Have a good weekend!

Summer vacation 2012 - Huvön, the bay

Summer Vacation 2012 - Huvön, the shore

Wrapping up the season

This weekend was season's last leisure weekend on board, kind of weekend when you can let the wind tell you the direction and schedule. Now it's time to prepare for the winter, starting with unrigging.

This late in season the winds are heavy and frequent and we were lucky to have calm saturday morning. We ventured into new waters and visited GSF club harbor in Norra Hamnskär. It is located between few small islands and was so beautiful in fall colors. As wind started to raise its power we could not stay over night but only for lunch. Couple of swans landed behind the island, to have their lunch break just like we did, on their migration flight to south.

We were treated by nature with an other graceful view, an eagle made his rounds above us and the islands.

My crew provided me with disturbing information about eagles.  First, that they have larger claws than I have. I have substantial claws, for example my thumb claw measures 12 mm by 5 mm, at least.  And second, that eagles may take cats. With these, still unconfirmed, facts I considered best to continue my early afternoon nap down below. As I slept my crew handled the vessel to Tankar and we spent the evening and night safely pocketed in Tankar in the lull of the wind.

Pah, was it eagle? They are not any ornithologists...

Summer vacation 2012 - Huvön, the mountain

I did not go to the top of Huvön but my crew did, one at the time. I will let the pictures tell.

More information about my crew's all time favorite island here.

Installation Weekend 2

I have to say that I had the most satisfactory weekend. However I had to wait it. On Wednesday and Thursday I set myself for a nap in my car travel compartment before my crew arrived in my lair on land from their daily food hunting routine. They did not get my point until Friday as we drove to the vessel. I actually have enjoyed the car travel to marina - it happens during afternoon when I mostly nap anyway and I like to sleep while traveling in the car.

On Friday when we arrived the the boat the sun set quite soon and it was dark. This is new to me: being onboard, its dark and my crew is awake. We stayed with the first mate on the deck quite some time and were enjoying exiting feeling of the warm gusty wind, all the smells coming with its and the harbor lights reflecting from the water movement.

Saturday morning started with the installation excitement - the captain brought some cables to the breakfast table with him, so excited he was. My crew may sit for two hours for the weekend breakfast but this time the breakfast was enjoyed in remarkably fast manner. As the captain moved on the second phase of the radar installation me and the first mate continued like last weekend - our helping paws were available as needed.

As the installation was completed late afternoon I ordered... er, kindly noted to the crew that the wind had reached speed suitable for comfortable seagoing and the sky was remarkably blue and bright so maybe sailing might be a nice option to choose for an activity. So we left and tacked to Tankar, the lovely island with lighthouse. The night become remarkable - first there were a lot birds to observe and when it become dark the sky was really black creating wonderful backdrop for the planets and stars. I stayed extended periods on the deck admiring the nature's activities.

We were treated with lovely weather on Sunday too. Before we sailed back to the harbor in a brisk wind I started to feel like a bit celebrity. My outing - what a bird show may I state - on the deck were observed by fellow sailors and I got a lot of attention - I was curious about the new people but at the same time a bit shy.

Ok, even I am so exited about the weekends I will start working the posts on Huvön...

I may look fluffy but I predate an the insect on the pillow... 

My favorite vantage point.

Tankar bathing in morning sun.

Next in Summer vacation 2012 - Huvön

Island Huvön has so much to tell about, so many pics that I need to tell about this island in three parts: The bay, the mountain and the beach.

Meanwhile, I am of to marina and wish you lovely weekend!

Summer Vacation 2012 - Sorttisviken in Seskarö

My summer vacation production is getting closer to its culmination, the islands of Seskarö and Huvön and their magical anchoring bays my crew has been dreaming about the whole winter. I have lived with my crew only since last October and yet these destinations feel so familiar to me because my crew has been talking about them so much.

This is first of the three, Sorttisviken. The unique thing in the Seskarö anchoring bays is that you actually drive the boat up to the beach. The sand bank is so steep that when your keel hits, or actually smoothly dips, into it your crew can walk to the beach in knee high water (I don't go to water, I enjoy watching it). The anchor is used in the boat stern and the ropes are connected from the bow to the beach pines or rocks.

The journey to Sorttisviken was partially unpleasant - the old waves from yesterday's high winds were coming from south and we had to manage them in the narrow fairway on the east side of the island. Bumpy drive. I stayed in my sea bunk all the way. Fortunately the rest of the sailing was smoother.

The island is located here, see the map.

Installation Weekend 1

This weekend I took my crew to hang around on the boat - we did not leave the dock at all because of the weather and because the captain had some new equipment to install. I dont know about you other sea cats but I can state that my captain certainly installs equipment quite often. Well of course it cannot continue too long since there would not be any room for new equipment, would it? Me and the first mate were available to help him whenever he needed an extra pair of paws. Naturally,  whenever he was in doubt I provided him with technical support and instructions.    

The sunday sun rised on bright blue sky. It become lovely autumnal day. The kind of day the first mate calls perfect for harvesting and storing energy of sun for the long and dark nordic winter. The captain continued to finish the installation and me and the first mate balanced between helping him and the energy harvesting... 

Summer Vacation 2012- Haaparanta

This is my first marina outside Finland - Haaparanta in Sweden, very close to Finnish border. Now I  can state that I am an international sea cat! We were on our way to Sorttisviken in Seskarö but we had to interrupt our sailing due to raising thunderstorm - the red cable is lightning conductor, just in case. Btw, you are not supposed to stay so close to mast in thunderstorm - I just had to check the vessel environment before taking my crew inside the vessel. Fortunately this time we could watch the storm bypassing us. However it left waves that we were to feel strongly day after.

Summer Vacation 2012 - Puotikari

I am still upset on how much attention the marina dog got from the first mate - I really think that I and only I should get those kind of amounts of attention. Situation is explained in my earlier post "Winning the windmills"( at Port of Puotikari). Here in the pic I am sulking down below when my first mate rubs the dog's shoulders outside on the dock...

For more information about the marina in http://venenetti.fi/satamat/perameri/puotikari-onkalo/1992-puotikari/puotikari.

Summer vacation 2012 - Iso-Huikuri

From Kemi we continued to island Iso-Huikuri. We anchored north of the island. To make sure that the anchor does not drag it must be monitored for some time and I took the task.

Also, if your captain wants to be a great explorer and study new islands one must keep him on eye... Fortunately this time he managed to get back by himself.