A big cleaning and shrubbing week-end is planned on the 11th of April 1999. Everyone is welcome at the KYCG in Langerbrugge (Ghent) to shrub the hull, to paint the anti-fouling, to clean, to ... . A beer for every helping hand !
The K-I-N is going back into her element on the 1st of may. So in stead of going to one or another party, you can come with me to hold a rope in your hand !
My holiday starts on the 10th of may 1999. A first week to rig the boat, to equip her and to load her.
Departure from Ghent (Langerbrugge) is planned on the 15th of may 1999. Route is planned via SW England to Stavanger in Norway. Distance is a big 500 NM, duration some 5 to 6 days.
During the voyage the ghent radio ammateurs will be monitoring me again, with ON4HX and ON4OR in a prime role ! You can meet them every friday evening in the clubhouse on the crossing of Ham and Congostraat in Ghent (just across from the multi-cultural centre !)
The frequencies agreed upon for the whole of the voyage are:
| Band | Voice frequency and mode | Morse frequency and mode (if needed) |
| 40 m | 7.070 LSB | 7007 CW |
| 20 m | 14.308 USB | 14.030 CW |
| 15 m | 21.308 USB | 21.030 CW |
| 10 m | 29.600 FM | none |
We will have to switch from 40 m to a 20 m frequency during the crossing from England to Norway. To be able to determine this spot more exactly, we will try qso 4 times a day: at 7.30; 11.00; 15.00 and 19.30 UT.
Once in Norway our frequency will normally be 20 m or eventually 15 m up north. When there is sporadic E propagation we will try a 10 m QSO. Contact is only asured during weedends at 9.00 UT, during the week contact is possible but not definitly planned at 9.00 UT
From Stavanger we sail north along the Norwegian west coast. We will be passing by Bergen, Trondheim, Bodo, Narvik and Tromso. We'll be going north as fast as we can, to fetch some midnight sun enjoying Lofoten islands. Maybe we'll be sailing towards the North Cape, eventough that's not a goal. It is always handy to plan the furthest point of a sailing trip on 1/3rd of the availiable time, or to sail a quick voyage forth, to come back at an easy pace. And as food is rather expensive up north, we'll mainly be living on proviand from Belgium this first part of the voyage.
Once our stores are used, we'll be back in the less expensive south. By the end of july we'll be sailing the fjord area in south Norway. We may be sailing less and dive more, because the water is warmer here ! we don't have dry suits, so we don't know how the diving will be. Water temperature can differ a lot: along the coast you're in the gulf stream until way up north (the water doesn't freezes there in winter), but into the fjords you're nearen the melting water from the glaciers.
by the 8th of august we'll start thinking about the crossing back, which will be by the same route. Return in Ghent is planned on the 22nd of august.
On this crossing we will again have to switch from 20 m to a 40 m frequency. We will again try to determine this spot more exactly, so the same times for QSO apply: at 7.30; 11.00; 15.00 and 19.30 UT.
There are other routing possibilities if we enjoy ourselves too much (Norway here we come !), or if the weather is too bad or the diving too good or ... One other possibility is to sail up to Trondheim, then come back and sail along to Oslo (warmer weather on the east coast) before sailing back, eventually thru the Dutch canals, ...
I have to be back in the office on the 30th of august.