Impressions of the Baltic

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by carstenb

Well Hoppy - I really can't tell you. I learned to swim at a Red Cross camp in the US where we were taught breast stroke, butterfly, sideswim and the crawl. When I think about it, most of my friends only swim the breast stroke, which is best for conserving energy etc. albeit not the fastest stroke around

Many Europeans still consider the freestyle stroke barbaric. I learned it as a child in the US where it's the main swimming stroke. Interestingly, they called it the "Australian crawl". Although it was apparently invented by American Indians.

Sent from my D6633 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[hoppy]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

Many Europeans still consider the freestyle stroke barbaric. I learned it as a child in the US where it's the main swimming stroke. Interestingly, they called it the "Australian crawl". Although it was apparently invented by American Indians.

I suppose it is barbaric for the beautiful people swimming in the south of France as their hair will get wet and messed up and the sun glasses may fall off.

[carstenb]

Originally Posted by hoppy

I suppose it is barbaric for the beautiful people swimming in the south of France as their hair will get wet and messed up and the sun glasses may fall off.

yes and all the topless women swimming around in the Baltic will get sun on their chests if they do the crawl

[hoppy]

Originally Posted by carstenb

yes and all the topless women swimming around in the Baltic will get sun on their chests if they do the crawl

I certainly don't have any objections to them doing the breast stroke

[Palarran]

I don't know what this conversation has to do with cruising the Baltic - but I like it


Backstroke would be my vote. Probably because I'm American, I prefer full on, simple strokes compared to the more dainty breast stroke.

[hoppy]

Originally Posted by Palarran

I don't know what this conversation has to do with cruising the Baltic - but I like it

It is very relevant......

Now you know that if you arrive in an anchorage and there are some swimmers in the way, they are not likely to do freestyle and get out of your way quickly, they'll just plod along slowly.

[Normanby]

Originally Posted by cagney

Normanby



You asked



FWIW, it's always been my option to sail around the tip of Denmark "The Skaw" to/from the UK/Channel area. You avoid all the traffic and other crap along the German and Dutch coast. Perhaps my views are colored by the fact that my Contessa 26 had no inboard engine, and I only use Canals when there is no other option. I have sailed to Kiel many times but never been through the canal.... Even this summer, with a bit bigger boat, the plan is to sail from Thyborön towards Lowestoft or Ramsgate.

So sure it's a viable option if you and your boat are up to the passage.



Thomas

Interesting, thanks.
Given that I'm almost at the SW tip of the UK (Plymouth), and feeling a little intimidated by the Channel traffic, I have looked at possibly sailing up the Irish Sea, past the west coast of Scotland, then across the North Sea to the northern tip of Denmark.
It's a long way, and if I stop too often I might run out of time to get as far as the Baltic.
But the idea keeps rattling around in my little skull. I wonder if that route might be less trafficked, and thus less dangerous for the solo, sleep-deprived yachtsman.

[crewtv]

Try it. one of my favorite places is Sweden www.sailingsweden.com


Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[carstenb]

If any of you are planning this trip. Here is a link to a Danish harbour pilot. It is in english and tells a bit about each harbour and town. It also has a graphic depiction of the harbour showing lead lines, lighthouses, water depths thoughout the harbour and piers docking spaces etc etc.

Havneguide - Begivenheder og oplevelser i lystbådehavne, marinaer og havne


Have fun

carsten

[Sandibar]

If anyone's interested, below are a couple of videos of our Estonian tour earlier this summer. Not so that much sailing going on but some scenery also included. Hope you don't mind Dockhead, may be useful for someone planning a trip in this general direction.

It's been so cool here this summer that there are no clips of girls doing the breaststroke topless... sorry!

https://youtu.be/xfsoFF1_vYM

https://youtu.be/2aXDHM2oTos

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Sandibar

If anyone's interested, below are a couple of videos of our Estonian tour earlier this summer. Not so that much sailing going on but some scenery also included. Hope you don't mind Dockhead, may be useful for someone planning a trip in this general direction.

It's been so cool here this summer that there are no clips of girls doing the breaststroke topless... sorry!

https://youtu.be/xfsoFF1_vYM

https://youtu.be/2aXDHM2oTos

Great stuff!

Last year we saw very little indeed of Estonia -- just Lehtma and Lohusalu.

This year we did the entire coast of Estonia all the way down to the Latvian border, passing along the inside of the Western islands. What a great place!!!

Tallinn is one of my two favorite ports in the whole Baltic; we went there twice this year and stayed several days each time.

We also discovered the new marina at Kardla and got to wander around Hiiuma island. We got to wander around Muhu and Saaremaa islands, too.

Then there was the very picturesque island of Prangli Saar, near Tallinn, and an ideal passage port from Eastern Finland, although extremely tight for big boats.

Estonia is altogether one of the best cruising destinations in the Baltic, and one could spend a whole summer exploring it.

Interestingly, we found very little English spoken outside of Tallinn, but everyone spoke Russian.

It's a very, very beautiful country, still surprisingly unspoiled, yet with excellent provisioning and services. In many places it was "back to the USSR", looking more Soviet than Russia does, and with lots of old Soviet cars and trucks lovingly restored.

We needed propane in Kardla, and the harbormaster, without hesitating, said, jump in my car, I'll take you. And drove us all the way across the town to a little shop which exchanged our 7kg Finnish propane bottle for 12 euros (!), and sold us a bag full of gas fittings for our spares kit. The harbormaster then refused to take any money for taking us.

[Sandibar]

Estonia truly has some spectacular cruising to offer. Our favorite was probably Ruhnu. For me it was a bit of a surprise that the quality of the marinas is so high. Everywhere seems to be New. Kardla marina was not marked on my plotter yet, I think they opened last year. You do get that 50s vibe in some of the smaller villages though.

I wonder if you were worried about your draft entering some marinas with a big boat? It's bloody shallow often. I think it's even possible to wade between some of the islands.

[Polux]

Originally Posted by Lars_L

...

In the Baltic there are long periods during the summer that have a temperature over 24 °C, there could even be periods that have over 28 °C. During the night it comes down to 18 °C.
.....

That seems awful good while I am at Corfu on a cheap hotel waiting for some pieces for my boat and trying to keep the air conditioner at 26/27º. Outside is too hot to go anywhere (40º). It is for me a mystery why the Ionian is the most crowded cruising part of Greece:

No wind, crowded anchorages, expensive marinas. I guess that is what most like. I was just passing through and get stuck here. Last year I got stuck in Agios Nicolaus, Crete, oh man, if you have to get stuck chose Crete, at least you have the wind to take the heat away and the wine is much better.

[hoppy]

Originally Posted by Polux

That seems awful good while I am at Corfu on a cheap hotel waiting for some pieces for my boat and trying to keep the air conditioner at 26/27º. Outside is too hot to go anywhere (40º). It is for me a mystery why the Ionian is the most crowded cruising part of Greece:



No wind, crowded anchorages, expensive marinas. I guess that is what most like. I was just passing through and get stuck here. Last year I got stuck in Agios Nicolaus, Crete, oh man, if you have to get stuck chose Crete, at least you have the wind to take the heat away and the wine is much better.

From what I'm seeing in the weather forecasts and comments from friends, it's pretty cold, wet and miserable in Stockholm this summer and maybe the rest of the Baltic is no better.

About the Ionian, also don't forget too many Italian flagged yachts filling every anchorage 😜

Is your boat on the hard now? I'm in Zakinthos, around here there seems to be more wind than Corfu 😃


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[Polux]

Originally Posted by hoppy

....
About the Ionian, also don't forget too many Italian flagged yachts filling every anchorage 😜

Is your boat on the hard now? I'm in Zakinthos, around here there seems to be more wind than Corfu 😃

Yes Italians and charters. Yes Zakinthos or even the Peloponnese coast South of Zakinthos has more wind and less boats but even so the wind is quite irregular.

Yes I have the boat on the hard with a problem on the saildrive that had origen on a bad montage by the Italians. The Italians are paying but even so it is a drag. If I have time I will sail for the Sporades on the North of Greece. Wind is OK there, even a bit too strong on the next days (beginning of August).