West Coast 2015

We sailed to the Swedish west coast during August. We had planned to be away for three or four weeks, to visit
friends and watch the Tjörn Rund sailing competition. After just two weeks, we saw the weather forecast for the
coming week and decided to make a run for home. All our recent sails have ended by racing from wind and rain.

There are few harbors with guest marinas between Öresund, where we have our boat, and the West Coast.
One stop is Halmstad, which has a well protected mooring and good facilities not far from the city center.

Varberg is another well protected marina near the city center. Very good facilities, and many places to visit, such
as Varberg Fortress. One advantage of this marina is that you should always be able to find space, even if boats must
moor outside each other. The harbor master said it was normal to have three boats tied together during peak season.

Nidingen lighthouse is a way point when sailing to the West Coast – you are now very close.

And when you reach the lighthouse on Valö, you have entered the west coast archipelago outside Gothenburg.

The new Vrångö marina is a good starting point to sail to the Danish islands Läsö, 35 Nm, or Anholt, 64 Nm.

The marina is well equipped and modern. You can buy freshly cooked crayfish in one of the buildings to the left,
after 14.00 when the day’s catch is cooked. The business is on the island, so if the shop is closed you can phone the
number on the sign and have the crayfish delivered to your boat. These were about the best crayfish we have eaten.

The pilot house on top of the hill is a sign for Vrångö that can be seen from a long distance.

It is also a popular viewing point.

Vrångö has a small community, but not the dense housing that you can see in many older settlements along the coast.

Crayfish are caught in traps like these, and no longer by trawling. An advantage is they catch only large crayfish,
and they seem to stay alive longer. We have bought very lively, raw crayfish that we could cook ourselves.

There new marina, with space to grill. The platform to the right is perfect to sit and watch the sunset.

The marina is well protected from the sea, due to the stone pier and a narrow entrance.

Our next stop was Skärhamn on Tjörn, one of our favorite marinas with good facilities and service, but very popular.
It can be hard to find a space during the peak season, so a reservation is recommended if you go there during July.

The harbor master’s office is in the middle of these small buildings, in the center of the marina.

There is space to grill and tables to sit and eat just outside the harbor master’s office.

There are several good restaurants. Our favorite is Vatten at the Nordic Watercolour Museum, on the right.

There was a children’s festival when we came. Lots of activities, including kayaking and stand up paddling.

There are well marked routes to go north, although some can be narrow.

Just outside Skärhamn is the open sea.

Käringön is a favorite. It has restaurants, a good fish shop where you can buy crayfish, and a beautiful settlement.

Red is a common house color.

A mix of colors.

Hollyhocks (Alcea) is a very common flower in the settlements along the cast.

Sunset at the marina on Käringön. The marina is very quiet, but try not to moor on the outside as it can get bumpy.

Fiskebäckskil has a very good marina, good service and a good restaurant. But it is relatively expensive.

There are many small, private piers in Fiskebäckskil.

The roads in the village are narrow, and often one way streets.

Colorful housing.

White is the traditional house color.

Flowers add to the color.

The reflections are almost like water color paintings.

 

View of Fiskebäckskil from Lysekil.

View of Lysekil from Fiskebäckskil. Lysekil was our most northern stop.

Lysekil has a good marina, and according to the harbor master, there is always space. Sometimes five to six boats
moor outside each other. Some harbors, like Käringön, restrict mooring to three boats. Lysekil is known as a
lively marina and is fully packed during the summer. In mid-August it was very peaceful and easy to find a space.

We saw a few jelly fish, like this one that stings, but there appeared to be fewer jelly fish this year.

Sometimes you can see lots of jelly fish like these öronmanet or blåmanet (Aurelia aurita) which do not sting.

A young seagull, which will become white when it is mature.

Lysekil has lots to offer visitors, including a nice walk through the older parts of town with traditional wooden houses.

This part of the city has narrow streets, and you can see the red granite which is common in Lysekil.

Lysekil at sunset with the church tower to the right, a landmark for sailors that can be seen from very far away.

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