After another long winter and some heavy storms (that hardly damaged the winter tent) we started the yearly work on the boat in the historic shipyard in Arnemuiden. The renovated slip was used to pull the 17 tons out of the water so that the underwater ship could be reviewed and the anti-fouling renewed. The backboard side of the hull was painted - the starboard didn't work due to bad weather conditions and furthermore the top sail which hasn't been in use for at least a dedicate was refurbished and pulled up for testing... :-)  

We left the lovely ship yard in Arnemuiden with all the nice and helpful people with more than just one teardrop in our eyes... but at least with some of their younger sail instructors as crew. We passed by Belgium without a stop - what good feeling for the Dutch crew - and arrived in France (Dunkerque). From there we sailed down the coast of Pays de Calais and the Normancie to the Bretagne. In the Channel we had an exceptional experience... no wind, no waves, no current... the boat was standing still in the water... when we experienced the "Flying Dutchman"... and not only one... the whole crew (except the mechanic) took a bath.... 

We passed by côte d'or, côte gris et côte rosé... and finally made it after a night sail to Guernsey. Very British.... On our first day of rest while most of crew was exploring the island, the locals and the pubs, the sail instructors tested our new dinghy - a real "Banana boat" (boat which can be folded)

Crew exchange back on the French coast after a "bumpy" ride.... and further on to the challenging caps of Bretagne Cap de la Hague and Pointe du Raz... amazing views and..lucky us... good weather conditions...

After leaving the Northern Sea and arriving in the Atlantic Ocean we got some visitors "playing" around the Spenner...

And out of sudden it stared to feel like arriving in the South. Everything changed... weather, landscape, sea, houses, people....

Also this year's highlight were the sailing impressions and the sunsets...   

And so we finally arrived on the Isle de Noirmoutier where the Spenner is for this winter resting in the traditional harbor well sheltered by our French friends of the Association La Chaloupe caring for the boat like it would be their own...

After refurbishing the deck we are departing from Bremen to Bremerhaven waiting for the right weather to sail out on the Northern Sea. Passing by Wangerooge and Spiekeroog we stopped in Langeoog where we stayed a day enjoying wonderful weather and the lovely Island.

Afterwards we sailed around Norderney, Juist and Borkum to Delfziel in the Eems Delta - the entry to the so called "Staande Mast Route" in the Netherlands. This route is a Network of various natural and artificial waterways where all bridges and locks can be passed with standing mast. After leaving the entry lock it was very unusual and impressing to drive with the boat through the Country side of Friesland.

The first Highlight was Groningen where we had to pass 14 bridges on only a very few miles. Partly the brdige keeper was after opening and closing the bridge riding with the bicycle to the next brige while all boats had somehow to wait Floating in the river.

Also interesting was that for some of the bridges you have to pay toll which is done by putting the coins in a wooden shoe, clog, which was swung on a fishing-rod by the bridge keeper over the boat.

Partly the bridges were really amazing like this turning railway bridge or the very modern bridge on the right picture

After crossing the Iisel- and the Markermeer (using the historic lock in Lemmers from1896) we were passing through Amsterdam on the way to Ijmuiden, the exit of the Staande Mast Route entering again the Northern sea

From Ijmuiden we sailed to Scheveningen (Den Haag) and from there crossing Rotterdam Harbor entry in the Haringvliet a creek of the Northern sea which has been closed whith a huge dam after an incredible flood in the 1950's. We had nice sunrises... as the wording says bringing raim and bad weather

Going through the Easter Schelde and the Veerser Meer we finally arrived in Arnemuiden at the C.A. Meerman ward, a historic ships warf where we have our winter berth after another 500 seamiles.

From Öckerö to Falkenberg via Lerkil

Den Schwedischen Sommer genießend...

Enjoying Swedish summer...

Die Crew ist nach einem langen Tag hungrig... zum Glück bekommen wir vom Hafenmeister in Falkenberg Fahrräder

The crew us hungry after a long day... good luck for us that the harbour master in Falkenberg is leaning us bycicles

And Falkenbergs most famous product on board...

Von Schweden nach Dänemark - über Gilleleje und Oddens nach Serejö (mit einem der schönsten Sonnenuntergang des Törns)

From Sweden to Denmark - over Gilleleje and Oddens to Serejö (with one of the most beautiful sundowns of the trip)

In Serejö stoppte uns Sturmtief "Wilma" - ein Herbststurm im August, eine Seltenheit selbst über Nord- und Ostsee

In Serejö we got stopped by the storm front "Wilma" - a fall storm in August, exceptional even over Northern and Eastern sea

Aber nach drei unfreiwilligen Ruhetagen auf dem beschaulichen Eiland ging es weiter Richtung Kiel

But after three unintended resting days on the contemplative island we proceed our way to Kiel

Über Kerteminde geht es durch den Svendborg Sund nach Söby und schließlich über die Kieler Bucht nach Kiel in den Museumshafen

Via Kerteminde we are travelling through the Svendborg Sund to Söby, ossing finally the bay of Kiel to arrive in Kiel museum harbour

Von Kiel geht es nach Laboe, wo das Boot für einen Monat liegen bleibt, bevor es auf die letzte Etappe für dieses Jahr geht - durch den Nord-Ostsee-Kanal über die Nordsee nach Bremen...

From Kiel to Laboe where the boat stays for a month before we start the final trip for this year - passing the North-East sea channel and over the Northern sea to Bremen....

Schlussetappe durch den Nord-Ostsee-Kanal... unter der Schwebefähre hindurch mit Übernachtung an Dolden nach Cuxhaven

Final stage through the North-Eastern-sea channel... crossing undereath the floating ferry staying overnight on poles to Cuxhaven

Und schließlich Ankunft in Vegesack... dem ältesten Binnenhafen Deutschlands 

And finally arrival in Vegesack... the oldest inland harbor in Germany

http://www.vegesacker-hafen.de/

... weiter nach Mollösund und durch den Schärengarten...

Further on to ... Mollosund and the Gothenburg archipelago

Wir kamen das erste mal nach einem langen Winter im Mai um Vorbereitungsarbeiten am Rumpf und der Elektrik durchzuführen. 

Es war so kalt, aber sooo gemütlich im Schiff!

Ein ganz besonders herzliches Dankeschön an die Crew der Werft Batbyggerie Sollerudstrande - Thomas, Erik, Nicolia und die vielen anderen, die uns immer mit allem, was nötig und wichtig war, unterstützt haben.... und Eivind von der Poseidon für eine wunderbare und kreative Nachbarschaft!

Es war eine Freude!

We came first in May for preparatory work on the hull and on the electrics after the long winter period.

It was so cold, but sooo cozy in the ship!

A very big thank you to the crew of the Shipyard / Batbyggerie Sollerudstranda - Thomas, Erik, Nicolai and many others who have always supported us with all, that was necessary and important ... and Eivind from the Poseidon for the wonderful and creative neighborhood!

It was a pleasure!

Kurz verholt auf die Insel auf der anderen Seite der Bucht - Killingen - um das Unterwasserschiff gekümmert, neues Antifouling gestrichen und einige Dinge repariert... danke an Tim, der sich so um uns gekümmert hat!.... Dann zurück nach Lysaker... 

Während seines königlichen Segeltages kam sogar König Harald V um sich die Spenner anzuschauen...! Was für eine Ehre - wir sind mächtig stolz.

Viele nette Menschen, so auch Einar, der die Spenner in so vielen Jahren bis 1995 restauriert und gepflegt hat, kamen, um uns eine gute Fahrt zu wünschen...

Shortly moved to the island on the other side -  Killingen – cared for the underwatership, painted new antifouling and fixed some more things ... thanks to Tim for caring about us! ...then back toLysaker... 
  
During his Royalsailing day even KING HARALD V had a look at the Spenner ...! What an honor-we are all very proud.
 
Lots of nice people, including Einar who has the SPENNER restored and maintained for so many years until 1995,came and wished us to have a safe journey...