Lindesnes proved to be everything it was cracked up to be. We took it more than two miles offshore as advised and hallyhooched through 20- to 25-knot winds and three-meter seas. Thankfully, the breeze was mainly on our beam once we rounded the point, and we sailed into Mandal in fine fashion, surfing by the town's trademark beach just outside the harbor.

We chilled in Mandal, Norway's southernmost town, for two days as we waited for better weather, wind, and seas. While there, we found yet another very helpful Norwegian, Thorjus Due, at the Telenor store. Thorjus arranged for our USB modem to be unlocked, a feat we once thought impossible. We are awaiting an email with an unlock code and, once we have it, will be able to use the modem to access the internet in any country in the world, not just Norway. To make this possible, all we will need is a local SIM card in each country, just like with cell phones.

Also in Mandal, we met more friendly British cruisers, Dick, Robert, Gordon, and a fourth crew mate, who were driving their Najad 36 from Sweden back to Oban, Scotland, after an adventure in the Baltic. Dick gave us some very good advice about the Baltic for our expedition next year. Most importantly, he recommends traveling in a counterclockwise manner around the Baltic, as the prevailing winds are southerly. This would mean that we would end with the Gota Canal rather than start with it, which would eliminate some of the slog south against the winds. He advises that we go through the canal before mid-August as, after that, the canal authorities require convoying, with no dallying allowed. Certainly, that would not do for us! We will definitely heed Dick's advice when building next season's itinerary.

Favorable conditions finally arrived Saturday, and we shoved off at 6:00 a.m. We motorsailed 50 miles in a gentle following breeze to Arendal, the fourth largest town on Norway's East Coast. We docked at the Arendal Sailing Club, a convenient spot on an island just outside the main harbor. I cooked a delicious fish stew with ingredients purchased on the docks in Mandal late Friday. A tawny sunset and clear, full moon foretold good weather ahead.

Sunday's dawn was indeed brilliant, and the day offered some of the best weather of the season. Tonight, we find ourselves berthed in Nevlunghavn, a "miniature harbor, home port to prawn boats, with immaculately restored buildings," according to Lomax. Upon arrival from Arendal after a 40-mile broad reach in 20-knot winds, we sat on the dock in lawn chairs and enjoyed cocktails, warmed by the sun. As we watched, a busload of French tourists arrived at the harbor's only hotel across the way. Then, I took a stroll up the local hill, where I found World War II ruins and took pictures from an overlook.

The wind and waves are finally going our way, and life is good. Tomorrow, we push 40 more miles to Moss, a train ride away from Oslo.