Lango
After Grebbestad, we made one more stop on our way back to Ellös and the Hallberg-Rassy boatyard. We chose Lango Harbor because it was a fjord-like harbor that looked well-protected. It also had 5 mooring balls belonging to the Swedish Cruising Association (we are members and can use the moorings). It was a beautiful harbor, surrounded by greenery, in contrast to many of the rocky areas where we had been. We were the only ones in the harbor and thunderstorms were brewing as we moored. The winds were over 20 knots that night and we worried about dragging the mooring. Luckily, there is always some light this time of year in Sweden, so if we needed to release from the mooring and set our own anchor, we could have done so without too much stress. We set an anchor alarm and held onto the mooring until morning.
Hallberg-Rassy Boatyard, Ellös, Sweden
We returned to Ellös on rolly seas and modest winds. Once docked in Ellös we submitted our export documentation to Hallberg-Rassy. We also submitted a list of “warranty” items –things that weren’t quite working properly or otherwise needed attention. Examples of such items included a door that wouldn’t stay latched when underway; a gasket that wasn’t installed properly on the door to the engine room; and a problem with our water systerm not maintaining pressure. HR staff went to work right away addressing these issues. We also asked for a piece of naugahyde/vinyl that is the same as the headliner so we could make a little cover for the spot in the aft cabin where the bolts protrude from the installation of the Hydrovane. HR made and installed the cover for us! While at HR, we took a 90 minute “field trip” to a nearby town with a shopping mall, including an Ikea store, sports and clothing stores, and a home improvement store. That was fun!
One calm day at HR, Adam took the helm and drove us outside the harbor, practiced some maneuvering under power, and returned us to the dock. The spot where we were docked required a 180° turn to position Hokukea alongside. This was Adam’s first time docking, and he handled it like a pro!
Our final night in Ellös was very windy and uncomfortable. Winds gusted 25-30 knots all night long. Hokukea was being pushed hard against the dock and was noticeably listing to starboard. Our fenders were getting squeezed so badly I feared one would pop.
Svinesviken, Henån
The winds eased a bit in the morning, and in a lull, we left the dock and headed around the corner and up an inland waterway to Brodernas Martinsson boatyard to have our Volvo-certified 50-hour engine service provided. They may also install our liferaft for us.
Oh, you want a good laugh? I was reading this and didn’t realize I had my volume turned on and suddenly I heard this loud sound and I couldn’t see anything outside, went out in the hallway, called my neighbor to see if they are doing construction, called the security office and finally realized IT WAS MY COMPUTER making the sound coming from your recording of the wind. Oh Boy, old age is so much fun!!!
That’s so funny, Laura! Adam saw your comment and then, unbeknownst to me, he played it to see what it sounded like. I was like, “What the heck? What is that noise?” Ha ha. mj
Scary isn’t it, especially if you have your volume button on loud. The next day my neighbor that I called said, “Laura, I think you need to get some sleep.” We both laughed. Oh well, thank you for the excitement!!