Early in the morning, we dare to pass beneath the western span of the Great Belt Bridge (above left). Almost all sections of the bridge are too low for Blue Layla to pass underneath, but there are two marked passages where the chart indicates that we should still have at least one metre of clearance between the top of the mast and the concrete—provided we keep exactly beneath the centre of the arch. It fits. Although, from the cockpit, it certainly does not look as though it will. That is a very effective way to start the day fully awake. After this little adrenaline boost, we continue northwards in much gentler conditions.

Samsø – Finding a Berth Among Friends: After some 30 nautical miles of glorious fair-weather sailing, the island of Samsø comes into view. It is one of our destinations for this cruise, although we already know from a previous visit just how popular—and therefore how busy—the harbour of Ballen can become. Nevertheless, that is exactly where we decide to head. When we arrive, all the regular berths are, of course, already taken. We eventually squeeze in alongside a small Hallberg-Rassy that had arrived shortly before us and had found a slightly adventurous spot outside the end of a pontoon. The harbour is now officially full (below). But, alas, dozens more boats arrive after us. Somehow, they all manage to find a bollard, a cleat or some other piece of harbour furniture to which they can attach themselves, with plenty of helpful hands from fellow sailors. Once again, we are impressed by the ingenuity and generosity of the sailing community.