Perlemoen farm tour

Went on the Perlemoen Farm Tour in the new harbour, Hermanus.

Our excellent guide Johan, explaining the process from spat to factory.

What fun wearing pure white rubber boats to wear when walking through the water dips

Beautiful colours of the 4 month old Perlemoen. They attach themselves to the funnel, actually hide underneath 

The baby Perlemoen attached to the funnel in the tank

A close up

A few months older this little one out exploring

Getting older and growing shells

Tickling my hand underwater but seems to like my ring

The final stage, tasting

After Lellebelle

Hiking blog starting!

Monday 12 September 

We have left Lellebelle enjoying a well deserved rest in Faslsterbo Canal, while we head off to the wild, the wild being the mountains of Jämtland. Doing the Jämtland triangel , 3 dags hiking in the beautiful autumn  colours of the Swedish mountains. 

View from room Blåhammaren

Impossible to not photograph!

Carl preparing dried reindeer on the way to Blåhammaren 

Best car ! Fiat 500. Looks like a bug from outside but feels like a limousine inside!

13 September from Blåhammaren to Sylarna.

Once again, beautiful 

Reindeer, a white one.

Fjällstation Blåhammaren 

Fjällstation Blåhammaren 

On the way to Sylarna. Shineshine, blue skies, 25 degrees

Dinner, Sylarna.

The glacier

From Sylarna back to Storulvån

Colours

Crossroads 

8 km to go

Back below the tree line.

Scary swing bridge

So many meetings with reindeer.

Wonderful experience, unbelievably beautiful. New life, hiking!

Next hike, Wild coast Meander.

Kalvehave - Höllviken 29 July

Received this mail from a good friend, G, who has been following our travels from her armchair in South Africa. This touching account of our travels all the way from South Africa is a fitting end to our blog. Thanks G for inspiring us with our blogging!

"Hello hello,

Thank you for sharing your journey every step, or sheltering marina or lock rather... I'd love to respond to every blog with more detail. Maybe that's for future 'trailing along' in my dry armchair...

It is great to see your 'sweet little blond children' as 'grown-ups'. Calle very much the oh so independent young man totally equipped for the challenges of life 😇 And Alex quite a beautiful young lady taking life by the hand.

The Laboe Navel Memorial somewhat reminds me of the Voortrekker - and Taal Monuments, or should I keep that design-observation to my little self?

With every blog, even b4 your T-shirt, Les, I am convinced of your sailing skills-simply because Carl seems completely relaxed on all photos capturing him idling along some beach, or safely 'parked' on some restaurant chair, but most importantly (if I understand correctly) pointing out historical facts of relevance even in this day and age... As Pieter Dirk Uys, our own SA comedian, discovered: 

IT IS NOT THE FUTURE THAT IS WORRYING, IT IS THE PAST THAT IS UNPREDICTABLE 

Nou toe, lekker slaap en voorspoed. And a big African hug. Gxx"

Lellebelle leaving Kalvehave for Höllviken.

Welcome committee Birthe and Kenneth.

Here they come.

Champagne, of course. And thank you Lars and Kinna for crewing on the last bumpy ride to Höllviken!

And so the 3 year project has come to a happy end. Many years of dreaming, fantasizing, planning have resulted in wonderful feeling of satisfaction. Now onto new challenges.

And thus ends the blog!

All's well that end's well.

From the LelleBelle logg 2014 - 2016 comes following records 

Time travelled 360 days 

Distance travelled 11 000 km

Hours sailing 1017 

Countries visited 14

Ports visited 190

Locks 500

Marstal - Kalvehave 28 July

OBrother Lars called last night and, after three seasons, has at last decided to join Lellebelle on the last leg! That is tomorrow from Kalvehave to Höllviken. So we end up like we started, Carl on the boat and Leslie driving a car,

Leaving Marstal, beautiful day.

A Danish harbour along the way.

Only three hours to Kavlehave.

Danish cottage in the wood, little man at the window stood ( he was in the garden)

New crew arrive, Lars

And Kinna.

Had dinner at the hotel, stekt fläsk, that's all you getting the waiter very definitely told us, and there was no way to get anything else but stekt fläsk! Great evening

And here we are, the last evening before we get home. Quite emotional, happy and sad, but so enriched with memories!

Laboe - Marstal 27 July

KLeaving Laboe and Germany today. Denmark next.

The lovely holiday town Laboe, with the beach and Korbstuhler. A really friendly and comfortable marina. 

The Navel memorial seen from the sea.

Denmark! Was assured that the trip over from Germany was going to be smooth and calm, almost like a pond.

Well, as the T shirt says," A Smooth Sea Never Made A Skilled Sailor", I now can call myself a Skilled Sailor, having crossed a rough sea!

Staying at the marina in Marstal on the island of Aeroe. The last bit of history from mr history teacher. Apparently the King Carl X crossed over from this island to the mainland during a severe winter when the sea was ice. Took his whole army of 10 000 men, horses and cannons. And that completes our historical tour of the Swedish time of power that we have been following for the past 3 years

The beach at Marstal

Walking back to the marina after a swim.  Wonderful environment for family sailing holiday.

Carl needed to be reminded of the Belgium steaks .