After last night’s “It’s just for the night” scene, we woke up early, determined to put a bright slant on things and find something fun to do. Last year we had a ball island hopping in the Stockholm archipelago – just going a few nautical miles here and there, dropping anchor, taking our bikes to land and riding around, having picnics and enjoying the surroundings. We have missed being able to do that this year, so today I want to change that.

The forecast is for north westerly winds – still at 20-25 knots but at least in a direction that will give us easy downwind sailing with just the foresail up. I had a look at the chart and pointed to the island of Hållö, a popular nature harbour just outside of Smögen as a place I was really curious to visit. I noticed a few cows grazing this morning on the opposite shore, so I saw that as a good sign for the future. I really do love cows.




Coming out of the protection of the fjord and into the open water we found that the sea was still pounding into the coastline, but this time we were going with the waves which made our trip a little more comfortable. At least the skies were a beautiful cobalt blue and the sun was shining.

Having successfully negotiated Sotekanalen a few weeks ago, we though we might take that route again. The previous trip had been in drizzling rain and so we wanted to see it in sunshine while we were here. The waterways were busy with all kinds of boats out enjoying the day and we have become a little more used to the sheer volume of traffic here. Each small crack in the cliffs is filled with boats and the towns we pass with guest harbours are doing a roaring trade. Hunnebostrand seemed to be bursting at the seams.




I remember reading that this town is a a popular holiday spot with a good harbour, fine swimming beaches and lots of street life in summer. It is also one of Bohuslän’s oldest coastal towns, with a history going back to the 13th century. It grew considerably during the big herring fishing period lasting from 1556 to 1589. When the quarrying industry got underway in the 1860s the population boomed and for decades the sound of the hammers echoed from the quarries. Today it is the summer tourists who rule.

Just south of Hunnebostrand is the canal. We were expecting it to be busy, but even we hadn’t expected the traffic jam we met, with long lines of boats “bumper to bumper” in both directions.




There was a long wait for the bridge to open and that was quite tense as boats drifted here and there trying to keep in line. It is easy waiting in a queue in a car as it stays in one place. A boat is constantly moving and you are always on alert both for your boat as well as those around you. A Norwegian boat decided to suddenly stop in the middle of the canal as the bridge opened and came close to causing a major chain collision of boats behind him. We were two boats back and saw what he was about to do, but as we had boats behind us as well as in front and next to us, we felt helpless and feared hearing the crunch as we all collided. Fortunately, the boat in front of us was a tour boat and he blew his horn and screamed at the Norwegians to keep moving. It was only then that the clueless Norwegians looked back at the panic they were causing behind them as 20 or more boats tried to turn here and there to avoid collision. It looked not unlike a Dodge-em car track with boats lying at all kinds of crazy angles. It was a very close thing and we came out of the canal literally shaking.




Not even the rural scene around us could cheer us up. After that near miss, we felt it would be madness to take the narrow, twisting inner route into Smögen. Who knows how many more idiots there might be out today. Every boat was going that way, so we chose to head out to sea instead and take our chances with the waves and rocks.




At least they are more predictable. It was lovely out there on the outside of the islands in relative peace and quiet. In a couple of hours, we came in through the rocks and saw the back view of Smögen high on the cliffs.




The rocks in this area are the beautiful, smooth, flat red granite, so loved of the former stonemasons. This part of the coast has not been quarried, so you can see what the rest of the surroundings should have looked like. They are very popular with swimmers and sunbathers and nearly every “shelf” was full of people, lying in lee and toasting themselves.




Smögen is one of the most famous coastal towns in Bohuslän – a popular destination for sun worshippers, sport fishermen, divers, sailors and lovers of the good life. It might not be Bohuslän’s oldest fishing village, but the atmosphere and the unique building style has been well maintained. The big attraction is the 600 metre long quay lined with shops and cafés, one of the province’s most famous tourist destinations. As you would expect, there is lively boat traffic and the guest harbour was unbelievably crowded with even more boats trying to squeeze in. There was absolutely no way we could possibly even begin to moor there.




I could see Hållö in the distance and hoped that it would be quieter there. I am disappointed to be missing out on seeing these towns. I am interested in the atmosphere of these places and would like to take a closer look, but they are so crowded that it is no fun to even try and be there. I’d like to come back when things are quieter and look around, but we won’t be here during a quieter time. Each day, it is a matter of “now or never” and unfortunately “never” seems to be winning every time. It has taken the shine off the trip and I am resigned to simply bypassing everything. Somehow, this wasn’t the vacation I’d had in mind.

Hållö, with its lighthouse that reminds me so much of our beloved Landsort, is by contrast very quiet.




As we approached, we could see why. The waves were rolling straight in to the cliffs and there was no way to moor there without risking damaging the boat. I really wanted to walk around and look at this unusual scenery on this nature reserve, the smooth granite rocks sanded smooth by glaciers with nary a tree in sight, but yet again, it was not to be. The only mooring places faced the waves and today it was too rough. We thought about trying to find a protected place nearby and hope for better conditions tomorrow, but we were not hopeful, so reluctantly we went out to sea again.

We wanted to stay out at sea and come in at Måseskär, but it was quite rough tacking in those waves, Lambi was unhappy, so we came in at Gullholmen and took our chances with the madmen again. At least the views were worthwhile and the water was much calmer.




We passed several small communities, but after a while each group of white houses perched on a cliff above the sea, exposed to the elements starts to look like every other place and it can be hard to tell them apart.




Everywhere we look there are boats sailing. We have books outlining nature harbours, but few of them are facing the right direction in order to give us protection. Again we start weaving here and there looking for somewhere good to anchor for the night. What a contrast to the east coast, where you sail for as long as you like, then simply select somewhere close by to tie up. It rarely takes more than one or two tries to find something perfect. Here we are spending hours looking and in the end selecting something we hate out of pure desperation. Hundreds of others are also in the same area doing the same thing.




Today is a good illustration of what I mean. Rough seas and overcrowded harbours have ruled out the possible choices we made this morning. As we sail south, I scan the charts and look at bays that may provide shelter, only to find even the most ugly places jam packed. Other places are impossibly full of shoals and only suitable for shallow draughts. Other places have stone as the bottom and the anchor will not grip. Some places look so inviting and ideal to take a tour around in our dinghy (eg around Härmanö), only they are so exposed and the wind is howling through the place! Most of the guidw books describe places as ideal and worth visiting, bar the disclaimer “dock inte i västlig vind, då havet rullar på rackt in”. Who are they kidding? It’s always westerly winds here! You just can’t win. In the end we do find somewhere.




“It’s just for the night” Lars-Göran assures me as I look around at this desolate moonscape. Now where have I heard that before? It’s not even like this place is protected. No, there are no waves as we are far inland, but it is too much to hope to be able to get both wave AND wind shelter on the west coast. Without the welcome windbreak provided by trees, det blåser som attan här!

It’s soul destroying and I am beginning to hate it here so much I could cry.