The pop-up diesel berth

We planned to spend a few days exploring the Lolland area, and made our way via Bagenkøp to the small harbour of Kragenæs.

We’d heard about a major installation of twelve large statues in a circle, on a Bronze Age settlement just outside the harbour.

There was a strong breeze blowing into the harbour as we arrived, but we spotted a good berth alongside and decided to take it. There was no time to change that decision, as the wind pushed us hard onto the quayside. No sooner had we tied up, than along came a local Dane in dungarees, and asked us to move, as this was the diesel berth.

Not on the chart, it wasn’t! But indeed there was a tank of the stuff on a trailer that had been towed to the spot, so indeed it was the diesel berth that day. But now we were pinned to the spot by the wind, and we just could not get away from it.

Two local fishermen came along and joined our harbourman, all offering advice on how to rig ropes to make the bow point out or the stern, or to haul the boat back onto a telegraph pole and try from there, and all the while, our 40HP engine was labouring as best it could to assist with these various strategies, to no avail.

After an hour had passed, they wandered off, and by default it was decided that it wasn’t so important that we left the diesel berth free after all.

Two days later, the wind eased, and we were able to leave! No-one seemed to need any diesel, or if they did, they went elsewhere.

Meanwhile, the Dodekalitten (twelve stones) were wonderful. They will take 15 years to construct, and when the wind blows they sing out ambient music from granite seats beneath each man.