Also the last stretch of this 5000M cruise ended as scheduled, even though it posed some particular challenges with either too much or too little wind. This time we also had to accomplish a crew change already after one week, which added some extra pressure onto the skipper. Along the Norwegian coast southwards we faced some strong winds and rough seas, but managed quite well. But on our first day we had to return into the harbor, after fighting more than two hours against 25kn of wind head-on and 3m high waves. The next day we had a very speedy passage on broad reach (i.e. with wind from behind) even though accompanied by some rain.
Crossing the Skagerrak from Norway to Denmark was a pure motoring expedition, as the sea was flat as a mirror with any wind at all. Later we sailed from Skagen on the N-tip of Jutland to Laeso and into Goteborg. This was our last crew change, with David leaving and Markus with his son Valentin boarding.
Crossing the Baltic southwards to Kiel was again a mixture of pleasant sailing on broad reach under Genaker in the sun, beating close-hauled upwind and motoring through the rain and fog. One of the highlights was passing underneath the huge bridge across Storebelt under sail. This last leg brought Shiva into the river Schlei. There I prepared her for wintering in Kiel.
Congratulations!