An Adventurous Sailing Trip to Denmark: Storms, Adventures, and Historical Treasuresy
8 july till 13 August 2024
Our sailing journey to Denmark began with a determined crew, a well-equipped boat, and an unforgettable adventure ahead. We left our home port with the wind firmly in our sails and a long, challenging voyage before us.
Night Crossing and Surprises at the Lock
We set course north via Scheveningen and Vlieland. Our first night crossing approached quickly, and although it was exciting, we were well-prepared. Thanks to a tight schedule and a bit of luck, we arrived just in time at the Elbe estuary, where the current helped us further towards Brunsbüttel. The wind picked up significantly, and to our relief, we were able to enter the lock immediately. It was packed – if this was a sign of how busy the Baltic Sea would be, we were in for a lively time!
First Experiences in Denmark: A Lost Boat and Seaweed Troubles
The first days went smoothly. We spent the night in Brunsbüttel and Laboe, with a quick stop in Kiel to buy a new Navionics chart. Then we found the perfect anchorage on the island of Ærø. After a refreshing swim and a trip with the dinghy to the village, we received an alarming alert from the anchor watch: the boat had moved over 40 meters. At first, we thought it was because the wind had shifted slightly, until we returned to the dinghy… and the Black Bird was nowhere to be found!
What goes through your mind at such a moment is indescribable: stolen? Adrift? Through the Dehler app, we saw that the Black Bird was 1.8 miles away! With an empty fuel tank and all the adrenaline we could muster, we rowed like Olympic athletes in an attempt to find our boat. Luckily, we found her undamaged. The anchor had come loose due to the dense seaweed on the bottom, something we had never encountered before, but which we will never forget.
Round Funen: From Legoland to the Great Belt
Our journey continued along several islands around Funen, with stops in Middelfart and Vejle, where we enjoyed a few days of rest and a visit to Legoland. We sailed through the Great Belt to Korsør, where the weather was so bad that we didn’t see the bridge until five minutes before – an incredible experience, considering we would see the same bridge from five harbors away…
From Korsør, we took the train to Copenhagen, where we, of course, visited Tivoli Park and Christiansborg Palace. We then set course for Langeland and ended in Bagenkop, where we visited the Cold War Museum – one of the highlights of our vacation. It was an impressive experience that taught us a lot about an era we had learned little about in school.
Return through the German Bight: Tumultuous and Treacherous
After our historical excursion, the return journey through the notorious German Bight was on the agenda. The long-term weather forecast warned us of rough conditions, so we decided to return to the Netherlands a little earlier. This turned out to be a wise choice: those who left after us were stuck in Cuxhaven for days. When we finally reached Vlieland, the friendly sea turned into a hostile opponent. The wind and current created high waves that pounded against the hull, turning the final hours of the journey into a true ordeal.
Leaving Vlieland and Returning: A Thrilling Maneuver
After a few days on Vlieland, we saw a weather window to sail to Scheveningen. But after three hours of sailing, the weather turned out to be much more turbulent than expected. Instead of the predicted increasing wind from 18:00, we were already facing 24 knots of wind by 16:00. The decision was made quickly: we returned to Vlieland.
As we lowered the sails near the harbor, we quickly noticed a strong cross current at the entrance. With 2.4 knots of current and 24 knots of wind perpendicular to the entrance, it was bustling – not with boats, but with people ready to film everything with their phones. We gave a bit of full throttle to gain some speed, let it off just before the entrance, and kept some power in reserve just in case. We crabbed towards the harbor entrance, and once inside, the cameras were replaced by applause. Relieved and satisfied, we docked, ready to swing the stern into the box… and then, the Black Bird suddenly lost control. A gust of wind caught the boat, and we ended up sideways between two piers. Fortunately, onlookers quickly noticed what was wrong and sprang into action. Fenders were pulled from everywhere, and a 28-foot ship at the alongside pier served as a bumper.
Our boat is 12.5 meters long, and the space between the boats was only 13.5 to 14 meters, so it was truly a matter of millimeters. In the end, we hit the sideways boat, exactly as intended, but did get our first scratch. But honestly, it didn’t bother us too much, as this could have ended much worse.
The Final Sprint: From Vlieland to Hellevoetsluis and Dinteloord
The next day, we set course for Hellevoetsluis, a distance of 122 miles that we covered in 19 hours. The following day, we sailed on to Dinteloord. With that, our vacation came to an end: 23 sailing trips in total, covering 1051.8 miles in 17 days and 19 hours. With an average speed of 5.9 knots and our longest trip of 168.2 miles, we got to know the Black Bird and ourselves better.
