Svendborg again

After extensive indecision this morning we decided not to head down to Ærøskøbing today, as it meant heading straight into a forecast south- westerly force 4. We are very sheltered in here, but we have never seen more than 11 knots all day and most of the time it was 4 knots or less, so probably we could have gone. Never mind, we had a lovely day here.

We managed to get a new 3kg gas bottle at the chandlery, and also to top up with diesel from our 20-litre can and refill it (at non-marine prices) at the filling station just across the road. Sam was shown a new way to reinforce our special patent siphoning tube by a man in Barhöft, and here in Svendborg he managed to get the necessary piece of plastic extension tube - plus an extra one and a half metres we don't really need - so the system now works well.

Jonty from Lady Cressida has discovered that this harbour was completely rebuilt three years ago after endless complaints from visitors. The loo/harbourmaster block is floating, apparently the only one in Denmark, although we've seen several in the Netherlands. Last night it was full in here, but tonight many of the boxes are empty, so people are definitely going home.

We walked eastward along Svendborg Sund for a couple of miles and across a bridge to the little island of Thurøby. It was all very pretty, with views across to various other islands, a nice sandy beach and a kiosk selling good coffee in polystyrene cups. The weather has alternated between bright, warm sunshine and showers all day, so we were able to paddle on the beach and 10 minutes later were hiding under a tree to escape the rain.

This evening we went out for a meal and decided to go Italian after being slightly shocked by main-course prices of 250kr or more (about £28) in the posher places. Afterwards we wandered around the docks, which surround an island within the harbour. For some reason we don't understand this seems to be a top spot for laying up, or even effectively abandoning, old ships. There are six coasters all called something Stevns, two more in front of the maltings, half a dozen small, grey, military-looking vessels, and three or four work boats of some kind in a very poor state. There's no sign that most of them are being worked on, although the docks also houses Denmark's top yard for building and repairing wooden boats, Ring Anderson.

The forecast now shows quite a deep low tracking over Denmark in the middle of Friday. We want to be somewhere secure for a couple of days, so once more will be following Lady Cressida, this time to Fåborg 16 miles away. Fortunately Jonty and Wyn don't seem to mind, and it is very nice to be able to compare notes and share drinks with another British yacht.