Daily routine revamp by three squirrels

There are three very active squirrels frolicking at my cabin and they are so much entertainment and excitement. However, the things get complicated as the daylight this time of year is not very abundant. Normally I have my daytime sleep from 10 am to 5 pm but now I have adjusted my schedule so that has basically the same timing as the day light. So I wake up normally around 7 am and then I start waiting for the birds arrive at the feeding station (just watching through the windows) and activating the crew for outings. And I continue this until it gets dark again. I might have short naps in between to keep myself alert as it requires a lot of concentration to follow the squirrel activity. Then, I am active again between 9 pm and 11 pm.     

Those threes are one of the most favourite playgrounds for the squirrels. Patiently, I follow the play.

Hyvää joulua! Holiday greetings!

First snow

Last night we got the first snow this year. It is quite late so I did not wait to get outdoors to enjoy it. 

All Saints day weekend

This weekend is a quiet weekend and our thoughts are with loved ones who have already left.

Fall colors in marina

Winter preparation

Selkäsarvi sunset

Selkasarvi trail trekking

Finally we reached Selkäsarvi, an island in Bothnial Bay national park. I was really eager to go out to the island, both exploring and trying to find cooler places. In the evening we did a nice tour, and on the old helicopter? platform is was nice to chill out. But it was still too hot...

Tropical nights in Toranda

The new experience to our summer sailing was crawling a river, the mighty river Torniojoki that streams between Sweden and Finland. Few nautical mails upstream from the sea towards Tornio and Haaparanta there is a nice marina. The name Toranda is probably a combination of the names of those two towns. 

Marina is very nice with great facilities and there is good crew food at the restaurant. It was Sunday evening in our arrival so it was very quiet, with only one other boat, so we got to enjoy all the beauty of the river almost alone. In sunset the temperature had reached bearable levels under 25C so it was good time to explore the grounds of the marina. My favourite feature was those nice huts with good surface to chill on and observe the river view. Also, the huts have seats to set your crew on, very considerate :-)

At river Torniojoki the first mate got nostalgic. Swimming in the river reminded her about her childhood summer trips to her cousins who lived on the banks of the other mighty northern river, river Kemijoki. She remembers the unlimited swimming in the river, how exiting and fun it was. Maybe it was the scent of the river water or special feel in the water that brought the memories?  

Fall colors

Kemi marina

Kemi skyline from the top of the city hall

By using this elegant door handle you can enter into this elegant building and on the top of it there is fantastic view to over Kemi city and the archipelago. 

Also, there was a nice cafe for coffee and lunch. Kemi is a small city and they just seem to can do it, using their assets to make the town pleasant to stay.

Kood Koffee in Kemi

 

If you go to Kemi and feel like having a good cup of coffee there is a place to go: A roastery and coffee shop called Aito Lapin Paahto, that is Original Lapland Roast. 

For some reason, when sitting and sipping the coffee the crew felt like being in a scene of Norther Exposure, very nostalgic.

At the sea

In Kemi archipelago I did something I have never done during daytime sailing. I woke up and wanted to come up to the cockpit. It must have been about the temperature, or that I am getting very senior in sailing. The first mate was very nervous as I did not have my lifejacket. What if…??? However this question is complicated. When wearing the jacket I feel like that I cannot move my legs and I get very clumsy. That is not very safe at sea either. However I wore my harness and had the first mate in the other end of the line all the time, being alert. Please, my sea cat colleagues, let me know if you have found a lifejacket model that is comfortable to use! 

Note the sea water temperature: 26,4C.

Still Brushing - Another perspective

 

When the temperature got lower I really enjoyed the time outdoors. The unusual weather, first the early super-warm spring, then the heat, then thunderstorms and heavy winds got us thinking about the climate warming. Will every summer be like this? And if the sailing is never going to be like it used to be, something with fresh, pleasant air and refreshing water?  

Brushing and brushing and...

Once the sailing was completed and the vacation continued on land at my cottage I spent noticeable time outdoors, in the brush. Why to go to relax and sleep in the cabin if you can do the same thing nicely lingering in your local scrub vegetation? Also, if something needing immediate attention (you know those cute little moles and such...) would come up I was of course ready to react...

PS. I have still the sailing pics to post. Next, Kemi.

SAR patrolling in Röyttä

In Röyttä we got to see the sea rescue team vessels. Kudos to the team working in that hot weather! 

Happy International Cat Day!

Bulls or bears?

Our sailing towards Kemi started with a short leg to the local island. There was action on the island, not so typical one. A group of local young bovines spend their summer there and maintain the island's pasture-like nature. We made special effort not disturb them as cows may get upset easily. Or should I say the crew purposefully stayed calm. I am always calm and composed, of course.

Sailing completed. Zzzzz....

We stopped our sailing earlier than expected. Already tiring 30 C was followed by thunder storms and too heavy winds are coming. Now I am on land and can report pleasant 20 C.

I have rested last couple of days as my favourite temperature is below 25 C and the higher was just exhausting. I did not feel like eating or drinking and just wanted to find a shade to cool down. The crew managed to temp me to want to eat and drink, and for temperature control I used moist towel on top of my coat.

Fortunately in the late evenings the temperature was under 25 C and I could do my explorations in the marinas and islands we visited. Oh I loved Selkäsarvi and was really disappointed that we had to leave early to make it before predicted afternoon thunders.

Our route was the following, quite short but nice: Kraaseli in Oulu, Iin Röyttä, Kemi Ulenius marina, Toranda at river Tornio, Selkäsarvi, Iin Röyttä and back to home marina. More pics will follow.

Too much 30 C

Cats are known to enjoy warmer temperatures. Personally I enjoy a bit lower than 30 C. Fortunately we got some N winds and last couple of nights have been quite nice.

But will it hold?

I started my summer sailing by anchoring near a local island. There is always certain  stress factor to anchoring over night. Does it hold?

About usage of a patio

To me the patio of my cabin has been a surface to enter ourdoors. During this week of 30 C I have noticed that there is an useful use for it, that is resting in the shadow and enjoying the air flow coming between floor planks.

Enjoying in the sunset

The boating season had a late start this summer. A major maintenance was due on the vessel. Now that all is completed and everything is ready for enjoying the sailing.

Garden cat

I am not a big water drinker. However, if I find a new interesting container I am ready to try. Oh the water in this vessel tasted so good in this hot summery evening.

Night shift

I have performed my annual duty of guarding the marina over night. I stayed up all the night and enjoyed scent of the sea breeze.

Happy Midsummer! Hyvää Juhannusta!

The weekend has been rainy and stormy. No going to the sea. However, the vessel is ready to go. Check.