Sailing to Sandhamn

The wind was excellent, we tacked to famous sailing mecca Sandhamn. For first time during this journey we saw several other boats sailing - even the high season is over in August the lovely weather had gotten the boats from their marinas to the sea.

The marina was strongly effected by the NE wind. This was disturbing my daily routine. Also, we met for first time something called fixed mooring line. More about our day in Sandhamn coming up. 

Have we come to Paradise?

We were not alone in the shipping line close to Kapelskär.

This vessel looks somehow familiar. 

At the gates of paradise,  Paradiset of Finnhamn.

It looks tight.

How dares he come to this close of my vessel. Grrr...

There is plenty of good space for anchoring too. The best spots are at the cliffs.

I have never seen this much fish at one glimpse.

See you next time!

Status update - Blå Jungfru in Horizon

Mysterious Blå Jungfru welcomed us and Öland's profile appeared on port side. Meeting the blue maiden makes us a bit sad as our sailing adventure is now behind us and we are starting to prepare the vessel for the winter. 

I will continue posting about our adventures in Stockholm archipelago and about wonderful new places  in south of if, the Sankt Anna and Gryts archipelagos.

Channeling (in Väddö kanal)

My day time sleep was totally disturbed by all the fuss the crew made about Väddö kanal... I let the pictures tell.

In Väddö viken: We need a bit more than 15 meters but it looks tight...

 Look how small that house looks like ;-)

Approaching Älmsta. 

Älmsta bascule bridge. There is a waiting pontoon before it.

In the canal.

It took about half an hour from to the first bridge to the second one.

Bagghus swing bridge.

Somewhere towards Bagghus fjärden.

Mindset Change

As we left Öregrund we realized that we are now really in archipelago. Crossing Gävle bukten and approaching Öregrund from lighthouse Björn, like coming through a funnel, land getting closer and closer from both sides of us, had made us thinking about getting from open sea closer to the solid ground. It was only now that when we sailed away from Öregrund to Grisslehamn when we really got it - we are now really in the archipelago we had dreamed about. I believe the crew was totally thrilled about seeing all the lovely summer houses waking up slowly into sunny Sunday morning and all the rounded cliffs with rugged pine trees. My understanding is that they were really exited because they did not produce any visual material for me to use! Well, I try to replace that with some pics from Grisslehamn, our fist stop in the archipelago.  

Next coming up something totally different and new experience for us, Väddön canal.

Grisslehamn guest marina is very calm and facilities are excellent.
 This is a local sailing club's restaurant.

Grisslehamn fishing harbor and Åland cruises' starting point.

Navigational Aid

Route planning is important.

I overlook the process and guide the crew.

One can do it with grace and elegance.

Öregrund Action Day

In Öregrund, after several long days of sailing, my and my crew's activity levels were totally different. The crew wanted to rest, recover and do some clean up and me, I was just full of energy. 

This marina was perfect match for the both needs: The facilities like laundry were excellent and there were a lot of good krogs for crew feeding. I will give a tip later. And for me there was a lot of action ongoing. Well, of course the birds, a lot of boats coming and going, the normal stuff a good marina has.

 In addition there was fishing. Oh, this was so exciting and new for me. Locals were pulling out masses of huge perches from the marina pool. This was really entertaining to me. And of course I enjoyed the fishers admiring me: En jättesöt kissekatt... Also there was a colleague in an other boat: He was in senior position and thus work also on the pier on his own. 

I added some pics below, some snapshots on the very active day.

Our next stop was Grisslehamn, coming up tomorrow.

What happens on the pier?

The kids pull out large fish from the water... So this is fishing!

I really had to have a short nap in the cockpit. But only short one.

A colleague.

One needs to concentrate well when working on the deck.

Status update from Baltic Sea

Today I just wanted to let you know that when I was checking out this new marina a fellow sailor told me that I, the kissekat as the locals call me, look like a tiger, yes, tiger! Isn't that cool! I have been said several times to remind a lynx but a tiger is far more bigger! Check out the last picture from today, I do look powerful and handsome.

Oh, the crew wanted to add that we have today sailed beyond Landsort. This means that we are now on Baltic Sea, away from our home waters Bothnian Bay and Bothnian Sea. Hefty!

This morning I woke up the crew before sunrise. 

Landsort behind us.

Me. ;-)

Härnösand a.k.a mini-Stockholm

Härnösand was our last stop before set of more intensive legs to Öregrund to start our tour in Stockholm archipelago. It was a lovely city, city that we had not known about. In addition me getting really good nap while the crew was in walking around the city there was some practical, less poetic business to take care: laundry, groceries and such. The crew managed well.

I will return to Höga Kusten in my posts during the fall. Coming up next: sailing to the south from Öregrund!

Don't wake me up, I know we are arriving! (I slept all the way in
the crew bed, usually I travel in the front cabin floor.)

Early in the morning we woke up with a voice of very heavy rain and something we did not recognize.
For our surprise the water was overflowing, so heavily was it raining. 

High Coast Bridge and Hörnön

The High coast bridge is the largest one I have seen in my sailings. The clearance of 40 meters is far more than enough for my vessel's 15 meters mast hight. The large trucks on the bridge looked like toys, so large is it. The crew was very excited.

The overnighting marina is actually former ferry station from the time before the bridge. Oh, I loved this spot; look at the pics in the end of this post and you understand why ;-)

Our adventure on the High Coast was getting closer to its end. The next and last stop was Härnösand. 

Birdie, birdie, come to papa...

What a selection!

Handsome, delicious seaguls.