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Baltic Sea Challenge Part 4/4

Sunday 28 July

The prediction was still for heavy winds building during the Sunday and more wind on Monday, the last day of the Baltic Sea Challenge.
What to do? Wait it out for two days and return to the EM2 campus on Tuesday? This was not an option for Mark who had to catch the ferry back to the UK or for Ingo E. who had work commitments.
Bert and Ingo E. started before 0700 hours and dashed back to the EM2 campus in just over three hours.
The rest of us waited for better weather. While Tineke and Sybren stayed in Schaprode we took the ferry to visit the island of Hiddensee.

In the evening we had dinner at the Fahrmann restaurant. Since we would not sail on Monday and Mark would leave early the next morning it was a bit of a farewell dinner. Everybody shared their highlights of the past few day while Koos was fetching the prizes from the camping. There were some silly prizes but the main prize went to Bert and Ingo E. who had been the fastest boat all-round and were already back at the EM2 campus.

After dinner we had some quiet drinks outside. As the sun went down, the wind changed and increased to a force 5-6. Time to go to bed!
I snuggled down in my sleeping bag and went to sleep while Hatseflats rocked and moaned with its stern to the wind. It was very noisy in the marina with the wind screaming through the stays and halyards lashing against the masts.

Monday 29 July

Early in the morning the wind was still howling through the marina. I went to the harbour master for the latest prediction and walked to the quay to take readings with my anemometer. The wind averaged 10-16 knots peaking at 21 knots but would decrease in the late afternoon. So the best option was to wait it out and sail back on Tuesday.

Around 1100 hours, Bert arrived with car and trailer to drive Mark, Tineke and Sybren back to Stralsund.
Later on, the sun began to shine and Vincent, Inge and I strolled to the camping where we met Ingo, Koos and Frits for a leisurely afternoon at the beach. Later in the afternoon, Sybren and Tineke arrived from the mainland with their car and trailer. They would stay on for a couple of days and haul Fuut out of the marina for the trip home.
We had a relaxed dinner at the Fahrmann and said goodbye to Sybren and Tineke.

Tuesday 30 July

I was up early and rowed out of the marina at 0720 hours, followed by 'Aries' with Vincent and Inge. I quickly rowed past the ferry quay and stayed out of the shipping channel. Outside the harbour there was just a little wind but the waves made it hard to make good progress. Behind me I saw that 'Aries' made progress under sail and hoisted my sail as well. The little breeze pushed us at 3 knots, which was faster than I could have rowed. Frits left at 0815 hours and was far behind.
Around 1000 hours I passed buoy 47 off the island of Ummanz and entered the Kubitzer Bodden. Soon the wind dropped to a whisper and I started to row to reach the Strelasund. Vincent and Inge soon passed me rowing two-up.
Once in the Strelasund the wind picked up again and we could sail again. On 'Aries' and 'Hatseflats' we decided to skip Altefahr and pass the bridge at the city-side. The headroom was only 6m and Vincent took down his rig. On Hatseflats I took a reef and heeled the boat while I sailed under the low bridge. Vincent behind me found it scary because there was only 20cm above the yard of Hatseflats.
Once in the Strelasund, we were met by Bert in his Folkboat and made it quickly to the EM2 campus. Koos had arrived first, as usual.
Once we had hauled our boats ashore and made them ready for the trip home, we all went to have dinner in the Greek restaurant in Andershof.
On returning at the EM2 campus we drank the last of Ingo's cognac and Marks whisky and celebrated the end of the Baltic Sea Challenge.

Distance: 40km
Winner: Koos

What Next?

The Baltic Sea Challenge was a very nice event during which group members became friends and almost family. We spent two days in Schaprode waiting for the wind to moderate but that is to be expected on a coastal trip. In the 4 sailing days we covered 158km. On average we sailed 40km per day.
Ingo, Bert, Koos and myself realised halfway through that we had strayed from the one-race-per-day concept. Over the next weeks and months, we will evaluate the event with the input of the BSC participants. The sailing area is so beautiful and well-suited for (cruising) dinghies that is attractive to have a follow-up. The big question is whether to have an all-out race or more of a cruise.