It all started for me after reaching the store from delightful climbing and a busy weekend in South Estonia. Rushed the last things into the car and off towards Rohuküla. At Rohuküla, filled the kayak with stuff swiftly. The packing was checked by a father with a tiny daughter. Nothing escaped their notice. Never saw them blink an eye or look away, let alone move their mouth or body. Across on the ferry, and quickly into the sleeping bag on a beach.

Monday.

Woke up at seven and packed the things carefully. Set out at 9.30. The sea was calm and the sun scorched. At the eastern shore of Vohilaiu Islet greeted by a roughly 70-head flock of swans (lost my count repeatedly).
The pulse stayed between 115-125, the best range for losing weight. Thomas’s words: ”Want to make a good climber, have to be at least 10 kg lighter”. There’s the rub ... the actual loss was merely 3 kg, thus in cliff climbing have to rely on technique and strength rather than weight. In 2.5 hours was at the tip of the peninsula near Suuresadama. A ten-minute break, and straight to Lehtma Harbour. This approximately 17 km was the first sign that the voyage wouldn’t be easy. A head wind arose, and while the wave height was nothing great (about 50 cm) the distance required some effort and took roughly 3 hours.
After a couple-hour lunch, more paddling for 1.5 hours. The waves had grown higher and the wind stronger. Between the rocks at Tahkuna Point, put my surfing skills to the test. It immediately evoked the very first real surf at Vääna-Jõesuu, where Eric remarked: “Timo, always seek support from the top of the wave, not the bottom ...!”. Needed that more than once here. Didn’t bother going round the rocks, just needed to squeeze through between them. Again recalled what I’d learned, this time Jukka’s instruction: “Tip … brake ... wait for the wave and paddle.”
For overnight stay, chose a snug sand beach at the western coast of Tuhkna Peninsula.

Tuesday.

Woke up at six; a few hours later arranged myself in the kayak. Was persuaded that a sand beach, while beautiful, filled everything – to the last corner - with fine crunchy particles. Still sweeping the last ones from my things.:-)
The paddling was serene at the start. Then a head wind arose again. At Külalaiu Islet took a 30-min. break and then on in a side wind. Had lunch on the northern side of Kõpu Peninsula, somewhere around Mägipe. There, was greeted by a thousand flies and as many ants.
As a new thing, a slight pain was felt right of the coccyx, and both hands were full of blisters. Some magic words and the “Fastum” gel were applied to the bottom in the evening, and did believe that would help!
The paddling continued. At the tip of Kõpu Peninsula was to encounter a so-called surfing paradise. The expectations were high: what would await me there?! Didn’t have to be very disappointed. At Ristna there were breakers, wind and rocks to wreck the kayak on … in a word, everything one can expect of a surf shore. The only thing missing was the surfers; they were all lying low at the beach. The waves were so fascinating that wanted to record them on my compact camera. Went ashore, without thinking of how to get back from there. A call to Triin: “Am I in for a change of weather!” She sent a forecast by SMS later, accompanied by a word of comfort: “There’s never a journey without a noser”.:-)” Didn’t get good shots, but the memory was good. But now, how to get back to sea. The coast was shingly and my feet sank deep in when I was choosing a launch site for the kayak. Dragging a fully loaded “arrow” was quite an effort. The bow into water and hop-hop! the skirt on, and scurry! so the wave would not beat me back. Got out to sea, lucky me!
The next stop was Kalana Harbour. There, got valuable water for fixing food and a cup of machine coffee from a kind family. They also offered bedclothes and an opportunity to stay overnight, but there was still strength to paddle, and went on. Disappeared from their eyes into the waves, and in about an hour chose the next sand beach to camp out on. Had time to fix the food and pitch the tent, and then was lulled to sleep by a soft patter of rain.
 

Wednesday
 

Start from the southern side of Kõpu Peninsula, near Kalaste and Ojaküla. The destination was somewhere at Mänspe or Haldi. The first strokes were done, and then happened what everyone says, that while the GPS is a cool thing it may go dead, too. Now the very thing happened – the batteries went dead. Luckily, the weather was clear and the azimuth could be taken. An aft wind was blowing from the right; hence, even if the drift were to divert me then only towards the land. Riding by the azimuth and trying to consider the drift, did reach Haldi Point. The aft-side wind that seemed positive at first proved not so good after all. The soft, approximately 1-metre high waves pushing up from the side made maintaining the course harder instead of easier. But then, of course, it provided some propulsion. It took 3 hours for 20 km. A break, and 5 more km in a solid side wind. In wave troughs, had to be constantly on alert for contingencies in the form of rocks. The wave height again resembled a mild version of “Vääna surfing”. When Sõru Port came in sight the wind and waves subsided also. Briefly put into Sõru Port and continued without exiting the canoe. The southern tip of Hiiumaa is shallow, hellishly shallow. Climbed out of the kayak and tugged it in knee-deep water. Deemed this a more prudent behaviour than beating the bottom with my gorgeous blue paddle (which naturally was dented enough already).
When Kassari came in view, felt joy welling up inside. From that moment on, the harder part of the voyage was past, or at least thought so.
It was almost eight in the evening, a time when I used to call it a day. The sea was calm, with a slight west wind – approximately 8 km to Kassari, as measured by various methods (when re-measured later, turned out to be 10 km). What happened next can be called a good day. The GPS showed 7.5-8.6 for speed. Secured the things between the rubbers and did some sports. An optimal tail wind and light waves, and in just over an hour was at the tip of Sääre Headland.
There, scared some bike tourists. A call from Taavi informed that guests could be expected. So be it; scraped my airbed out of the canoe and prepared a “sofa as fine as mist”. Taavi and friends brought me a grilled flounder and a delicious fresh salad; gobbled these up the next morning.

Thursday
 

Wake-up; just some twenty kilometres of sea remaining. But it dragged and dragged and dragged. The sun was scorching, even for the knees; ventilated them from between the skirt.
The only thing of note in that last leg was that managed to scare a black cow. They were basking at the corner of an islet. After a mighty moo! for a greeting, a black cow’s face turned white in an instant. Honestly, have never seen a completely black cow with a completely white face. Later, encountered another black cow, but that one had just a small spot on the frontlet. Consequently, it had turned pale with shock; hope it has calmed down by now.
Rode round Saarnaki, passed between Kaevasti and Hiiumaa, and there was Heltermaa. The rumble of port construction was no nuisance at all. Recalled Ivar and Mart. My first trip as an assistant guide. Mart had put a lifejacket on the shoulder so I could identify them; I was a new one back then. Both were brown like Negroes in movies, and had an amiable smile on their faces.
It is cool to journey solo. You discover your capabilities as well as things you still have to learn or practice (in my case, singing, for instance, for no bird came to listen, even at sea, when tried to warble “Saaremaa Waltz” in the style of Uno Loop).
A night’s sleep at home, at the computer with a cup of coffee, and just like that the map of Estonia is open … where next!?!?

Summary:
 

* Hiiumaa is a nice kayaking place with sand beaches and stealthy rocks!
•    total ca. 166 km, as expected
•    maximum speed (by GPS) 16.3 km/h
•    average 5.7 km/h
•    at sea 29 h 27 min
•    lost kilos 3, by now regained :-P.