We left Norway behind with most problems solved. Only a few remained to occupy our final stay in Hallberg-Rassy harbor June 2nd through 4th. While there, we
• Successfully downloaded C-MAP Baltic Sea charts for use on the Furuno navigation devices;
• Readied the gennaker and whisker pole – this involved, among other things, a trip up the mast for Phil to fit the topping lift;
• Received and rigged the final items on our HR-Parts order, and
• Confirmed that our AIS transmit function worked properly.
This left only testing of the Telenor USB modem and sat photo downloads as our final early season shake down issues.

We were now ready to begin the voyage to Gdansk. First stop – Copenhagen.

We left HR harbor around Noon, Friday, June 1st, under warm, cloudless skies. We soon exited the inside passage and entered the open sea. Seas were flat with a ten knot following breeze. We wasted no time setting our new gennaker. It performed brilliantly – eight knots boat speed in a 12 knot wind – meaning we can kill the engine far more often than last year.

Forty miles on, the wind gave out and we were forced to fire up the iron sail. We motored through the night, trading watches every two hours and arriving in Copenhagen around 3:00 p.m. We rafted up to a sailboat in the Christianshavns Kanal right downtown.

Phil led us on an introductory walking tour of the city. We looped through Free Town, whose residents do not consider themselves citizens of the EU and where hash and pot are sold openly on the street. Then on to Stroget, the longest pedestrian-only thoroughfare in the world, according to our tour guide (Phil). Everywhere, Danes were out in their summer clothes enjoying the warm sunshine. Bicycles jammed each intersection, and people clustered around street musicians. Most shops were closed as June 5th is Constitution Day in Denmark, a national holiday (not good for us as this was the day assigned for purchasing paper charts at the chandlery).

We proceeded to tour Phil’s neighborhood, eyeing his apartment building from the street, then on to his school where we tried unsuccessfully to access fast internet for the satellite photo download. Nothing was left to do but find a beer garden in one of the many squares. We toasted our progress as we engaged in people watching.

June 2nd, we continued sightseeing, ascending a spiral staircase to the top of Vor Frelsers Kirke, a tall church tower, strolling through the Botanical Garden and Kings Garden, viewing Amalienborg where the Queen lives, and drinking beer in Nyhavn, the oldest dockside area of town. Everywhere, Danes were out en masse, enjoying the Sunday sunshine and warmth. Cars were noticeably absent, virtually everyone getting around by foot, bicycle, or Metro. We must have walked five miles, returning to the boat fairly exhausted. Phil had Galley Master duties, preparing a delicious chicken korma over rice dish.

Monday dawned cool, grey and rainy, quite a contrast from the weekend. Martin and I ran errands while Phil slept in, going to the Telenor store to confirm that the USB modem was truly unlocked (it is), a nautical store to buy Baltic charts and pilot books, and a grocery store to provision for the next few days. We decided to shove off Monday evening to catch prevailing westerlies on the back side of the low pressure system that brought the rain. Tuesday morning we will be in Germany.