Sweden’s west coast Bohuslän – August 2023

🧭 Factsheet

---

📍 Our route & stages

Leg: Kalvsund (Kalven) → Uddevalla

The weather forecasters were in agreement: a major storm system was approaching that would hit the Skagerrak with full force. A Swedish friend gave us the tip to pay a visit to his hometown of Uddevalla. Well protected behind Orust and Tjörn, we wouldn’t get much of the wind. With good southerly winds, we let ourselves be blown up the coast and then turn east before Tjörn. We pass the small, lovely island of Lilla Brattön and spontaneously decide to stay here. The jetty was almost empty, so we can practise mooring with a stern buoy in peace. The next day, we motor the remaining 20 nautical miles to Uddevalla. Wind is rare this far from the coast. Uddevalla is a larger town. The local museum, which is opposite the harbour, is interesting, and we spend several hours with the history of Bohuslän whilst practising Swedish, as very few of the exhibits are labelled in English.

Leg: Uddevalla → Lysekil

Three days later, the storm has passed and we can continue northwards. With an intermediate stop for a day at an SXK buoy in Rörbäcke kile, we putter—under motor again—through the narrow channels between Orust and the mainland and past Bassholmen towards Lysekil. The harbour at Lysekil isn’t cheap, but it offers an all-inclusive service with absolutely perfect sanitary facilities.

Around the town lies a beautiful coastal area for hiking (Stångehuvud) with a small lighthouse and unique rock formations. The rugged Bohuslän coast becomes my secret favourite in Sweden. We stay for a week because we like it here so much and explore the area.

Leg: Lysekil → Malmön

We can finally sail again for the stone’s throw of 6 nm to the anchorage Näverkärsskilen. The bay is gorgeous and we stay for two days. We then head to Malmön the day after next, again under motor. Nobody wants to unpack the sails for two and a half miles. We can only recommend Malmön as well. If the boat isn’t too large, we recommend the smaller Fiskehamnen between the small island of Kalven and Malmön. In the small basin, you have to moor to lazy lines (aka slime lines). We hate this so much that we only visit such harbours during the pre/post season, when you can also moor alongside.

Leg: Malmön →Smögen

Now that all the harbours have become emptier, we sail to Smögen after another stopover at a buoy in Näverkärsskilen (we somehow love this bay). Even though the harbour is less crowded in the off-season and damn cheap (80 SEK), it was simply too crowded for us on the small island. Many tourists took advantage of the halfway decent late summer weather for a trip here. Everyone pushed along the harbour pier past the shops. Not our thing.

Leg: Smögen→Fjällbacka

We sail the first ten miles to our anchorage bay half with just the headsail past Kungshamn and then motor through the Sotekanal. Here you’re not allowed to sail and may only travel at a maximum of 5 knots. Perfect for a relaxed Sunday outing. The absolutely beautiful bay, enclosed between the islands of Långö and Valön, offers good protection from wind and waves. We stay on one of the seven SXK buoys a bit longer than allowed (actually only 24 hours’ stay). But enough are free at this time anyway. The remaining ten miles to Fjällbacka are again covered with the headsail only. For such short distances, it’s not worth unpacking the main. Fjällbacka will be our northernmost destination in 2023. We now turn around and head back south. We have a winter berth in Malmö. Perfect for the start of the 2024 season, as we want to go to the Baltic Sea.

🗺️ Special experiences & learnings

• Sotekanalen with lovely Swedish houses
• First time moored to a stern buoy. In the Baltic Sea, that’ll have to work smoothly.

⚓ Our favourite place on this trip

• Lysekil

💡 Practical tips for fellow sailors

• The blue buoys of the SXK are exclusively for members. However, Germans can also become members and register their boats. This costs a one-off €75 in addition to the membership fee. In return, you receive an annual “Bojflagga” and can use the buoys.

🖼️ Gallery