Jogging paths in Neptuni åkrar

Back to lair on land

One night in Borgholm - Part 2

This was best ever night for watching the birds. Swimming - many kinds of ducks, flying - many kind of  sea gulls. Oh my marina! My breath was fast, my heart was pounding, I had to crawl and flatten myself to the hunting position... But like said, I had to continue down below as the crew sails the days and does not sleep to be ready for nightly bird watching. 

One night in Borgholm - Part 1

I had to interrupt ornithological session outside and move down below to continue
as the captain started falling asleep and could not attend me any longer, too bad...
PS Look at my strong shoulders.

4 am

I started my day at 4 am with great enthusiasm about my responsibilities - the first mate woke up due  an unknown noise that she considered something to be checked. I immediately joined her and was in great state of readiness on the deck. It was so early that the sun was only rising and I loved it - I just think that the sunrise is the right time to wake up; there will be a lot of less interesting hours starting before noon that can be used for day time sleep...

PS The noise was new one but harmless as it come from the opening in the concrete pier.

Back to Öland

In the morning I woke up in this rugged bay and prepared the vessel and the crew for the passage. 

At the sea. I woke up during the sailing and I considered seriously moving up to cockpit, to join the crew. But I decided that it is not yet the time after observing the crew working on the deck. We managed to avoid almost all the rain.

In the evening it was very quiet in the marina before the strong N wind started.

Midsummer magic - Closer look of the red waterlily

Exter and a colleague enjoying the Midsummer day

Midsummer greetings - Hyvää Juhannusta!

The anchor light is OK, right?

Bay watch

Oh, the crew member is going to a swim.

As a chief of the vessel I am responsible for the crew's safety.

Responsibilities, responsibilities. The leisure is not granted.

There he swims...

The captain seems to swim to the close proximity of the vessel, good.

Midsummer magic

The fern did not burst into flowering...

But a northern orchid blossoms...

The waterlily turned red...

And the dog rose grows large like trees...

Weather day in Brånnholmen

There was 15 m/s N, anchor drift, thunder storm, heavy rain, completed with calm sunset in the evening. 

(This nice anchoring bay is close to Valdemarsvik entry and very close to fairway. Due to data conditions the pics are small, I hope they are ok.)

Sleeping outside

A new thing this summer is sleeping outside, under the spray hood. If something worth of interest happens in the perimeter I can wake up and check the situation immediately. I like to lay on a moist towel, cotton or linen works well - the crew does not understand why I prefer a moist one but I have explained to them that this is a feline thing and out of their comprehension. 

Neptuni åkrar flora in Byxelkrok

These Öland flora representatives gave me a break, I could have my day time sleep timely when the first mate got very exited about these new species to her on a little excursion to Neptuni fields, lime stone beaches, north of Byxelkrok marina. Carl von Linne himself has named these out of this world looking beaches on his trip to Öland, some years ago... Well, need to post a pic on the beach itself and the limestone slabs very close to sea that are optimal to a yoga moment...

Blåeld. The blue fire?

Anchor watch

One needs to pay special attention to vessel location when anchoring in this kind of tight spaces. Keeps me busy.

Disconnected and happy

Last days we have spent in lovely nature harbors with super slow if any data connections. So I just wanted to inform you that all is well and I enjoy the vacation. The crew is fine too ;-)

In storm

Strong northern wind has blown all the night and we have been busy making sure that all the lines are keeping us safely moored. Well, I have to say that the first mate has slept remarkably well considering the weather conditions, all this worrying and waking up in the middle of the night was left to me and the captain but we managed it great. Now the wind seems to slowly to wind down and me and the captain have a chance to have a nap to compensate the nightly responsibilities.

Waiting for the Storm

Wonder forest in Borgholm

Our visit to Borgholm was not that long we expected; once the keel starts touching the ground in a marina it is time for deeper waters. However there was excitement in the air in the morning - the crew's morning jogging entered the trails to the Borgholm castle and to the king's summer residence - and oh that amount of ah and oh, the childhood's story book forests were suddenly totally here, true and touchable. I expect the first mate will come up with some poetic posts about the dog roses large like trees, the rays of the sun piercing the green of the noble trees, the birds of various kinds singing and chanting the way of the wanderer...