Carra Tidings

We were very excited to be joining Sam and Mags on Carra for a week. This would be the first time we have sailed in Denmark. We had caught a late flight to Copenhagen on the Monday evening. Naturally, the flight was delayed so we didn’t get to our hotel until 01.30am so we slept soundly overlooking the very pretty canal side area of Nyhavn in central Copenhagen. As ex boat owners ourselves, we knew that Sam and Mags could give us either a place or a date to meet up but not both so we expected to catch a train to wherever they had managed to moor up. It was a very straightforward journey via a couple of buses and a train to Kerteminde.

Sam was waiting for us as we got off the bus and we were soon on the lovely Carra. Dinner on board followed by an early night. We left the next morning to make our way south to Nyborg. It was a great sail and we were soon moored up in the old harbour. We went for a stroll into the town andfound an ice cream parlour that made their own waffle cone. Delicious. Friends of Sam and Mags were also moored up there so they popped over for pre dinner drinks. Just before we were about to eat a training yacht turned up and decided to raft off us. They hadn’t bothered to ask and added insult to injury by trampling across the front of the boat with their shoes on in their desperate search for food. Neither Sam nor Mags were best pleased with their behaviour.

Luckily, they had left early the next morning before us as we had a 5 hour part motor/ part sail to a very pretty anchorage just outside Svendborg. The wind direction forecast was completely wrong but we still managed a sail.  Safely anchored up, we spent the afternoon chilling before a delicious BBQ.

By now we were getting accustomed to life on board – don’t mess with Mags when she’s in the galley and let Sam tweak the sails whilst underway! We were learning to be able crew but very alert to ensuring we did things their way.

On Friday, we left our peaceful anchorage early to make our way to Faaborg. We managed to sail some of the way but we were keen to get into the harbour before the predicted storm arrived. We had made good time and were just coming along side when the harbour master requested we moved forward. No problem except the heavens opened and didn’t stop for the next three hours! However, we couldn’t really complain as this was the only real rain the whole trip. Once it had stopped, Liz and Sam had a wander around the town and found some interesting sculptures!

We finally managed to convince Sam and Mags to let us treat them to a meal and found a lovely local restaurant (Restaurant Heimdal) run by two gay guys. Jo had the pork casserole whilst the others had the “shooting star” open sandwich with delicious fresh fish. We also ordered three glasses of wine but they thought we meant three bottles! Luckily, this was soon rectified. Back to the boat to watch the Opening Ceremony of the Paris Olympics. It was ambitious and wonderfully bonkers but they should all be applauded given the dreadful weather!

Another short hop the next morning to the island of Lyø where Sam had found us a gorgeous spot to anchor in. The dinghy was inflated and an expedition party set of for the nearby hamlet of Bådsted.

That meant Jo could have a quiet couple of hours without disturbance. Up early again the following morning as we wanted to get a space in the old harbour of Æroskobing. It was very windy so we had a cracking downwind sail and were tied up by 10.30 before the harbour filled up.

Some yachts were more in control than others but luckily no damage done despite one couple’s determined efforts! The town is a very pretty one with art shops, restaurants, cafes and old houses. The piece de resistance was the row of colourful beach huts on the spit about ½ mile from the harbour. A late lunch at the harbourside fish stall filled us up nicely.

Our last full day was an upwind sail to Svendborg where we will catch the bus and then train to the airport on Tuesday. Wonderful sailing conditions again. Svendborg is obviously a very popular harbour in high season. We arrived before midday so we were able to go alongside but within a couple of hours, boats were rafted three deep. The old harbour nearby was full of old wooden sailing ships, testament to Svendborg’s shipbuilding history. The day was finished off with fish and chips from the fish stall on the quay. Perfect ending to the holiday.