Distant Shores Series 7

1  Chichester Harbour

Paul and Sheryl test sail their new 49-foot boat by exploring small ports around Chichester Harbour - one of England's largest boating centres. They sail with two local sailing champions, meet a woman who's made a business putting old sails to creative use, learn to identify edible plants along the shoreline, and discover that drying out at low tide can be a useful skill for maintaining the boat and getting to the best pubs in the harbour.
Duration: 30'

 

2  The Solent

Satisfied that their new boat is ready for sea trials, Paul and Sheryl leave Chichester Harbour and sail to ports around the Solent and Isle of Wight. They visit areas of great natural beauty, learn how to creek crawl to find secluded lunch spots, meet a Royal sailing enthusiast, and discover how nautical equipment is produced and tested while visiting historic ports in this world famous cruising ground.
Duration: 30'

 

3  Channel Islands

Paul and Sheryl sail across the English Channel to the Channel Islands where they learn to deal with the huge tides, hike the scenic coast paths on Jersey and Guernsey, meet a family that manages a small community on the tiny island of Herm and find out about the German occupation in World War II by attending Liberation Day festivities.
Duration: 30'

 

4  Narrow Boats - Inland Navigations

The Shards discover a unique form of inland boating in England when friends invite them aboard a narrow boat to travel through one of England's oldest navigations, the Wey Navigation. They learn about narrow boating traditions and meet the friendly community of people keeping them alive, discover how easy it is to get started in narrow boating, and experience life on the historic waterways so important to England's development during the Industrial Revolution.
Duration: 30'

 

5  Frisian Islands

Paul and Sheryl set sail from England and cross the North Sea to Holland and proceed through the shallow waters of the Wadden Sea to visit the Frisian Islands. They must contend with tides and currents while navigating through tricky shoals and ride out a storm by beaching the boat on a sandbank. But the natural beauty of the islands and relaxed nature of the people living here make the challenges all worthwhile.
Duration: 30'

 

6  Islands of Denmark

Leaving the North Sea, Paul and Sheryl join the summer migration of boaters making the 2-day transit through Germany's Kiel Canal to reach the Baltic Sea and participate in a tall ship parade for Kiel Week. They sail on to Denmark to explore islands of the south Fyn archipelago where in Faaborg they learn traditional ways to smoke fish. On the island of Lyo they visit heritage homes and a meet woman who has created a show and museum honouring local maritime history in her kitchen.
Duration: 30'

 

7  Passage to Copenhagen

The voyage through the islands of Denmark continues with a visit to AEro where Paul and Sheryl take a night tour through the fairy tale town of AEroskobing with the nightwatchman. They hire an electric car and learn about the island's use of solar and wind power. In Marstal they look at traditional shipbuilding methods at the Seafaring Museum then sail up island to Copenhagen where they moor in the Nyhavn Canal and explore the heart of the city.
Duration: 30'

 

8  East Coast of Sweden

Setting sail from Copenhagen, Paul and Sheryl leave Denmark and head to Sweden battling bad weather to reach the port of Ystad on the south coast before exploring the remote islands of the southern archipelago. In Utklippan they are greeted by the lighthouse keeper and his daughter who take them to visit the local seal population, then the couple is off to the mid-Baltic island of Gotland to participate in the annual Medieval Week festivities.
Duration: 30'

 

9  Stockholm Archipelago

The Shards set sail from the island of Gotland and begin exploring the vast archipelagos along the east coast of Sweden. They fish for flounder with a local fisher, navigate through rocky channels, enjoy a wood-burning sauna they find in the forest and sail into the old port of Stockholm.
Duration: 30'

 

10  Gota Canal

Paul and Sheryl travel inland waterways across Sweden taking their sailboat from Stockholm to Gothenburg on the west coast. En route they travel through the historic Göta Canal and Trollhätte Canal and before crossing Lake Vänern visit Vadstena castle, setting anchor in the castle moat.
Duration: 30'

 

11  Passage to Germany

It's the end of the sailing season in Sweden and autumn storms are brewing. The Shards travel down the Kattegat between the islands in the Strait of Denmark to Kiel City, the sailing capital of Germany where all children are given sail training in school. It is also a base for the German Navy's Baltic fleet and Paul and Sheryl learn about its history on a visit to the Laboe Naval Memorial before leaving the Baltic for the North Sea by way of the Kiel Canal.
Duration: 30'

 

12  Dutch Canals

Back in the North Sea, Paul and Sheryl make their first stop in Norderney, one of the East Frisian Islands of Germany before entering the Dutch canals at the major port of Delfzijl. They travel the picturesque standing-mast route through the countryside before sailing to ports bordering Lake Ijssel and arriving in Amsterdam.
Duration: 30'

 

13  San Blas Islands, Panama

Following their Baltic voyage, Paul and Sheryl return to England where they store their boat for the winter and fly to Panama to sail with friends exploring the remote San Blas Islands aboard Diesel Duck, a 41-foot motor yacht. They meet some members of an the Kuna tribe, the strongly independent and artistic people who inhabit these islands and learn about their unique way of life based on the concepts of god, nature and the cosmos.
Duration: 30'