Reporting the Weekend

The Spring is really in, the lovely alder leaves are growing.

The hull was polished.

The mast was polished too and top of it equipped.

I was super-busy supervising this all action, both on the boat and managing the outside.

I monitor the situation carefully.
I stayed awake all the nights, securing the crew's sleep.

The old wise light house in the distance waits for us (it can be seen in the pic if you look carefully).
We are almost ready to set the sail and meet him again.

Exter's Hibernation Nest

The crew made the Spring's first trip to the boat yard last weekend. Slowly but surely the ice is melting and the Summer arriving. 

I am so waiting for hanging around in the cockpit, enjoying the fresh air and all the birds...

Exter at Hallberg Rassy Owners' gallery

...today on January 14th http://www.hallberg-rassy.com/news/daily-updates/daily-updates-post/owner-gallery-33/.

Vessel maintenance

I break the philosophy series for one post for the boat maintenance update. A seacat's winter is not just about personal preparation for a new season but there are certain responsibilities: training one's crew and maintaining one's vessel. Exter is now in Kokkola, where we sailed her in late Autumn, in the boat yard. Two jobs have been done: The old lacquer has been removed from the toe rail, the sun and weather will then turn it silvery gray like the teak on the deck. The bottom has been refinished and is now gorgeously painted, ready to perform. 

I am very pleased with the results. 

In the next post I return working on the playtrack, part 3/5 about Execution.

The longest leg of the season

I had a mission. The vessel had to be moved from our home marina to the winterization site. This was a challenge. This was in towards the end of the August. The approaching fall means frequent and heavy winds. Finding a suitable slot is not easy. I checked weather forecast from all the available sources, frequently. To get all the facts. With all the available data I made decision: This is the weekend. I ordered my crew to skip their daily hunting and gathering routine on Friday. They did. We woke up before sunrise. Execute! The travel commenced - the first and the longest leg of our Oulu-Kokkola journey started.  

The night before we spent in Varjakka. This is 5.30 am.

We headed towards west. The sun rose and started to catch us from east.

Hailuoto ferry bathed in the morning sun.

This beacon serves seagoing on Hailuoto coast route.

We leave Marjaniemi behind us - we are at sea!

After 12 hours our destination is visible in the horizon.

Approaching Maakalla.

Moored. Time to wake up for me!

I love new islands.

I am full of energy after all the sleep. 

Night falls on Maakalla.

Summer vacation 2012 - Sammakkalahti

We left Huvön very early in the morning as anchor alarm woke us up - the wind had woken up and blew in exactly from the bay opening causing small but effective waves running into us.  Captain decided that we will not re-acnhor but we move to an other bay very close to Huvön, to sleep few hours and then continue to Sammakkalahti. I have never run to the cockpit as fast as then - I thought that finally the crew realized that four am is a excellent time to make day's first bird observations. But no, they just started the engine and very fast collected the anchor and motored out from the bay. Getskär-Renskär is very close to Huvön and its bay is protected by mostly underwater reef that settles the waves. We decided to check if SXK buyou would be available and it was. We settled down quickly, continued our sleep for few hours and woke up to notice that the wind was totally calmed down. We had long drive ahead of us, with engine - how unpleasant.

We arrived in Sammakalahti late afternoon and it was very warm and sunny, perfect day for enjoying a beach.The mini peninsula was full of sun bathers and swimmers - my crew told me they have never before parked the boat like this. There was also entertainment for the beach folks as the captain wanted to test how the dinghy works in anchoring business, practicing the double anchor technique. This resulted that the anchor was relocated three times. "Jobbig"(hard) was a statement from our audience on the sand.

One of the lighthouses on our way through Kalix coast.

It is possible
to have such moments in your life
that
the Sun
shines from your mast.

Sammakkalahti is located between the Seskarö's  westmost "fingers" pointing to north, here is the map.

Inspecting storage areas - Closing the season

Great fun started when the first mate commenced to transport provisions, equipment and other items needed for boat life from the boat to the car. I was thinking "Why we do not do this more often!" All the interesting storage lockers and cupboards. Exiting!

This may be to much information but I will share it anyway: the white, sleek container
on left hand side is my personal toilet. My crew has their own. 

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 - 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... 

Weekend sailing

Last and this weekend I took my crew out to the sea. I will report in detail when I have finished with the summer vacation posts.