Where am I now? Rendsburg, Germany
So much has happened since I left Sweden. I had a tough sail through Danish territory. As I approached the cliffs of Mon I was stopped by the Danish coast guard. I told them my destination and sailing plan. They informed me about the area being unsafe for night sailing due to the construction of a huge wind power farm and because the pilons still were unlit. They said they would follow me through the area and direct me to safe water. They escorted me for a couple of hours and we held radio contact all the time. They were quite nice and gave me some good advice.
It started raining and the shipping was intense after dark. The radar alarm kept setting off. Not much sleep that night. When it became light it became less traffic and stopped raining. I could rest some then, while Isabell sailed on with the wind vane steering down to Gedser. Got around the getser reef early in the morning. As I crossed the shipping lanes between Denmark and Germany it was easy. Not much traffic. At lunch time the wind died altogether. So down with the sails and the autopilot took the helm. Many hours of motoring due west. I reached Fehmarn later in the afternoon. Crossed under the bridge there with the wind picking up from the northwest. Up went the sails and I had six hours of good wind going due west. At two in the afternoon the sea went smooth as a mirror and I motored six more hours. Sunny, warm, and relaxed. Got to Kiel in the evening. I looked around for a guest harbour. Then my sister called and we met at the mouth of the sluices at Holtenau. Went to sleep a few hours and then motored to the waiting area for the canal sluices. Slept some more, paid the canal fees and my sister came aboard to accompany me through the canal on the first section down to Rendsburg. It was sunny and warm. Not much ship traffic. Sluicing went smoothly and we motored along with a friendly german couple who gave lots of great advice. In Rendsburg I parked in the guest harbour near the town and we walked to a campsite where my brother in law already set up camp and started the barbeque. It was nice. Now I am alone again, back in the boat. Tomorrow I will continue the canal to Brunsbuttel. 35 NM to go. Now I need some sleep. Goodnight.