western maryland college december, 1963 - Hoover Library

given a chance to prove its worth. The
Penta marine engine enjoys a very fine
reputation among the nautical people of
Scandinavia, however, starting procedure for
the one aboard the Eos defied imagination.
At any rate, while Dad stayed at the helm,
I managed somehow to get the aged and
antiquated Penta started. By this time we
were really pitching and tossing and the
harbor at Elsinore, with its sheltered mooring
slips, was a welcome sight to all of us-if
we could get there. The harbor is truly a
beautiful spot. Hamlet's Castle is situated on
a slight promontory .extending a short distance
into the Baltic.
The Eos now slipped into her mooring at
the Elsinore Yacht Yard. Moored three boats
away we noticed a small sloop flying the
familiar ensign of the United States Power
Squadron. We noticed an older man and
young woman watching us as we edged our
boat into her berth. Buck and Betsy were in
the cockpit with me wearing "Green Terror"
sweat shirts. When we were made fast, the
couple came over and asked us where we
were from in the States. The man was having
difficulty reconciling the Western Maryland
shirts and the Danish Sag Hying from
our stem. As it turned out, the man and his
daughter were from Baltimore and were
familiar with Western Maryland and the
Eastern Shore. We talked on the dock for
at least two hours before we realized that
supper was in order.
Anxious to stretch our legs, we walked
ashore to eat in a restaurant our new-found
friends had recommended. A bad restaurant
in Denmark is almost impossible to find;
the Danes are world-renowned for the excellence
of their cuisine and the cleanliness
that accompanies outstanding food. As the
hour was late, the main dining room was
closed, but a very congenial waiter guided
all six of us to a large table on a porch
overlooking the straits. We took the "special
of the day." This was our first introduction
to the famous smorgasbord and Danish openfaced
sandwiches. We literally ate until we
could eat no more and it was delicious. rocks that marked the entrance to the harbor.
In the morning we walked through the My landfall was incorrect; actually we
town. Elsinore is a very interesting and were heading for Hornback. 1 was unaware
quaint old seacoast town. Just looking in of my error until the salty character, who
the shop windows kept us busy all morning. was acting in the capacity of harbor master,
After lunch we toured Hamlet's Castle from handed me the receipt for our mooring. We
top to bottom, including the famous Maritime
Museum that is contained in the castle trawlers whose odor, if nothing else, indt-
slipped the Eos in between two large Danish
proper. It is the most complete museum of cared how they made their living.
this type I have ever seen.
As things and weather turned out, we
The next morning dawned cold, windy, remained in the snug little harbor of Hornbaek
for three nights and four days. The
and rainy. The Baltic was kicking up her
heels and only larger vessels were venturing weather continued to be unfit as far as
out of the harbor. No change, weather wise, sailing was concerned. Meanwhile, the crew
appeared until a slight improvement, I of the Eos spent the time eating, sleeping
thought, after lunch the next day. We set and sightseeing in the quaint and picturesque
village. We became very well ac-
sail for the Kattegut and tht: many small
fishing villages that dot that particular part quainted with the fisher folk of Hombaek.
of the coast. We were out of the harbor The people looked upon us as "those crazy
only about two miles and beaded northwest Americans" since the weather was not fit
when I began to realize that perbaps the for anyone to be out sailing. During this
best decision would have been to remain in time, we had a chance to witness at firsthand
a practice that is apparently very
port until the weather cleared.
The wind was blowing extremely hard commonplace in that part of the worldswimming
in all types of weather and seas.
now and the rain was coming down in
sheets, almost blocking out visibility. The Each day the hardy Danes would come
sea was running very high and 1 had all 1 down to the stone breakwater and swim.
could do to hold the sheet and tiller. The They even held organized swimming classes
family was below except for Dad, who for children about Buck's age (7).
watched with amazement as tremendous The weather refused to cooperate, so early
waves rushed past the EOG. The boat was on the morning of our fifth day in port, I
pitching and tossing so Violently at this caught a bus and later a train for Copenhagen.
There [ picked up the car and two
point that I could not even leave the tiller
to take a reef in the sail, which might 11aVe of the yacht yard's roustabouts who accompanied
me back to Hombaek. The wind had
helped. The sails were thoroughly soaked by
rain and spray.
not abated and the Baltic was still rough,
Along this particular stretch of the Danish on our return. We decided to leave the Eos
coast: harbors are few and far between. The and head for Holland. The two men from
chart indicated two ports that offered some the yard looked at the heavy seas and decided
to wait for calmer waters to take the
possibilities: Hornbaek and Killi]e, both of
which were small fishing villages. 1 had been boat back to Copenhagen.
so busy handling the boat I was not able to Our trip on the Eos was most interesting
devote my full attention to the chart that in spite of the unfavorable weather. We
was, by this time, lying in a sodden heap on were able to see the people of Denmark and
the cockpit floor. 1 saw the breakwater of a Sweden in a way that the average tourist
small harbor off to port and mistakenly does not have while traveling by more conventional
means. Except for seasickness, I
thought it was Ktllt]e. I headed the bow of
the EOG for a small opening between the think all enjoyed the experience.
~~~~Af,~
~~A~I~S j~' 1~~:ad~a~Ti~~1JW'e~~~~ °11a~Z~~ j~C~9~. WJf~1!~:';~;t~r;~;U~t~Se~~
member of Gamma Beta Chi, and selected fCtr WIll) s Who. He IS married: to Ann TrICe, 53.
G~~t~~~~~irAs~:~:jr:.h~
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