Most weather models had promised us a day of light winds, giving us the confidence to venture back out into the North Sea. We thought we might have to call upon our faithful Yanmar before long. At the reddish-grey light of dawn, we cast off from Gjeving and leave the shelter of the skerries behind. And how does the Skagerrak welcome us? With 16 knots of wind and a three-metre swell. What follows is a magnificent day under sail, with all the exhilaration of true offshore cruising. Just one small complication: eye ball navigating becomes rather challenging in the heavy seas. Islands appear and disappear between the waves, while the numerous fishing boats working these waters in the morning—and following courses that seem almost impossible to predict—appear to emerge from the swell only every twenty minutes, and never where we expect them to be.

Gjeving in the early hours. 

Around midday we arrive at Nevlunghavn (“the harbour by the dark rock”), a thriving fishing port that has retained its traditional character and is included on UNESCO’s list of places worthy of preservation. We buy freshly landed fish, which is transformed straight away into a wonderfully delicious lunch in our galley.