I was feeling physically and mentally below par this morning, so this, combined with a slightly iffy weather forecast for overnight means we have stuck around in Pötinizer Wik. My digestion didn't much appreciate the museli/bread/ice cream etc. that it got dosed with when I was back in the UK, and the lack of sleep over the 5 days don't help me much either. I had one of my "it's all too hard" moments with all the charts out and the electronic chart software running. I have no idea why these moment strike me, because usually, later, usually after I have eaten, all becomes clear and I am both troubled and embarassed at my previous doubts.

So what's the issue? Well, we'd like to get to Denmark at some point - and it had better be soon because I want to be back in Borkum for the 2nd last week in August in case it takes us 2 weeks to get back to Portsmouth - after all that's how long it took us on the outward trip. The wind was forecast to come in at up to 13 m/s from N/NW - meaning the bay I had picked for a short hop today (Boltenhagen Bucht) was totally exposed and the one with better shelter (Wohlenburger Bucht) dangerous to approach due to the very reef and shoals that protect it once you are in. The Rocna anchor is so good that you get tempted to say "ah, but we will be OK in the open bay" but that's not a good habit to get into. OK to feel fine about relying upon it if the wind does change from off to onshore (as we have) but I think it's irresponsible to put yourself in a lee-shore high-wind anchoring situation to *start with*. Of course, then I get to being a bit resentful that Molly is not a 'marina boat' - with the long low bowsprit and the nasty astern behaviour she is certainly not a Baltic marina box mooring boat - or maybe I am just too much of a coward? Both, probably. Many of the boxes are also really narrow... I need practice but I hate practice because of the risks. How can I devise *safe* practice? I really don't know.

Hmph, well I get all stressed about it all too easily - I don't really enjoy the passage planning at all. Some people love it, revel in it, to me it's just another chore and being as I'm the only one who can do it, it can get to me. Sometimes there are no good choices - at least none I want to make. I like to hang round places for a while - but I feel pressured to move on. I'l hasten to say that that pressure is all internal, Steven is happy to take things as they come - I wish I could reach such a state... but there is so much to see.... maybe the trick is to pay full attention to where and when you are. In fact I know it is, and I used to be able to do it almost all of the time, I don't know why I have let that slip away... (I think it might have been a side-effect of when my back was bad) must get back to that, it's a good state for enjoying life - maybe the only state for enjoying life...

If the wind stays N/NW then we will have a hard time getting up to Copenhagen and back in time, at least not without a big North-Sea-crossing equivalent overnighter (it's 135m from here). I'm not keen - hand-steering all the way in 2 hour shifts is not really my idea of fun. Must somehow get that self-steering behaving itself.

Hmm, well, we shall see what tomorrow brings. Steven seems perfectly happy, we've had a (naked!) swim and a shower and I have done my hair and written this up, so maybe it's a good day after all. Especially since it's now raining..... I'll get the guitar out later I think.