Thinking in Tankar

The vacation has started

We thought yesterday that it will be a leisurely sunset cruise from the fastland to Tankar but we ended up tacking in gusty 7-9 m/s weather. What a swift ride! However, the point I want to make is that Tankar is one of my favourite harbors and the crew loves it too. The vacation can be declared to have started!

Arrivederci Tankar!

Returning to the start of our trip, starting from the very beginning...

Earlier we had said goodbye to Mustakari and felt nostalgic already as we really liked staying the three weeks there. The marina was very welcoming and friendly, I got a lot of complements and admiration (I will return to this matter later) and who would not enjoy being encircled by such a beautiful and well maintained vessels! Also I would like to add that I enjoyed those quiet moments when the crew had their lunch at the restaurant - they say the food was excellent and I say that it was exactly when I like to have my nap and prefer some time for solitude.

The crew was quite tired when arriving at Tankar. The captain had done the big dry ingredients grocery shopping for the journey and had installed the last minute installations. The first mate - how inconsiderate of her - got sick on her last day at her daily-non-sea-activity before the vacation and could not eat and mostly slept the day. However she had enough energy to greet the wise old lighthouse and consult him for upcoming sailing and the upcoming winter.

As we aim to south we do not expect to see him for some time. Goodbye for now, the old wise lighthouse!

Upcoming next: Tankar to Valassaaret, a long day...

Hello Sweden!

We crossed the Kvarken and are in Sweden! We said goodbye to our lovely temp home marina Mustakari on Saturday and spent the night in Tankar. Valassaaret was our next stop, we spent a day there and made an early start to reach Swedish coast yesterday noon. I will tell you in more detail about the sailing and the islands in the upcoming posts. To manage your expectations I have to tell that even Valassaaret means the whale islands I did not make any whale observations. (But I do have friends who have opportunity to do orca whale observations in their close neighborhood!)

Status Update - The work on the vessel is done!

Sailing and sailing to Tankar - the crew's favorite activity. I do not mind either.

All the work on the vessel is now done and she is ready for new adventures - we left the boat yard on Saturday and have now temporary home at Kokkola before starting the adventure of the Summer 2013 in August.

If you ever need high quality winterization services or any work done on your vessel I warmly recommend Yxpila Boat Yard, check their site here. 

Tankar Midsummer

Top 3 moments of the last summer - My No 2

Today I will announce my first runner-up. The September weekend visits to Tankar! The island of the old wise lighthouse, lovely protective harbor pool, pittoresque old fisherman's outpost cottages serving today's generations as summer houses and first of all, the lovely selection of birds! I could stay hours and hours outside in the cock-pit and just enjoy the fresh air. And the birds, it just  got better and better as summer turned to autumn, the swallows were few and finishing their business before commencing their migration, wagtails were as perky as only they can, my favorite winter bird Parus Major had started to move from the forests closer to the habited grounds. And the geese, Branta leucopsis, they were not in hurry but just browsing and hogging the grass! I was only watching tough...

Venetian night in Tankar

The second stop on our Oulu-Kokkola transfer was our beloved Tankar. The old wise lighthouse welcomed us as we glided into Tankar harbor pool in afternoon sunshine, on glittering sea.  In the sunset the lighthouse surounded us with its softly sweeping light and the Moon appeared from the southern side of the island to wish us joyful Venetian evening, the traditional summer ending 

celebration in Kokkola and Pietarsaari archipelago. 

As the blanket of night slowly covered us we could see Kokkola harbor lights, including the lights of our winter boat yard, and the fireworks that lasted for hours. We participated the celebration by setting the colorful mini-hurricans in our cockpit.  The first mate was very happy that the venetian happened exactly this weekend, she had been talking about wanting to join 

the celebration in its originating neighborhood. 

Well, the evening ended a bit unpleasantly for me - there were some fireworks on the island too. I did not like the loudness and I stayed with the first mate under the saloon table as long the fireworks lasted. 

PS If you wonder what the heck can be Venetian in Bothnian Bay its the fireworks. According to our source fireworks have been called "venetian" as they first arrived at Europe in Venice.

Wrapped up

The sailing season 2012 is now over. Over the weekend we prepared the boat for winterization.

On Friday evening the mighty wind took a break and we got chance to sail last time this fall - we sailed to Tankar for the night.

As the sun set the moon raised and the old wise lighthouse guided us to the island.

On Saturday my crew removed the sails and on Sunday we moved tons of equipment and provisions from the vessel to the car. This turned out to be very entertaining - I will elaborate in my next posts.

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.