We were lucky to be able to have the kids onboard during three sunny and warm summer days. They had barely left before the clouds returned. We motored south from Rorvik and were able to sail for a while before the wind turned against us and the clouds thickened.

We found ourselves banging into an increasing wind and a shoppy sea after another hour. The cockpit cover was up as the rain had started to fall. Temperature had dropped from well over 20 to 15 and the long johns and sweaters were back in service to keep us warm. Why fight the elements? we taught and headed inshore.

It was a detour of a few nautical miles but we probably did not lose any time as the going was faster between the island. The sea had settled, and the wind and rain subsided, when we headed out to sea again for the southern part of “Folla”, the stretch of open water on the fairway south.

We stopped at Bessaker, an old trading post, for the night and to weather the wind and rain forecasted for the following day. Bessaket turned out to be well protected from the SW winds but it was blowing strong, gusting 40 kn (20 m/s) and the wind-waves in the sound outside “rounded the corner” and caused some swell at the pontoon.

The rain was over in late afternoon allowing a walk up the 951 wooden steps to “Vettan” 145 meters above the sea. This has been a site for lookouts and signalling for more than a thousand years. Hakon I the Good (Håkon I den gode) established a system with beacons to be lit to warn for dangers along this coast around year 950. Bessaker was one of them and was in use for many centuries. It was also used as a lookout for the Norwegian army in WW I and for the Germans during WW II.

The view from the top was magnificent. The wind was so strong that it was difficult to walk or stand upright so, we walked back to the lee of the harbour.

We had sun for 3-4 hours yesterday morning and used this to motor to Kuringenvagen, Stokksund. We have stayed here today, another rainy day, and hope to be able to continue SW tomorrow.