Month: June 2015

Last two days in WiFi darkness, but now, in sunny Lappo harbour, we are back in the electronic world again. 

  
That Castle was quite impressive, mostly, from the outside, of the enormous area of wall compared to the miniscule ‘windows’. Inside I didn’t see, as it was closed. But more interesting was the collection of old buildings on the way there. (I’ll think of the name soon). Ålands official Maypole is erected and celebrated there, and most impressive it was too:

  
Explanations another time, I have the brochure somewhere. Lovely quiet place, grassy banks and picnicers too. 

Then on to Bomarsund, where we anchored for the night just round the corner. Entertainment that evening was a demented crow, large and very squawky-loud, trying to get into a cottage by flying through the closed verana windows. He must have had a very sore beak afterwards!  Next morning round to the small jetty, and a walk up to the remains of the Russian fort. Placards told of the original layout and buildings. Lots of big cannon laid out, just in case like.  Very comprehensive facility, must have cost a considerable portion of the Czar’s budget. Pity about the outcome though, as it was blasted and pillaged to ruins, for the Russians. 

Then had a lovely sail across relatively open water, going NE, and anchored up in a large bay off Eklinge, with a shallow entrance, (no, we didn’t). Only neighbours, swans. This area seems to be swan-country. Lots of them, also in swarms (wrong collective word, nicely onomatopeic!). 

Lappo for one night then, and then northward, up the main channel between Åland and Finland. Need to study the charts carefully, lots of shallows and rocks on the Finnish coast, and the harbour book, before deciding where to stop next. 

Now for an Åland pancake for lunch. Had one four years ago, and yummy memories. 

All’s well, from SailorJohn

Fog cleared. No wind, then good wind, a wait for the bridge to open, then more sailing, this time a little competitively amongst the other, bridge-waiting, five sailing boats. Three of them didn’t try very hard, and we came second. The other was several sizes larger though!

Very friendly harbour-help, who also informed that they had freshly-smoked ‘sik’, a trout relative, white flesh, available. Bought, filleted and eaten. Delicious. Half today, half tomorrow. 

There is a castle here which is a guide-book rave, with a significant history, so after the sik has settled, and maybe a strawberry or several, steps will be taken, (ten minutes, the harbour-hostess said). 

Will only stay here long enough to view the castle, and then on to Bomarsund later, against that lovely wind unfortunately, to get back out of this ‘fjord’, which has Ålands’s golf course on one side. Looks very attractive. Distance ashore is a bit too far to judge the slice/hook play. 

All’s well, from sailorJohn

Woke to the sound of a fog horn, from the main west channel. Is this a sign of summer? Sleepy head out through the hatch, and yes, fog. Not thick, as the sun is vaguely visible through it. The WiFi here is so intermittent and unreliable that no forecast is downloadable, so we shall just have to wait and see.

Yesterday was a day of variety. Food shopping, sightseing, wandering the pedestrian area, eating icecream like everyone else, bicycling around looking for the bike shop. Found. Saddle now more comfortable. More bicycling around seeing the sights. Walking up to the lookout spot and looking out, in very good visisbility. Buy three punnets of strawberries, (three for two), ate one after lunch, with cream, very good. Snooze. Chat with neighbour boat, English couple, wandering Scandinavian-waters sailors. Tried to chat with Finnish boat on the other side, but comms poor, chat curtailed. 

Fog seems to be clearing a bit. Plan for the day is to sail NE, to the inland sea, Lumparn, (opening bridge on the hour, every hour), a couple of probably motoring hours, to Kastleholm, apparently worth seeing, and then a further couple of hours to Bomarsund, where the Russians, who occupied this area a century and more ago, built a large marine base, as their place from which to dominate the northern Baltic, but were defeated and ousted by a combined French and British fleet. Historians theorise that keeping a large Russian contingent busy here had a significant effect on the Crimean War. Interesting. 

My blog will probably become rather intermittent, as communication will depend on WiFi availability. If I anchor up in a nice spot, no. If in a guest harbour, maybe. We’ll see. Keep checking!

Fog definitely clearing. Must start the day.

All’s well, from SailorJohn

Very fast sail over the “Ålands Sea”. Stopped at the most southerly harbour, Rødhamn, for a late lunch, then motorsailed up to Mariehamn. Will be here two nights. Need to do some shopping. WiFi on the boat doen’t work here, but there is a (poor) WiFi connection here in the marina, maybe because I chose a pen away from the shore, to avoid the noise. Åland is one hour ahead of Norway. It is now 22:00 local time and the sun hasn’t set yet. Anyway, sleepytime. 

this may be the last post for a while. I am not sure how far the internet signal will reach. 

Wind from NNW 12 -15 kts, course 070, or a little north of east, result: Max speed, 6,5 to 7 kts. in the right direction.  Wheeeeeee! Aolus again defied the forecast and is blowing much harder, thankfully, so ETA at the other side, probably Rødham , will be lunchtime. Excellent!  I am now glad that I decided to go further north last evening before stopping as the angle to the goal is now much free-ere. Only thing to do now is to watch out for commercial traffic, of which there is a good deal, including ferries, which don’t like sailboats in their way!

The rest of yesterday, after lunch, was just about perfect. Plenty wind. Sunshine. Sailboats out enjoying. Coffee and chocolate at intervals. Soup. Wind died just before goal, so a little motoring only. What better?!

Grey day today, there is obviously an old front wondering where to wander, and a stripe of clear sky to the north. Hopefully it will come south. 

All’s well, from SailorJohn

Woke early, wind forecast promising, so plan a long day and start early(ish). Managed 7:30, not bad, eh?

Aolius decided to go one better than the forcast and blew 10-15 kt wind, right behind us, and therefore excellent progress, nearly 30 nm already. Weather grey and chilly, but no rain luckily, and lunch in a warmed cabin is a good idea. Goal today is another SXK buoy at an island which is a good starting point to cross the stretch to the Åland islands and Mariehamn, about 30 nm. Forcast wind not so favourable, but you never know!

I am delighted and encouraged to see how many ‘views’ my blogsite are getting, no less than 35 yesterday! Can’t be boring, can it? I’ll continue to do my best.

Lunchtime over, saddle the horses…… All’s well, from SailorJohn

the drizzly weather and unfavourable wind made the decision easy. Seek haven! 

Harbourmistress very welcoming, saw Josin arriving and gesticulated and waved me to where to dock. Easy. Narrow pen, Josin just fitted, on the office pontoon. What could be better?

Washing machine available and now in use. Suitable activity in this un-summary weather, watching it, indoors. 

Have decided to stay the night. Wash-and-dry time is long enough to delay departure until too late really. Early start tomorrow will be just as effective overall. 

Bumped into a Brit in the office. Just arrived from the Åland islands, and keen to tell me all about it this evening. Will be interesting to hear if he has experience of places to which I have not already been. 

Forecast for tomorrow is for a sailable wind, 8 – 12 knots from the SW, almost enough for a good sail. Genakker probably. Hope the windgods (Aeoli?) listen to the forecast.

All’s well from SailorJohn

The sun was shining fitfully when I woke, so it wasn’t raining. Didn’t look as though it was going to either, so, up and at it. 16 degrees in the water, (these backwaters warm up quicker), so the morning dip was a bit longer than previously. Still chilly though! 

Navigating out from the islands was unreal. Jørgen had showed an interesting short cut, so I took it. Nail-biting, but successful. Just deep enough, with about half a meter under the keel. 

 Rest of the way was rather boring, with wind and waves against all the way. Clouds gradually lowering, but not leaking, nor yet, so I reckon the weather gods have ignored the forecast again. Good!

Next leg will be a long one, so we will stay here today and get in an early start tomorrow. All’s well with SailorJohn. 

If you Google Earth this position, it may well look as though we are parked (anchored) in a small bay surrounded by forest. It would be correct! Ballad owner and friend Jørgen recommended several spots to hide in if the weather promises inclement, so I tried this one, only he had recommended to go even further into the ‘unknown’. I chickened out when approaching, very slowly, a narrow and shallow channel between two reed beds. Thinks: if we get stuck, how do we get off again? Dunno. So, stop and anchor here. Very quiet, not even a swan or two. 

Today has been a long day. Started with a dip, as the water temperature had risen to 13,3 degrees, much warmer than 12. Very refreshing, caused extra breakfast appetite. Then to Oxeløsund, nearest town going north, a gentle sail with just enough wind to not use the engine too. Lovely morning, bright sunshine. 

Had to do some shopping as I had run out of plastic bags to put the rubbish in. Very big supermarket, very easy to get lost. Passed the dogfood section several times. A quarter hour’s laden trudge back to the boat, fill diesel and water and then off. Unfortunately the wind, now a bit stronger and otherwise excellent, was on the nose to go SE, then E, so the engine has been on all the way. Very little traffic, either pleasure or commercial, so keeping watch was uneventful. 

Almost nine o’clock when the anchor went down, so dinner had high priority, rice and wokked chicken etc. Am now sitting in the cockpit writing this, replete. The sun decended behind the trees to the NW, revealing a quarter moon in the W. Still not any meteorological signs that rain is forcast all tomorrow, so maybe it won’t happen. Anyway, this is a good, sheltered spot. 

All’s well, from SailorJohn

it was a grand Midsommersfest. Afternoon: Picking of wild flowers. Decorating the Maistang with birch branches, leaves and flowers. Ceremonial hoisting of the now-decorated Maistang.  Hurrahurra. Cheers. Skol! Coffee and cake, with strawberries.

Evening: Large barbeque, with smoke-wind in all directions, coughs and beery throat-clearing. Decorated tables with cloths all weighted down in the corners. Traditional herring, many sorts, and new potatoes. Grilled meat to black perfection. Songs. Toasts. A few speeches. And then the competitions. Brainteasers, balls into a bucket, (all were convinced that the bucket was anti-magnetised for tennisballs, or jus too small). tying and untying people tied together. Chinese checkers. The odd string-and-board-with-holes-in teasers. Earnestness to feel. Competitive instincts on stalks. Winners and loosers. Hurras all round. Dances round the Maistang to (for me unintelligible) texts. Others of the type:- ” … and we all fall down”. (not so popular with the more mature!).

Back to tables. Chat and storytell until late. Retire. Thankyouverymuchathousandtimes.

Still raining this morning, but it is clearing up gradually, and hopefully a good drying-day later.

Allswell from SailorJohn