Leaving Europe!

Europe has been just wonderful, but it's time for some new waters. Every city has been a wonderful tourist trap, but the more you see the more they look alike. Time to move on.

Tomorrow morning we plan to head for Morocco. It will take us some days to get over the ocean, and if the winds change, we might be forced to go directly to Lanzarote in the Canaries...which is super cool anyway!

When we eventually reach the Canaries there will be a lot going on with seminars and new friends, so I can't promise good coverage on the blog. Life might be too exciting, as usual.

Now it's time for the last good sleep in a while. Enjoy halloween!

Enjoying the small big things in life

These were about two meters long. Mind blown.

Anchor drinks, the doctor way. (Getting ready for Africa!)

Ellie out!

SMS from 881631637468@msg.iridium.com

The cape of Portugal is defeated.

Shift #1: Pizza, The Beatles, glowing dolphins, millions of stars, thunderstorm in the distance, neverending smile.

Shift #2: Near gale, enormous tidal waves, fish nets on 200m depth, stomping, impossible for either of us to sleep.

Yin and yang, eh?
We're now safely positioned on a pontoon outside of Lagos, a good steak down and ready for some serious sleeping! Tomorrow is recovery day, and if the weather allows us we'll head for Morocco! I'm super excited! We should be at Lanzarote the ninth of November, so there's no time to loose...

Good night, my friends!
Ellie out.

When the winds are bad...

...you should wait for better weather. When you have a schedule, on the other hand...

Lesson learned: Don't have a schedule if you live on a boat.

Today we sail south, heading towards Algarve or Morocco. This is getting exotic!!

As you can see on the wind chart under here, the winds are either not there or from the east. Not optimal, but I believe liveable. As long as there's no danger involved, right? 

http://earth.nullschool.net/

Wish us luck!

Ellie out.

Lisbon, baby! (And free walking tours!)

Sometimes, waiting for the weather is not that bad.

We’re enjoying the company of our favourite neighbours right outside one of the most wonderful cities of Europe!

At thursday I went on my first “free walking tour”, recommended by fellow sailors. Free walking tours are guided by local young people, you pay what you want and therefore know they’ll do the best they can to make it the time of your life. It’s a fantastic concept, and I would love to start it up in my home city when I come home!

From now on, I’ll take a free walking tour in any new city I come to. It’s a great way to prepare for the stay, and also to make friends! And who wouldn’t want to make friends the first day you stay in a new city? Try it yourself. You’ll love it.

So, apart from the fact that city is a beautiful capital city with all the coolest fashion stores it also has a real soul! For me, the district of Alfama would beat any “attraction” I’ve seen. It’s a village in the middle of Lisbon. A real village with real village people living real village lives. HOW is that possible. Come on. It’s the coolest ever. And of course, the place is super romantic, magical, beautiful and really really calm. Does Lisbon compete to be the coolest city in the world? Yes.

I’ll let the pictures do the rest of the job.

Oh, a big shoutout to Genevieve and Nick from New York! And Rafael, the amazing Chill-Out Walking Tour guide! If you go to Lisbon, check it out: http://lisbonfreetour.blogspot.pt/

Morning sun at "home".

Proof of the terrible people making maps in southern Europe. SHAME ON YOU.

Cascais, the beautiful fisherman town west of Lisbon.

Rafael in action.

Alfama! (The village)

Party hard. Party hard. Party hard.

The village also offers new friends.

Touristic Fado music.

A local wet t-shirt contest. In the city fountain. Wat.

I will come back here. You should too.
Ellie out.

Sad goodbyes and jolly meetings

The last days was spent departing from Vigo and arriving in Cascais, close to Lisbon.

We plan on staying only a few days, regarding our schedule to be at Lanzarote 9th of November.

Even though we’re on such a great place, I find myself wishing to meet ol’ Mike and the germans rather than dreaming about Lisbon and so on. Hopefully they’ll arrive at the same marina tomorrow evening!

Anyways, our new neighbours are great and I know we'll make more strong bonds in short time!

The pictures will tell you all about the trip here, but I can tell you that this time I wanted to stay on water for more than just 38 hours. The sea is getting to me!

Looking very much forward to the great crossing and to see my brother Knut again!

(party boat! ---->)

Mike, dad and Jogi.

Goodbye, Vigo!

Sunset over Islas Cies (best beach in the world -islands)

Flying 4 knots in 5 knot wind!

This marina is so fine we even got free wine. Going to check out their showers now!

Ellie out!

SMS from 881631637468@msg.iridium.com

Greetings from the ocean! (finally!)
Perfect northerlies gave us an opportunity to fly the parasailor! It's very big, very pleasant and extremely yellow.
We're now going 4,5 knots, heading towards Lisbon. We've had three dolphin visits and one banana fly attack, and are now preparing dinner in the sunset.

Now looking forward to our daily scheduled radio nerding time with our friend Mike on Seahawk!
Weather seems fine ahead and we hope to get to more exotic places in few days. (Though Lisbon seems pretty cool as a starter!)

Lots of love from the open sea!
Ellie out.

It's island time!

I'm currently planning the last meal together with our fantastic neighbours. The christmas lights are already tied to the mast and my dad is preparing our special Størkson-brownie!

The last two weeks in Vigo has been amazing for both us and the boat. Dad got a radio nerd friend and I have had my adventure friends. The boat got an antenna rig, a bunch of cables and a new inverter, amongst other mechanical stuff.
The reason we have stayed at land for so long is the remains of some kind of a hurricane, and the fact that it decided to stop outside of Spain for a week didn't really improve the situation. Weather seems to get better, and in a few days we'll all be heading for Lisbon, Madeira, Morocco or even straight to the Canaries.

Sailor life is fantastic. For us it's like having an eternal summer vacation, except you change places, people and stories from time to time. Every sailor we have met seems to be entirely happy (so are we) - in other words: so far, so good!
Yesterday we all went to buy food for the big crossing, and the taxi driver was in fatal shock when he saw what we wanted to send with him, haha.

I would love to tell you more about the stay, but I have a norwegian salmon job ahead of me, and I don't wanna be late!
You'll hear more from me as soon as possible, and now that our SSB-radio is up you'll get real blog posts instead of the "sms" thing. Yay!

Ellie out!

The best beach in the world

...rated by the Guardian! WAT.

Name update:  About 10% of my latest readers has cared to vote, so I don't know if it counts. I'll put up an updated poll and wait for the right time to act. Please help. :*

The last week we've been waiting for the weather to get better, and thus having numerous adventures in the city of Vigo. After posting this INNLEGG I'll start sacrificing to Neptune and Poseidon in hope for better times. You can't wait for the weather forever.

Vigo is a wonderful city in Galicia, northern Spain. I don't really know what it is famous for, but the closely situated islands of Cies are said to have the best beach in the world. By the Guardian. Come on.

The last six years I've been dreaming about moving to my favourite pacific islands, hereunder the atolls of Polynesia and so on. It really didn't beat those dreams - I'm sorry, England. The isles are wonderful nevertheless, and probably one of the biggest treasures of Europe, at least!

Having wonderful neighbours has been my favourite part of the stay in Vigo. In front I have my german adventure buds and behind is the most amazing solo sailor from the land of the free. Tonight we'll honor it all with a great meal in the smallest boat.  All I can say is that boating life is amazing. Really.

So yesterday we decided to go and see the best beach in the world. I mean, why not.

Best beach in the world visit proof.