August 2017

Once again our summer cruising found us in the company of amazing and wonderful people. Looking back through my posts I’m remembering the chance encounters and hospitality of those we met during our three months in Scandinavian waters:

Thomas, Camilla and Michael aboard sy EQUINOX in Farsund whose cruising enthusiasm enhanced ours…

Jacob and Bjorn in Kragerø whose stories we still hunger for…

Snorre and Ingunn in Oslo who reminded us again of our good fortune in meeting fellow cruisers; for anyone interested in taking off on a boat, check out their website (http://www.sy-spinnvill.com) to see how two young sailors did it…

Our friends from home, Paul & Marty and Doug & Dale, and other NAS cruisers such as Ernie and David and Swedish hosts Stephan, Maria, & son John, Pers & Karin, and Lars & Julie–with whom shared traditional, Swedish summer treats…

Richard, Monica, his daughters Sophia and Lisa, and Maine friends Al and Holly with whom the axiom ‘six degrees of separation’ could have been ‘one degree’ in Gullhomen…

Two of whom we neglected to take a photo but so wish we had:  Nadia and Bengt in Grindebacken with whom our hour of conversation seemed way too short…

And, Nancy and Mike from Texas and Maine (two on the left) summering in their Gullholmen cottage whom we met when they took our photo on our way back from Nadia and Bengt’s and who postponed their early-evening swim to accompany us on a walk…

Nina and Peter aboard MISSOURI in Solholmen with whom we spent a glorious evening and another one-degree encounter…

Melanie and Anthony of Boston whose explorations and how they make it happen–at their age-captivated us; check out Melanie’s just-posted blog:  www.notiniowaanymore.com; click on any post and, trust me, you won’t be leaving that site anytime soon…

Ralf & Eva and Jonas & Vivica on Styrsö who invited us to their home for a delightful afternoon of coffee, cake and wide-ranging discussions…

Two traveling Argentinians Federico and Noella whom we happened upon on our walk from Ralf & Eva’s home…

Michael, whom we met in Farsund and the reason we landed on Styrsö–because of him his island with his Öbergska Café felt like a second home…

Michael’s mother Carina, sister Isabelle, and friends Felicia…

Chef Adrian who presented us with delicious meals…

Gin maestro Olaf…

Cecilia and Fredrik who treated us to an al fresco breakfast before seeing us off our last morning on Styrsö…

And Magnus and Kim with Magnus supplying the celebratory surprise of champagne with which we ‘Skoaled!’–what else?–friendship!

Steve, David and Ken whose hospitality made our stay in Ebeltoft so enjoyable it became another place we didn’t want to leave…

Wolfgang and Inge on sy STELLA MARIS in Ebeltoft with whom we spoke of mutual friends Dick & Ginger sailing the Viking route home…

Pascal and Sylvia of sy WATERAAP whom we first encountered on Samsø during our rendezvous with Ingunn and Snorre only to then share destinations with WATERAAP along the way home…

Another two whose photo we missed:  Erik of sy DUTCH ROSE and his brother Dolf whom we met in Rendsburg and talked about their home (Netherlands), boating (of course) and the weather window for heading back (double ‘of course’!)…

And, Gerda, Dick and their son Leo aboard sy ADIOS with whom our reunion in Cuxhaven erased the 14 years since we last shared a pontoon with Dick and Gerda in Rota, Spain 2003.

But, I can’t say good-bye to the summer without mentioning those some of whose names we have missed but whose encounters we haven’t forgotten:

Kyla and John aboard sy SULA in Mandal whose posts we used for our previous Norwegian cruises and (another two whose picture I neglected to snap)…

The family who came aboard in Selor and shared local knowledge…

The gracious employee at Grimstad’s Marine Museum who let us in before it had officially opened for the season…

The welcoming and informative greeter in Fredrikstad who patiently explained the history of her town…

The new volunteer at Fjallbacka’s tourist kiosk who helped us even though she had just opened up to drop off some brochures…

The Marstad bus driver who allowed us to be the last riders on an already jammed-packed bus…

The Pittsburgh natives touring their son’s partner’s home island who told us of a stone-age burial mound…

The kind gentleman who picked up two Mainiac hitchhikers in Æørskøbing…

And, the fellow sailor with whom we shared greetings in Oslo, again in Rendsburg and– yet again–in Cuxhaven, all with smiles and, unfortunately, without exchanging names.

How lucky we are to have been in their worlds, and to be returning to one where Thijs, Deborah, & Tika and Ingo & Maartje reside as JUANONA heads back to Hoorn.

Life is pretty spectacular.