AC to have thermostat regulated heating in Moon.
Having AC we also ran the dehumidifier during the night. Very good to be able to minimize condensation, which can be a problem during these cold nights.

7 May Tuesday Kristiansand
Sunshine and not so much wind when we woke up. With central heating we have comfortable 19 degrees in the saloon when we have our breakfast. The predicted strong wind came before noon. Moon was moored bow against the wind and we had no discomfort due to the wind.
After noon we and Ally took the bus from centre to a Mall a bit out of town.
We needed a new Wifi antenna. Our old one didn’t coop with 4 and 5G. We managed to do all our shopping in time to be able to have a free return.
Back in Moon we had dinner; herring, potatoes and of course one traditional aquavit.
Before sunset we took a walk west of the guest harbour and then a film before bedtime.

8 May Wednesday Kristiansand – Flekkeröya – Olavsundet, Ny Hellesund 5 + 6 nm
Sunshine and some wind from south west when we had breakfast.
Blue Heeler left for Mandal and we decided to take on some fuel and then leave in spite headwind.
Europe has very expensive fuel. 14.35 Nkr per litre is almost double compared to what we got used to around the world outside Europe!
Before noon we were ready to leave Kristiansand and headed south. Very cold and headwind made us stop for a late lunch on a pontoon at Flekkeröy and wait for a predicted change of wind direction.
At two the wind had changed enough for us to continue. Unfortunately the new wind was very week, but we sailed slowly close haul for a while, until we had to go straight into the little wind.
There was a strong north east predicted late at night, and instead of passing Ny Hellesund we anchored
in the very protected lagoon Olavsundet. This lagoon is completely packed with boats at summer time, but now we were alone and had plenty of space to anchor. Launched the dinghy and went ashore. We had lovely views from the high cliffs around the lagoon.
Had a barbecue on lamb slices ashore, using one of the prepared fireplaces. They even had tables and chairs! The coming weather made the sky a bit cloudy and it became cold before we returned to Moon.
Very cosy to get inside a warm boat!

9 May Thursday Ny Hellesund – Sanöy, south of Mandal 11 nm
Rain and wind during the night. Olavsundet gives perfect shelter and we had only gusts from the passing wind. Only the chain on the rocky bottom woke us a few times.
The rain kept on and unfortunately the wind almost disappeared together with the rain. In the afternoon at three we weigh anchor and motored further west. Between small islands and through narrow sounds in between shallows. This is not the main fairway, but because we couldn’t pass under another bridge and didn’t want to go a long tour offshore we had to navigate these shallow sounds.
We found another “free area”, with a jetty and a protected bay where we anchored. Only rocks on the bottom made the anchor slip around. Put out all chain and reversed stern to into the jetty. Now we got a good holding, probably because the chain was wrapped around big stones out in the bay.
The rain came back just as we settled down inside, a rain that kept on during the whole night. We even got some hail.

10 May Friday Sandöy – Mandal 5 nm
The forecast predicted northwest before noon, and because of that we made an early morning. Left before breakfast and motored in to Mandal to wait out the predicted two days strong north-westerly wind.
We moored at the pontoon in Mandal before nine, lots of space this early cold spring.
We discovered glycol on the floor under the table in the saloon! Our new fan driven heat exchanger in the heating system had a leak. Luckily only a hose clamp that had to be tightened, but cleaning up was the big work. Good to be on a pontoon with plenty of fresh water…
In the afternoon, when the weather had improved, we took a long walk. Mainly to get some exercise, but also to find and examine the three big grocery stores.
After dinner we heard an engine behind Moon. Looking up it was Iguana with Berit and crew that had arrived. They had left Gothenburg one and a half days ago and sailed on an almost direct route. We have used just over one month along the two coastlines…
After sundowners in Moon they were all tired and went to sleep in Iguana.

11 May Saturday Mandal
Had a late morning and woke up to a crystal clear sky. We did some postponed job in Moon, while Annika made a few trips to Iguana, solving some IT problems.
After noon we took a long walk, including climbing to the view point above town. We could see the big, white capped, waves offshore and were happy not to have to go against those ones.
Did some shopping on our way back to Moon. The shops in Norway are closed on Sundays.
We were invited for dinner in Iguana.

12 May Sunday Mandal
Very quiet night in spite it was Saturday evening and in the middle of town.
Woke up to the same clear sky as yesterday. The wind was even stronger than yesterday.
Did some work inside Moon after breakfast. Had lunch and then took a long walk more westerly to look at surroundings along the beaches. Mandal has several long sand beaches facing southwest to northwest.
After dinner the crew from Iguana came for a night cap.
The marina has filled up due to boats waiting to pass the open water west of Mandal and the famous cape of Lindesnäs, south cape of Norway.

Annika & Björn