These few day’s where not so lucky (but that’s what makes it interesting, no?). We left Kiel with not so much gasoline. No problem because we’ll find a place to get some... Well that was a bit more difficult than expected. So we decided to just leave and solve problems when we get the opportunity. Waiting in front of the first lock we helped some people to anchor their boat, so you give some you get some. First problem solved, at least for a while! Next one, we didn’t had a map of the German Bight. Well not a map with the details we needed. No problem off course because I’m an experienced Kieler canal traveler so I knew that there was a shop in the middle of the canal who sells them. When we arrived there it changed into an icecream shop... So we shopped there, but not what we were supposed to shop. We continued, thinking what to do next. When we arrived there we found a pontoon to settle for then night. When we woke up it was a gasstation! Now it was saturday morning. If we would like to go out on the North Sea we really needed the map. Brünsbuttle was not an option we where told. So we had to go for Cuxhaven. But the shop closes early. The only way to get there was going against the current. Not easy, and very slowly. But we didn’t want to waist the weekend in Brünsbuttle so we decided to at least give it a try. In the lock we talked to our neighbours and he said we where a bit crazy and there is a shop in Brünsbuttle. Ah!!! Nice! So we decided to get out of the lock and go in immediately. That is off course when the big container ship had left the lock and they give us clearance to go in again. So we waited on the side moored at the side of a towing tug. Those guys where very friendly and took our ropes. Then the Lock master started shouting at us using the soundsystem of the lock. I replied what my intentions where using the marifoon. I calmed him down a bit... A few minutes later he came in person to our boat to ask again for our intentions. I explained him everything. He became very friendly, called somebody to ask if he knew a shop for charts (this friend of him said that that was impossible in Brünsbuttle) and told us that he had to call the police...??! So back in the lock the police arrived... I explained them again what had happend. Then they said that I had entered the lock when the lights where red. I explained them  that that was impossible because I know the system and we entered in the middle of the other sailingboats. Then they replied that I ignored the red light when I reentered. Same story again, not possible! I explained them again what I did and then they found a mistake. Ah!!! So you waited next to a tug boat! That is not allowed, the waiting area for sailboats in on the Elbe... 20€ fine!! And than they said, it’s just 20€... I was really mad. I’m sorry to say, but some Germans stick too close to the rules. This would never happen in the Netherlands of in Danmark... Well never mind. Breath in breath out, focus on the nice things in live, take a walk and just feel the wind. So we continued our quest for the maps. We talked to a lot of people but in the end there was a shop! So we’re all set to go!! We left for Cuxhaven with a lot of wind, it was a bit wet, but fine. Now we go for Helgoland. North Sea, here we come, finally!!

The day of the last episode, after posting, the weather remained very violent the whole day. We did nothing but sitting inside covering from the rain and the wind. When you would like to take a shower or just go to toilet, you had to put on all of your sailing gear. I danced with the wind, it felt like a real person pushing on my back, my side or front as I turned. I also walked on the stones to the entrance of the harbor, testing my sailing suite... It failed!

The next morning the wind had calmed down. We left the harbor, the direction changed and the wind slowed down even more. Perfect conditions to start fishing, according to Lidle Chef (f.k.a. ...). Mr Hyper Kinetic became Zen due to the fact that 3kts was too much speed for fishing. So slowly we rounded the coast of the isles of Møn. Famous for the most beautiful cliffs of Denmark. Kurt and I did our best to not do our best with sailing. Not easy. Letting go the attention, a wind shift is not important... It took a long while before our uneffort was rewarded. We caught our evening meal! A very beautiful Geep (this is the Dutch word, I have to look for a translation). Eagle Eyed Jerry honored the fish and than smashed her head. We continued fishing without any luck. But it was very nice going round the cliffs slowly. That evening we enjoyed the Geep as a real nice starter.

In Rødvig we anchored the boat next to a German. Very nice people, but everything has to go their way, so they would like to leave at 8h. No problem, we will leave as well we said. Then he said: “Ah nice, take your time, doesn’t matter if it’s a bit later”. But a bit later was just a bit and Peter didn’t even get the time to go to the toilet. So this evening we decided that a german would not be a good option. We dreamed of a Swedish boat... But in the end we ended up again next to a German. So the next day he left at 8h again. we just loosened our ropes except one line so we where more or less in the middle of the harbor. Waiting for him to leave. Suddenly he had no hurry anymore... We anchored our boat again and went to the beach for a Yoga session guided by our Guru Jerry. We ended with a group lotus flower (thanks Dóri!) and a skinydip in the sea. How perfect can the start of a day be. After breakfast it was about 12 o’clock, no hurry, because there was no wind yet. The harbor was almost empty so we decided to try to sail out of the harbor against the wind. Not so easy. But with 2 times a push of the engine we managed!

Not much wind, so time for sailfishing again. Not much luck today... But with the autopilot we could sail, fish, play guitar and have lunch at the same time. No change to get bored. Now it’s evening. Wind is gone again and we’re sailing using the engine. The sun is setting, chef is in his kitchen, eagle eyed is focusing on the horizon, zen is navigating slowly... In about 2 hours we’ll find an anchorage somewhere in a bay to enjoy the sunset and chef’s surprise of the day. Live is perfect!!!

Next morning. I woke up with the sound: “Hey guy’s! You’ve just missed a very beautiful sunrise!!!”.... .... Auch... Just about 5 o’clock in the morning... Mr Hyper Kinetic was back! Chef woke up as well, able to get Mr Hyper to calm down a bit and suggested that he should listen music using my headphones instead of turning on the sound system... At 7 it was not possible anymore to control him so everybody had to wake up (and not just pretending to be asleep). Anyway, a beautiful bay it still was. A nice breakfast, raising the sails, hauling the anchor and we were off again.  A nice quite day and again we fished 2 more “Geep’s” and saw dolphins and seals. That evening we arrived in Bagenkop. A very touristic harbor with a German Slager concert... We’ve been into better places, but we enjoyed the Geep a lot again!

Then of to Kiel! Leaving Denmark. When we left a small racer with a bunch of german guy’s with loud music left the harbor as well. Heading for the same destination. Seemed like a good mach for us so we started to race. Complete focus of the crew! The wind was perfect, the sun burned our faces. The Germans where just a bit faster so we had to do something... The wind was building up so we decided to change the Genoa for the high aspect (a bit smaller). We prepared well and the changing went very fast. I expected the wind to blow harder (as predicted), but not much of luck. It was a good choice to change, but the Germans where still a bit faster. So then the secret trick, going a bit more against the wind to be able to change course enough to use the spinnaker. So we did, reaching and trying to gain speed. It was a lot of fun, but we didn’t came any closer. When we arrived in the harbor we drank one beer and everybody was wasted immediately and drunk because we where exhausted, great feeling!!! 

No we go to a restaurant for the first time since we’re on the boat and explore Kiel’s nightlife!