I was so happy, when I could reach a short flight after work! It wasn’t that easy – I met up at the office at 6 a.m., didn’t go for lunch to finish all the necessary tasks on time; the traffic was otherwise ok, my OY-9797 had been prepared for a flight, and after the pre-flight check I was quickly airborne.
I knew I wouldn’t have much time, but even a short local flight would be a pleasure. After the take-off I turned right and had a look at the Audebo pump station:
The Audebo Pump Station was built in 1873 as part of the large land reclamation project that was supposed to dry out the western part of the Lammefjord. The drying of the total approx. 57 km² was completed in 1939, and since then mostly carrots have been grown in the fertile soil.
To divert excess water away from the former fjord bed, approx. 40 km of canals were built, which carry the water to the Audebo Pump Station. From there, approx. 16 million m³ of water is pumped annually into the sea.
Some fun facts about the place:
- Lammefjorden is Northern Europe’s largest dammed area, equivalent to 10,000 football fields.
- The Audebo dam is 2260 m long and has 2 locks that act as drains for the ring canal. In addition, there is a 3rd lock to the west to Nekselø Bay.
- Today, around 3,500 people live on the former fjord bed, which lies from 1 to 7.5 meters under the sea level.
On the 3rd April 2023, the Audebo Pump station opens its doors at 13:00 – 16:00 to celebrate the 150 years anniversary of the drying out of Lammefjord, with drinks and finger food for all guests. Make sure to come by!
I continued over the Holbæk fjord. The air was clear, with good visibility, and a full moon rising on the east.
Holbæk marina, a very nice place, especially during summer time:
Around 20 wooden ships have their home in Holbæk harbour, including historic fishing cutters, cargo ships, and more than 100-year-old galleys. Holbæk harbor is actually the first place in Denmark that became a free port for historic and preservation-worthy wooden ships, which means they can be docked there for free. All 20 ships are not always to be found at the port, as they often go sailing during the summer, but there are always some wooden ships on the quay.
I did a round over the island of Orø, remembered my times there (the island is great for easy hiking with its area of 14 km²), and admired the beauty of the wetlands of its northern bay:
The Aviator was with me, and we had very good time flying together:
My flight, logged in SkyDemon:
At home, it was getting dark, with the full moon litting up the skies:
I did my paper work, cleaned the propeller, and pushed my Aeroprakt into the hangar. What a wonderful evening it was!
