Again a trip to Lurö archipelago. This time we started at Spiken and I was not alone. Eight friends joined me on this extraordinary nice evening. It was Frida, Christina, Per, Eva, Peter, Göran, Lotta and Robin.
The crossing to Lurö was the nicest I have had, sunny and completely calm sea. We set camp at Svinön and had a nice dinner and most of us enjoyed a glas of wine.
During the night the wind picked up and our plans to go to the island Djurö was changed. To much wind and to much open sea. That is about 6 nautical miles across!
Instead we went to Vithall, Aspholmen and Gunnarsholmen. At Vithall I had to do a roll just to cool off.
Back at Svinön we decided to change campsite to Bösshamn at Lurö. Christina, Lotta and Göran changed their minds and started for Djurö anyway, the rest of us went to Lurö where Malin, Helge and Mikael from Värmland greeted us. They are three kayaking friends and later Gregory joined us as well.
Me, Frida, Robin, Per and Eva took a walk to Stenstaka where we had some ice cream, coffee and a beer. Sitting at a cliff watching the sun go down while drinking a beer is as good as it gets.
Next morning we paddled round the island Lurö while our friends from Värmland went back north. Also this a windy day but still very sunny. As we went back to Spiken the wind died down somewhat and the crossing was excellent in a nice tail-wind.
I took my first swim this year at Lurö and again at Lill-Eken. Cold! But some of the others disagreed and said it was very pleasant. Not for me, at Lurö it was supposed to be 18°C in the water. That is not pleasant!
Again a very, very nice trip with some old and some new kayaking friends. Thank you for a fantastic weekend.
Here the video is finally up.
Our track
Distance 52,1 km
Average speed 5,5 km/h
Max speed 9 km/h
Time paddled 9,5 hours
Frida is arriving at our first camp site (Svinön)
Lunch at Vithall
Time to leave this wonderful place
Per and Robin
Göran and Peter
Camping place #2 (Bösshamn at Lurö)
Morning and time to leave
The sauna and wood heated bathtub at Stenstaka. It's on a rather large float.
Frida in her Skim Beaufort
Robin in his Anas Acuta (totally black compared to mine that got a white hull)
Me and my friend Christer had three marvelous days crossing the Lake Vänern from Värmrandsnäs to Kollandsö and back. That is the shortest way to cross the lake and its about 23 km (14 miles). But we made a lot of detours and stayed two nights on an island north of Lurö island. Lurö archipelago is a big fresh water archipelago in the middle of the Lake Vänern with about 250 islands.
We started at Ekenäs on Friday and paddled in the warm sun down around Lurö and finally made camp at Svinön. It was 18,5 km in our T-shirts. And just one and half week ago it was snowing!
After a marvelous night with a stunning sunset and even more beautiful sun-up we continued down to Spiken, the southernmost point on our trip. On the way we met two friends, Michael and Camilla, at Mellskär reef for a coffee break together. They were on the opposite way towards Lurö.
At Spiken we had an ice cream and a coffee before heading back to Lurö. An increasing headwind made the crossing over mostly open water rather long and we were a bit tired when we arrived at Svinön again. On my GPS the track showed 30,4 km for the day (about 19 mi). A bit later Michael and Camilla showed up and we but up our tents (I had my hammock) and had another nice night.
Next morning after breakfast me and Christer continued north while the other two headed back south. This day it was just as calm as on Friday and even warmer. about 20°C, and clear skies. T-shirt weather again! We both had some sun burns by now even when being very careful.
We took a lunch break at the island Vithall, an small island inhabited until 1959. How they could survive on that small island is a mystery.
At five in the afternoon we are back at Eken. The whole trip was 62.3 km long (39 mi) and average speed was 6.1 km/h (just over 3 mi/h). Many times our speed was 7-8 km/h. A very good trip in a nice summer weather.
Update: Now I have finished the video from the trip.
Our track
Leaving Ekenäs
Christer
At 3 am. We are closing in on midsummer and the nights are short.
Christer again
Me. (Photo by Christer Bodling)
Passing Stångudden light house. I pass here every week with ships.
Runnen light house
A wreck (called Matvreaket). That is a long story.
At Whit Monday me and a friend took our kayaks out for a trip on Lake Vänern. We started at Spiken on a beautiful day with no clouds but a bit of wind. Surprisingly enough the temperature was nice at about +10° C in the air despite the wind. The water temperature on the other hand was only +2° C according to local fisherman.
Dry-suits on and away to a small island for a "fika" (Coffee break in Swedish). Very pleasant in the sun. After that onward to Naven light house where we had some lunch., Finally we arrived at our destination, a nice wooden wind-shelter close to the lake, here was also a convenient fire-pit.
After unpacking the kayaks we took an hour long walk along a nice path. A lot of moose droppings! Back at the campsite it was time to make dinner. I baked (and burnt ) some bread and with that we had some grilled chorizo. A pot on the fire for tea and coffee is standard!
The night was not so cold and in my sleeping bag from Robert's Outdoor it was even a bit too hot at times. But better that then freezing.
A clear blue sky greeted us in the morning and we made som breakfast, packed our kayaks and off again. The forecast said more wind and some rain. On the way I heard the first great bittern (rördrom) with its distictive sound. It sound as when you blow into a bottle. Then we also saw a sea eagle circling above us not so far away (tried to take a photo of it but missed).
With the wind in our back we had good speed back to Spiken. Just a "fika" break on the way. Back at Spiken I did a roll in the cold water, the first outdoors for some time, then we decided to have our lunch at the open café, Emmelies cafe. Thanks for the lunch and company Frida.
A very nice two days out kayaking and about 50 km. The sun was actually warming a bit and I can feel in my face that I have gotten a bit sun burnt. Nice feeling
Me and my friend Björn went to a nice beach, Svanäs, for surf training on Friday. And it was surf allright! Probably the most difficult seas I have ever paddled in. The wind was 16-18 m/s and up to 20 m/s in gusts. (Up to 39 knots, 44 mi/h).
Hard to paddle out through the surf to deeper water for turning in towards land again. The wind was pushing very hard at my blade so it was a struggle. I really missed my Greenland paddle there. And what did I miss more? My GoPro that is in for repairs and charged battery for my Olympus camera. Very, very frustrating. But luckily enough Björn had his camera with him so he took some photos.
It was hard in the surf to stay upright and I tipped over several times. But I managed to roll up every time except two times when the water was to shallow. One time racing down a wave at great speed my bow went down, and down and down. Finally the sea pushed me head-over-heels to land upside down. This was absolutely a first for me. And I managed to roll up again!
After three hours I was knackered and went to Lidköping with a big grin on my face. Thanks Björn for your company and for the photos.
Saturday leisure trip
After piloting in the night and three hours sleep I went to Spiken fishing village to meet up with some friends. It was Fredrik, Frida, Magnus, Jens, Björn and Lennart. It's unbelievable how the water could be so smooth after the surf and heavy seas the day before. A bit cloudy, some fog but also some sun peeking through the clouds.
A nice slow trip in the archipelago of Kålland down to Naven light house. There we had some lunch and friendly discussions before going back again. Nice training of paddle technique weaving between islands and reefs. And as always I did some rolls. Some thinks it's just a show off. Well partly that I admit but mostly because Helen Wilson advised to do a roll every week. So I do at least one every time out kayaking.
Getting ready! Photo:Björn
Struggling to get out again. Photo:Björn
Do you see the top of my paddle? Very high seas. Photo:Björn
Normally a "Blue Day" means a gloomy or sad day but yesterday it was really a day dominated by the colour blue. The sky and the lake had a vibrant blue colour on this warm summer day. With some friends we went "into the blue" from the small fishing village Spiken out on Lake Vänern.
We did not push ourselves but just enjoyed the day with several stops and Magnus and Dag even dared to take a swim.
Thanks to Dag, Björn, Fredrik and Magnus for the company. And thanks Fredrik for taking some of the photos.
) some bread and with that we had some grilled chorizo. A pot on the fire for tea and coffee is standard!
