Home Again

Our Slott Hotel proved to be both elegant and comfortable - out on the road to Oxelosund. The gardens were extensive with a large collection of modern sculptures which we enjoyed before resting and then going out to eat a last Suchi at Kohiro. We went to bed early and got up very early indeed. The hotel had kindly put out a packed breakfast in the fridge in the breakfst room for us so we could leave prepared for our journey. 

The drive to Halsingborg was wet, dull and fairly boring but thankfully traffic light. The ferry was crowded and snacks on board poor. Lunch was available in a separate dining room but only for those going back and forth a few times. We found our lunch very pleasantly in a real Danish Inn on the coast road to Copenhagen just north of the Lousiana art gallery. 

 

General Update

I should have explained in part 3 that we aborted our trip to Norrtalje this year because of several problems that took up time. The first was the closing of Danviks bridge at the entrance to Stockholm harbour that made the short cut through Lake Malaren unavailable. The alternative route through Myssingen is longer and less sheltered. The second was a rather prolonged stay in Stockholm seeing friend which was very enjoyable and extended because of somewhat unfavourable weather. The third was our unjustified worry about the engine. We have decided the increased noise level is most probably due to removing the waterlock at the beginning of the season as it had started to leak. The fourth was time lost because of my nose bleed and the final straw was the forecast of strong northerly winds that sent us into Stockholm.

In Stockholm we met more friends and visited a more than usually normal exhibition in the Lilyvachs Gallery next to Wasahamn. Essentially it was a run through of furnishing from William Morris onwards – interesting but casually presented with insufficient explanation. We also revisited the Hallwylska house, a wonderful example of late 19^th C. taste and a great deal of money. We also discovered next door to Hallwylska a Lebanese restaurant that does a very good buffet Dagens Lunch. We spent a lot of effort trying to take out the harbourmaster Leif and his wife to lunch or dinner as he has been very good to us for several years. However we totally failed. However we’ll try again next year.

We’d been in touch with Martin and Maria Morris and arranged to meet them at Malma Kvarn after reporting on the quality of the restaurant.

We left Wasahamn at 0600 a little later than our previous trip and had Stockholm harbour almost to ourselves – no fat ferries with hideous wakes, just two work boats and a couple of international ferries. We found the route through Baggenstaket ; lovely in the early sunlight and also deserted. We did have a scare with a very nasty rattly engine noise which Kristin tracked down as a sheet of plywood  leaning against the exhaust swan-neck! Once out into Bagensfjard we hoisted sail and had a very pleasant gently close hauled run down to Malma Kvarn but had trouble getting through the sailing school doing circuits right on the fairway. Martin and Maria duly arrived and we had a super time together and another very good meal at the restaurant with as a bonus a fried breakfast cooked by Martin the next morning. The only fly in the ointment was that we all went swimming in the lake behind the harbour and I managed to slip on the rocky slope, fall over, skin my shoulder and scratch my specs – clumsy!

Last few words from Broken

With a good forecast and very little wind we left harbour bound on the short trip to Broken for sun, swimming and scraping teak. Broken was as lovely as ever with many foreign boats but few club members and we continued teak maintenance and swimming as often as possible. My shoulder reacted badly to the bandage – I got a rectangular rash – so we had to buy some cheaper bandages that did not have this problem.

We stayed in Broken till the weather threatened wind and rain and left for Nykoping again but fully intended to return for family race day. Unfortunately the weather has continued to be uncertain with rain threatening often in the forecasts but less oftwn falling on the boat. However the plastic tent has proved invaluable and rain did fall heavily on us while the family race party was happening on Broken We were very sorry to miss it but got on with maintenance. We also did some tests recommended by Vectamarine and we are awaiting recommendations for further changes to prop angle as I write.
Our sails are off and packed. We did try to find someone to wash them but the prices seemed absurd at £8-9/sq. metre that’s about £450 in total which seems pricey. The new sails cost about £700 each. Most of our baggage is in the car. Badger gets lifted out of the water on Friday morning and we will be off to Copenhagen to see our friends Sten and Rosemarie on Saturday. Our Journey home will continue via Lubeck, Quedlingberg, Goslar, Lemgo and Veurne courtesy of the book Birgitta and Paul gave us.

To Nykoping

We’d noticed a British yacht in the distance so when we’d raised the anchor we motored over for a closer look. It was the Halliwells again whom we’d met in Stockholm earlier. We motored off after establishing they were bound for Nykoping. We went through Stendorren and raised sail to sail very pleasantly in bright sun through the usual rous to Nykoping arriving in a strong easterly breeze. This caused us some trouble turning into the berth and had to make two attempts. Louise Halliwell rushed about to help us not knowing where we wished to moor. We prefer the middle pontoon as its moorings are not too wide. Louise was nevertheless in time to take warps and her help was very welcome. They were on the way south to Germany to lay up while we were in Nykoping to buy food and to do some winterising work.

Kristin scrubbed the cockpit grid, treated it with oxalic acid and oiled it several times to give it a good colour. We noticed a lot of dirt getting aboard on our shoes and need to take action to prevent this as it erodes the oil from the teak and dirties it. In the meantime I did maintenance work on the engine and emailed Vectamarine as I'm unsatisfied with speed I can run the engine at (any faster than 2400 rpm the engine temperature frightens us). I also managed to buy EP 80 oil which I've been unable to do before and changed the windlass oil finding it clean and waterfree to my great relief. I don’t have to buy another windlass. We also went to the medical centre to get my shoulder treated and Kristin’s blood tested. Regrettably the Pud School is still on holiday and also our favourite Sushi Bar.

Rassavikar to Ringson

Up fairly late after the strenuous sailing of yesterday but were away by 0900 heading for the exit bridge at Tottnas. The forecast was for light southerly breezes. We were passed outside Rassavikar by a Vindo heading south who would be forced to go through the more exposed passages north or south of Oja. As we headed through the wriggles I wondered why the Vindo had gone south. I eventually twigged that once free of Oja he would have an easy beam wind sail west in fairly open water to Savosundet while we had a longer and more tortuous route. The passage to Tottnas always tsakes us longer than expected and is always enjoyable and we arrived about 15 minutes before the bridge opened. We duly headed SSW under motor and main down the passage between Liso and Svardso slightly puzzled by the odd buoyage ( two green buoys close together on the same side of the channel with a passage for small craft between them. There’s a navigational oddity compounded by a rather over specified lighthouse here which may relate to a former factory site.

Leaving this query behind we turne NW at the end of the fjord and unfurled the jib having a gorgeous run to Galklubb light but peering out cautiously at the northern end of Ramsholm in case a big ship was behind it going to Sodertalje. There wasn’t so we scooted across the big ship channel and wriggled our way past a series of rocks before joinging a passage going WSW to Svarthall light and later to the complicated passage through Bokosund. Here we started to meet the high speed motor boats cutting up the water and making life miserable. In addition we were now heading south with the wind on the nose – suffering for not having gone south like the Vindo.

The motor boats were soon gone but so was the sun for a while and we furled the jib and motored on to Savosundet, taking a short cut through a magnetic anomaly which proved to be too feeble to register. After Savosundet we could sail again but there was much sailing traffic and with the wind from our port side we had to do the avoiding. We were now gradually turning to the south to get to Ringson so eventually lowered sail and motored south and into Ringson’s southern entrance to anchor in a fleet of about twenty yachts and good shelter.

Rassavikar

After our luxurious Martin and Maria left (we thought heading north) and headed south and west with an eventual target of Broken. We had a southerly breeze and were able to sail much of the way heading initially for the NW side of Orno. We passed Kolnasviken, a possible destination, sailing well and far too early to stop so pressed on. The wind strengthened as we came into less sheltered water and a warm sun gave extra pleasure. It is surprising just how well Badger sails in comparison with larger boats (probably crewed by less experienced sailors to be truthful). Regrettably, the wind, as forecast went round to the SW, dead on the nose, and strengthened further and kicking up a chop by the time we reached the seamen's memorial on Kapellon. In addition the sun was in our eyes. Incidentally, Myssingnen seems an odd place for a seamen’s memorial as big ships don’t go past it as the NE end of the passage is too wriggly and narrow for big ships. We took down the jib but kept up the main as it was a bit bouncy for Kristin to get it down and she is the fore deck gorilla. It was surprisingly difficult to check visually where we were and boats appeared to be going off to starboard, giving us the worry we might be missing a more sheltered route to Nynashamn. Looking at the chart persuaded us that there was no such passage and one catamaran much closer to shore than us eventually turned tail which suggested she had been mistaken and reconciling us somewhat to our fate. Much of this was wishful thinking. “There must be a way of avoiding this unpleasantness and one of these boats knows something we don't.” In fact the entry to Nynashamn is pretty obvious and it was marked by a vast cruise liner anchored north of the ferry harbour.

Eventually the wind dropped a bit, we turned into shelter and lowered the main in the lightle bight at the north end of Bedaron. Much relieved, we looked with scorn at a very crowded guest harbour at Nynashamn, thought with some regret of the smoked shrimps in the Smokery and motored on south bound for the archipelago and Dragets Canal. The archipelago was sheltered, warm and quiet. Moreover we got through the initial narrows and Dragets without meeting any other traffic and arrived at Rassavikar to anchor and enjoy a quiet evening and night.

Nynashamn to Malma

The forecast was good so up early and to the fuel pontoon for a refill. I'm finding the fuel prices a bit frightening but actually they’re not much worse than the car. We had to motor tack up Myssingen for an hour or two, somewhat distractedly as my nose started to bleed again. Eventually that stopped, the wind veered a little, we unfurled the jib and started to sail really well; or at least we did when I was paying attention to steering and sail trim. We managed to beat a larger and more modern boat by a considerable, and probably unmerited, satisfaction. The wind continued to veer and free up until we had a fresh following breeze and a somewhat rolly sea but made good progress to Malma Kvarn, one of our favourite places. Off the entrance we tried to furl the genoa and the line jammed in the drum. Kristin had to lower the main under difficult conditions which she managed very well. I then went forward to try to clear the jam. I managed to turn the furling drum by hand, a little at a time while Kristin alternately steered and pulled in the slack line. Luckily we were in an area of clear water. Eventually I was able to pull out the line by hand, a little at a time while lying on the deck and Kristin then retrieved it bit by bit. It was exciting while it lasted. I think we’d pulled too hard on the furling line while the jib sheets were not free enough. We motored in to Malma and got a good place opposite the restaurant. Now we had much enjoyed the restaurant in 2000 when sailing with Sara and David but it had been closed for some years. Now it is open again , starting just three weeks ago with a new chef who owns hotels in Sweden and a restaurant in Nice and who cooks very well. We much enjoyed our dinner there that night.

Also that night I had another nosebleed. Kristin contacted the chef the next morning, who contacted the local health centre and organised a lift for me. I got taken to Gustavsberg, had a minor op there and a pleasant Thai lunch and returned to the boat by taxi. Problem largely solved. We made small gifts to those who’d helped including some of Kristin’s marmalade to the chef. This immediately appeared on the menu as part of a dessert. This consisted of panacotta with raspberry coulee on top and marmalade at the bottom giving a distinct bittersweet kick to the end of the dish. We are immensely flattered by the compliment. We are having great difficulty in leaving Malma. The restaurant food is excellent, the surroundings are beautiful, we have warm water in the lake to swim in and have found strawberries in the woods. However, we are planning an very early departure for ?????

Dragets Canal to Nynashamn

We got up early to get through Dragets Canal before the idiot motor boaters arrived. Even so we met a train of four fast motorboats on the way into the wriggles and were glad to have missed them in the narrow sections. We stayed two nights in Nynashamn to be sure I’d recovered. Kristin washed some clothes and we shopped for food and checked out restaurants. The main one on the dockside now does buffet lunches only with slightly tired dishes and not much finesse. The smokery has a bigger restaurant doing cold dishes and its own specialities – much better.

Broken to Rassavikar

We set off to the NE aiming for the Nynashamn archipelago, finding that the stern anchor had not set properly when we arrived. Luckily the wind had been consistently on the bow during our stay. I have to check more carefully on this in future. We could not sail until we had passed Savosundet but then found sufficient of an SE breeze to be able to sail close-hauled due E across the less sheltered part of the passage, again in bright sun but a little unsatisfied with Badger’s performance, she is not particularly close winded. After some miles we had to go north, so losing most of the wind and motoring instead.

We arrived at Tottnas bridge 15 minutes before the hour and moored to the waiting pontoon while a small group of wooden motorboats gathered round us. As the bridge opened the lead motorway got into position in front of the bridge opening and then havered preventing anyone getting through. Eventually he made it through and slowly pottered on so we became pretty impatient. From time to time he made a quick turn to starboard and back. It seemed he wanted to look for the other motor boats but could not do so just by moving his head. It was all quite dangerous. Eventually he did a 180 degree turn regardless of us and we managed to avoid him – just and got away from this incompetent shower. We motored on to Rassavikar and anchored in 6 metres of water and settled down for the evening without further crises.

Regrettably, I woke up in the middle of the night with a nose bleed and something wet and sticky under my neck which turned out to be blood. It was very alarming for Kristin and ruined a pillow. Kristin cleaned me up and we went back to sleep.

Braviken to Broken

Motored gently off to broken in fine weather. We found the harbour fairly full but no club boats present. There were, however a large group of vintage wooden boats, both sail and motor, including some amazing gentleman's motor boats. One had a separate forward deck house for the crew with a gap between it and the owner's saloon. We stayed two nights enjoying the surroundings but the water was a bit too cold for swimming. Henrik (the harbourmaster) and his family had a very busy time with the harbour full and orders for 112 rolls for breakfast. At 7 SEK each not a bad sideline.

Mon to Braviken

With a forecast of strong winds later, we got up at 0500, breakfasted and were away in calm conditions and bright sun motoring back on our outward track admiring the scenery by 0600. After passing our former anchorage we continued towards the NE south of Inner Karro and on to join the main route just N of Rodakuggan. This part of the route is broad and well marked with highish wooded islands and some interesting skerries S of Aspoja we have yet to explore. Here we saw anchored a three masted ship we had seen previously and then went right up to a starboard hand buoy with a gold crown on it called Kejsaren or Tzar. It is of ancient origin and sailors used to drink a toast when they passed it from joy at getting past the perils of the rocks. Since there are considerable perils in both directions for a sailing ship the toast was probably justified in both directions. Close inspection of the buoy shows empty tot glasses on it. After this buoy the channel widens until we get to the Arkosund complex. It’s quite easy to make mistakes here and I've seen a forty foot Janneau with a broken back from hitting a rock in Arkosund at seven knots.

Because of the expected strong winds, we’d intended to stop in Arkosund but luckily it was just 0900 so we listened to the up to date forecast which was benign and decided to go on across Braviken. The Promarina guest harbour here has been rebuilt, putting all the guest places together where there is least shelter from bad weather and equipping the places with lazy lines. These are slimy ropes you have to drag up from the bottom of the harbour to attach to stern cleats – unpleasant. We went a little further north to look at a yacht club harbour which looked a much better bet but decided to go on. In some ways it was a pity. Arkosund has some splendid ornate late 19th early 20th C houses that are distinctly Addams Family but without the bats. We had a very pleasant sunny sail across Braviken, a little too close hauled for real enjoyment but welcome all the same and went into Oxelosund Fishing harbour which has excellent shelter and a reasonable restaurant. We were met unexpectedly by Roger and Gwyn Robson which was very pleasant. They had stopped at Broken and been told we had joined that club. The fishing harbour was very crowded by people wishing to avoid the promised strong winds which duly arrived later in the day. We spent the next day on chores, shopping via the road train and washing clothes and ourselves. The evening was shared happily with Roger and Gwyn.

Stora to Mon

Up early, releasing the buoy at 0810. We went north under main and motor, getting a little lift from a gentle westerly breeze. We found a Hallberg Rassy making a very cautious approach to Hasko from the south and wonder if he made it. The plotter seemed to suggest it was possible. Several people have now told us to go there as the smoked salmon is superb. We also found people coming from the east who could only have come from a difficult little passage which is a short cut to Harstena from the south. This looks quite difficult on the chart but probably looks much easier on the plotter – it is clearly a familiar passage to Swedish sailors. We had done this once before but reckoned it a little too risky for repeated use.

We left the main route Vaggo, passing between this island and Snuggholmen to continue north, just W of Vasteron and Missjo, now under power as we had a tricky set of passages ahead of us. We turned NW and went along a narrow railway cutting sort of passage between Inner and outer Olsen. There's a nasty little awash rock on the port side of the passage to be avoided but otherwise it was clear. We then turned SW and proceeded carefully through the shallows between Brandsholmen and Grimelso into deep water again. South of Grimmelso there’s a lovely inlet, well sheltered except from the NW where we had anchored some years before and we had been up to this point following a previous track on our plotter; from now on, all was new. The remainder of the days travel was relatively easy, all in “white” (more than 6 metre depth) water and requiring only the careful following of a pre-plotted track till we reached our objective, Mon.

The area, known as Halfjarden, is a delight, much used by canoeists who can go everywhere and who, alone can use any entrance other than the one we did. There is no through traffic and little in the way of fast motor boats. The guest harbour has a large and obvious boat house cum café, largely built by with EU money. Only the root pontoon is available for visitors and will accept about five boats more alongside. Facilities include water on the pontoon, electricity from the boathouse with showers and toilets some distance away. The site itself is mainly concerned with campers, hut renters and caravanners with a substantial number of resident boats. At the far end of the site, a good if very expensive restaurant will serve lunches and dinners. It is a lovely place to visit.

Loftahammer to Stora

Up early and refilled at the automatic fuel station. We've used a lot of fuel this year and the price of a refill is now around £80, which is frightening.

We then got out and set off under the jib in sunshine and in a gentle NW breeze which soon died out but was good while it lasted so we resorted to the engine and set off north up the narrow series of leads which is the main coastal “motorway”in a gentle northerly. This eventually veered NE so we raised the main to get a little lift, cursing all those coasting south with sails out. This is a particularly beautiful part of the archipelago with open water not far away to the east beyond smooth pale grey whale-backed rocks, and forested islands to the west. The forests contain numerous very twisted Scots pines with beautiful reddish brown bark.

For the last few miles the wind veered enough to let us get the jib up and sail to Stora Alo for the night, taking a buoy but missing a meeting with Peter Hallberg, who was in a harbour nearby. We had trouble with the internet connection for some reason that night, possibly a weak signal, so missed a message from him till too late. We saw less bird life at Stora than previously, though the water was full of little fish, sometimes fleeing through the air pursued by predators.

Loftahammar

Motored into Loftahammar to stock up with food, smoked fish and a nice cake. Loftahammar has three good food shops – amazing. The weather is dull and threatening but so far nothing has happened.

We are on our way north now; towards the Stockholm Archipelago and the Norrtalje Music Festival

Vastervik to Loftahammar

Left Vastervik heading north. We had a nasty rolly swell outside in open water so dived as quickly as possible back into along inlet with a “back door” into Loftahammar that we have used before. We did a little sailing when we got into calmer waters but the wind died soon after the swell. We ended up in a quiet lagoon for the night. I modified the anchor chain stowage slightly so we have less chain in the main locker where it piles up in a heap when unanchoring so we have to push the heap over several times to stop it blocking the hawse pipe. It seems to have been effective.

To Vastervik

Left Blankaholm for Vastervik, enjoying the scenic route once more. It is very enclosed, complicated and beautiful, quite unspoiled. We managed some very gentle sailing until close to the Vastervik entrance and then motored in to Notholmen once more.

We had an engineer look at Badger’s transmission which seemed to have got noisy but he said it was OK. Kristin had some blood tests and we tried to buy food with a little more success. Frankly, carrying supermarket loads for a couple of miles is very unattractive.

Fryudden to Blankaholm

A long south going leg to Vastervik in sunny weather but adverse wind. We had some use out of the main ( set very flat) in an initial SW breeze but it then backed to S so we were back on engine only. The first part of the run was very beautiful with narrow passages between the rocks and islands bright with new growth. Later on the route is more open and visually boring. The entry into Vastervik is complex and the buoyage changed considerably a year or two ago so was unfamiliar.

We went to the Vastrvik Sailing club site on Notholmen for the very nice people who moor their boats there. The Pro Marina site next door is very expensive, bureaucratic and unfriendly. The Hemkjopp supermarket in the town centre has vanished and there is nowhere convenient to buy food any more. There is a Willy:S about half a mile beyond the hospital which is better than one might expect. The main supermarket, a large ICA is at least two nautical miles away from the centre with a luosy bus service. I wonder what people without cars do.

After failing to buy food we went off to Blankaholm by the inshore route. On the way there I photographed the rock we nearly bumped on when Heather and Alan were with us. Blankaholm is looking better than I expected with fire damage repaired and the place functioning much as usual. We were royally entertained by Jan and Sonja and our hopes, as always, are for the success of their multifarious activities aimed at rebuilding the community there.

Harstena to Fyrudden

We left Harstena, as always with regret. We motored north into a brisk breeze on a lumpy sea and overcast sky but when we turned west and then south into the main “motorway” channel we managed to sail very enjoyably under the jib. Regrettably the visibility reduced steadily until we chose to grope our way into Fyrudden without enthusiasm but going on would have been daft. Visibility was down to less than a kilometre and further reduced to 200 metres in the afternoon. There is nothing to look at under these conditions and too many people going much too fast. Fyrudden marina is fortunate in that its position makes a stay there almost inevitable. It does little to persuade one to stay. The sanitary facilities, supermarket, restaurant etc. are all fairly poor. One adequate enterprise is the fish stall with a splendid lady running it, who knocked off at 1700 and drove herslf off into the mist in a fast motor boat.
We took ourselves off to Stora Alo to enjoy this SXK ( Swedish Cruising Club) site and to meet with Peter and Ann Marie Hallberg. The weather was warmer now and we had a very pleasant two days there. The local SXK group do a wonderful job keeping this site going.

Oxelosund to Harstena

Left Oxelosund at 1230 and put up main with some difficulty as I had not greased the mast slide. A further problem emerged when the no.2 reefing line undid its stopper knot. We fixed that temporarily by rerunning the no.3 reefing line as the no.2. Replacing the line will be an end of season job.

We had an SW wind when going across Braviken and got some advantage from the main but using the jib was impracticable. Once at Arkosund we decided to go further as the breeze, though adverse, was light and in Spite of the recommendation of a club harbour in Arkosund by Peter Hallberg as an alternative to the Pro Marina place. We eventually made it down to Harstena and anchored in the beautiful lagoon with great contentment.

The walk into the settlement next morning was delightful – in spite of the insect bites that we got. The weather was not too hot and the spring colours were lovely. Regrettably the harbour restaurant menu was uninviting but we got some good bread at the bakers and some, just out of the kiln, hot smoked salmon. Other changes are less welcome. There’s a vast building project overlooking the water supply pond with the red lilies. We thought this might be a hotel but learnt that it is to be an enlarged bakery and a couple of houses to be rented out. The over-large project is funded with EU money which has probably contributed to its elephantiasis. At present it looks horrid. I do hope that it will be OK in 5 years time, probably too late for us to enjoy.

We did see a deer near the settlement and Kristin heard a great northern diver at the lagoon and I heard an owl during the night.

In Broken

Because of friends and company, recovery from the Music Festival and booking passes for another one in Norrtalje we stayed on in Stockholm much longer than expected. We took the opportunity to visit Art Exhibitions both at the Modern Art Museum (Moderna) and at Waldermarsudde. Moderna included some enormous funghi, Niki de Saint Phalle and Surrealists and DuChamp all very interesting. Waldemarsudde included a big exhibition of Bruno Lillefors (superior Peter Scott), Prince Eugene ( very good at evening and morning light) These latter exhibitions also gave a good connection to the Skagen school of Danish Impressionists.

In addition the winds were stronger than we liked and we had the open waters of Mysinngen to look forward to again because we could not go through Lake Malaren because of the bridge closure in Stockholm (now scheduled to continue till late September).

To Broken

A simple motor run back through the skerries to the island of Broken to attend the midsummer entertainments there. We were made very welcome and decided at long last to join the NYSS ( Nykoping Sailing Club). One advantage will be we have a lovely island to stay at when we are less able to travel far with Badger.

We duly gathered wild flowers to decorate the summer pole and watched it raised and danced round. In the evening was a very pleasant dinner and jazz concert before we decided on bed and sleep. We had been screaming at our neighbours for some hours in amazingly noisy surroundings and had got pretty tired. We were up early the next day but others surfaced later, took our subscription and presented us with a members flag. We then pottered off south to Oxelosund to meet briefly with Martin and Maria Morris en route to a family dinner. We took the toy road train into town the next day to shop but found the pontoons of the harbour very exposed to swell. Next time we’ll use the fishing harbour which also gets the toy train service.

To Trosa

We had a little more wind but from the south today starting off in dull conditions. While the eastern, early part of the archipelago is forest, the more western part is covered in houses, perched improbably on cliffs, huddled into crevasses or spread out on rare patches of flat land. Originally they were small summer huts but many have been developed into small palaces – often with very strange architectural extravaganzas. The end of this passage is again in wild cliffed country but then there’s a 170 degree turn at the end of a cottage garden in a very narrow channel where the buoyage changes in mid turn. After this comes a bridge that opens on the hour. We arrived at the half hour and tied up to a buoy. We only had time to make a cup of tea and half drink it before the guardian arrived and opened the bridge. We went through and were again in open water going SSW into the breeze down a fjord. Once in clear water we raised the jib and headed off north west at a good speed in a rather rolly swell by now in sunshine and having a lovely time. At the end of the first leg we had to cross a shipping lane leading to Sodertalje, but luckily did not have to avoid anything large and aggressive.

The idyll continued with a lovely sail right to the turn into Trosa where we rolled the jib and sedately motored up to the guest harbour mooring beside a Hallberg Rassy whose owner said he was aground. We weren't – just.
I went off to have a scout around and to find some black line to fasten our gunwhale rope on a little more securely. Most of the restaurants had boring menus unfortunately and I had no luck with the black line either. We then went off together for food shopping and bought a smoked sik but eventually decided to dine at the Stadtshotel where the menu was better.

Utö to Nynashamnan

We left Utö early and motored the ten miles or so to Nynashamn in calm weather and sunshine. We kept a weather eye out for the large Gotland ferries as we got close but were unable to identify something looking like an immense aircraft carrier. It turned out to be an islet with a lighthouse made much taller than usual by a visual illusion. Just as we got past the ferry terminal a big ferry appeared but we were out of its way by then.

We stopped to buy fuel, noting the very new breakwater, built to commemorate the 1912 Olympic Games sailing events, which undoubtedly will reduce swell in the marina. The lady owning the fuel station said it also stopped the ferries pushing ice about which previously had moved her fuel pontoon. We proceeded south into the archipelago south west of Nynashamnan enjoying the close passages through the various reefs. The Dragets canal (4 metres wide ) passed without incident and we motored slowly through the reeds into Rassavikar to stay the night, dropping anchor in a small bight and swinging in the very gentle breeze.

I rigged the new riding sail but am uncertain if it did much good, the breeze was very variable. Rassavikar is incredibly sheltered and very beautiful, surrounded by thick woods. We have seen eagles here but not this time. We had a pleasant afternoon and evening revelling in the small beauties, a lovely pine tree, an impressive cliff and doing a little work on the boat.

Stockholm to Myssingen

Finally set off from Stockholm at 0820 avoiding the fast ferry boats for half an hour when they all started passing at very high speeds making the water very rough. We were expecting big ship ferries as well but luckily missed close encounters by diving down south on the way to Baggenstaket through a sort of gigantic aquatic railway cutting. Here are some of the most eccentric and expensive houses with tendencies to the Addams family but without the bats. Some have incredibly long flights of stairs (sometimes covered) down to the water.
Once out of the cutting we turned east into a wooded channel. Here an old factory has been eradicated – it looks like a big effort is being made to return the site to nature but just now it looks like a quarry. Baggenstaket is a very useful channel, partly natural and very narrow leading out to sea. It has its little problems;- a biggish passenger ferry uses it from time to time as does a long nosed gravel barge. This is too large to pass in the narrow sections and has a very long conveyor belt boom out in front so it can deliver materials some distance inland. We once met it at the entrance to Baggenstaket and were glad we hadn't been there a few minutes earlier.
Once out of Baggenstaket we hoisted the jib and set off south west in a gentle south easterly breeze and bright sunshine. Badger went very well touching six knots from time to time and catching and passing a cruising cat with jib only and a largish single hull boat with jib and small spinnaker. Badger is just much quieter and faster with the KIWI propeller. As we turned south west for Myssingen we had the wind on the nose, furled the jib and motored the long stretch down to Utö. We went for the first time to the south west entrance. It is a little less easy then the main one but is quieter because not used by ferries. At the entrance itself are clear if small triangles as leading marks but these are difficult to see without binoculars. We moored to a small pontoon on the mainland shore to face the breeze but were in barely 1.5 metres of water. The place was quiet with the season barely begun but changes have happened. The bakery has moved across the road and its former premises have become a large and expensive looking bar/restaurant.

Arrival in Stockholm Harbour and Festival

The day was sunny with a promise of heat but no wind. We packed up our shelter and departed, disturbed only by an oldish man out collecting empty drink cans for the deposit (about 10p/can). We ran back through the lagoons looking much better in the sunlight and out into clear waters towards Baggenstaket canal into Stockholm harbour.
In the early stages we had a lovely motor with few people up and about. Once through Baggenstacket there were many fast motor boats, steering was difficult due to boat wakes and progress became very unpleasant.
We were glad to get into Wasahamn where were greeted as old friends. Much of Wasahamn was given over to a Boat Show but we found room and settled in for a week or more attending the Stockholm Early Music Festival. We were early into the Blue Door restaurant lest it should close its doors early on Sunday and enjoyed Lambfarrsbiffar like homing lemmings. We had chores to do on Monday but managed to get up to date on the Festival.

The Festival lasted from Tuesday to Sunday, leaving little time or energy for anything else. We had much superb music and some surprising duds. The Frieburger Baroque orchestra played Teleman and Bach at high speed with very little feeling – they clearly had a train to catch. The final concert of Equadorian Baroque Music was wonderful, happy and life affirming.
We enjoyed some very good meetings with friends made over the year at this festival and parted with regrets. There was one elderly lady who complained that her balance was failing a little with age and this was affecting her skiing – she found it very difficult to undo her ski bindings when buried in a snow drift!
Since then we've been relaxing and recovering from the concert going. Peter Hallberg and Roger and Gwynn turned up yesterday so we have a lot of company. Fitting out is consequently going slowly. It was only yesterday I checked out the VHF radio and made sure I could get weather forecasts on it. We've been relying on the internet up till now.
We will be heading south now, aiming to see Jan and Sonja at Blankaholm and doing some more exploring on the way. Later we will return north to Norrtalje and more music.

Nynashamn to Tyresoe

Up reasonably early to be ready for the bridge opening at 0800; the first of the season. We breakfasted and nothing seemed to be happening. The bridge number had an incomprehensible message. Eventually a yellow jacketed figure could be seen emerging from bushes. It was joined by another but both disappeared. Eventually, warning bells sounded and the figures reemerged, examined the distant something and conferred. At last they walked onto the bridge while the barriers went down. Instruction seemed to be in progress and at last the bridge opened. We were wished a good season as we went through. This is in fact the Tottnäs bridge which sounds the same as our home town.

Once through the bridge we were motoring (no wind) through a lovely set of passages going first NE for a short distance then through an incredibly narrow curving channel where the buoyage direction changes suddenly in the middle and one is sailing in effect through a domestic garden. Once out its almost due south initially into a deserted lake surrounded by cliffs and trees then, after another channel past crags covered with houses and back through another craggy narrow passage into forest again. We enjoyed both the splendour of the forests and lakes and the beauty and absurdity of the houses and pavilions of the inhabitants. Part way through we went through Dragets canal 4+ metres wide and eventually emerged into open water south of Nynashamn.
The weather was grey when we passed Nynashamn, forgoing the splendid smoked fish stall with some regrets and plodded on into colder air on the long drag through Mysinggen. Round about Dalaro the rain began and it gradually increased in power and ferocity distinctly dampening both our spirits and our persons. We decided to stop at Tyresoe Slott or castle for the night. It’s close to Dalaro but up a very long series of lagoons with many desirable houses to enjoy en passante but less of interest in the rain which wound itself into a torrent as we came in to moor to the quay. We rapidly erected a shelter over the boom divested ourselves and made tea. When the rain eased Roger went off to investigate but found no signs of life in the marina but a rather damp barbecue going on for a mainly young group of people. We huddled on board and let the cooling engine provide warmth. We’d motored 42 miles – a necessary journey but not a pleasant one.

Nyköping to Nynashamn

Up early to buy more exhaust pipe. The shop actually opened at 0645! Managed to dismantle the exhaust and put in new pipe quite quickly Hooray!

We now had ample supplies on board so went off to the Pud School (Hotel and Catering College) for one last time. David on a neighbouring British boat very kindly came with me in his car to take me back quickly to the marina when I’d stored the car and so we gained some time.
We slipped at 1330 and motored off towards Nynashamn in warm sunny windless weather. Arriving at the opening bridge into the “wriggles” west on Nynashamn just after 2000 that evening.
We were pretty tired but very relieved to have got away. The engine and exhaust were working well and the track we’d followed through Stendorren and past Trosa were very beautiful in the sunshine. We moored up at the waiting buoy, had a pleasant supper and a celebratory brandy and went early to bed.

Fixing a leak

Roger discovered reason for water ingress – a leak from the water lock caused by disturbance. After a long and exhausting struggle he decided to take out the lock and substituted a long length of exhaust pipe. He got very tired in the process.

Housekeeping

Fitted sails and got boat habitable.

Test trip

Launch and mast rigging by Jet and Totter – admirably done as usual. Next Roger had his solo trip round to the marina while Kristin took the car round.
Kristin now could pack away our clothes but not bed-linen until we could put the sails on. This had to wait until the rigging was tuned and the boom fitted. Roger found rather more water in the boat than expected but no obvious reason for it.

The missing item

After a lovely breakfast, back to the work and hull polishing. By now we’d found what we’d forgotten to pack – principally a new supply of Teak Oil. We have a little left and may have to try other and inferior brands.

Work and friends

With the hull repairs nearly done the pace of work relaxed considerably. Roger prepped the mast for Monday’s launch and checked seacocks.  The weekend brought in two owners of large motorboats and noisy powered polishers. On had a large roll of polishing paper on a big wheeled stand – that really  is being organised for everything.

We went off to clean up ourselves ad we had a very kind and very welcome offer of dinner and bed from our very kind friends Martin and Maria. Their very novel (when we saw it last year) automatic mower has been joined in the marketplace in Sweden by at least two other makes –expect to see it in the UK in a year or two.

Repairs

Weather a little warmer so repairs went faster. Roger had a random orbital sander to sand the rair work down smooth but it used “velcro” disks which came off randomly at high speed which was frightening. Increasing skill and cowardice reduced the problem but lower hand pressure was probably the key

Work starts ...

The Lanterna Hotel has good public rooms and serves a good breakfast. Work though was hard: transferring kit out of Badger into the car and vice versa. Roger started work on repairing the hull damage we’d got last year and Kristin sorted and stowed kit, much handicapped by the forepeak being almost unavailable because of the sails on the bunks.
The hull repairs (in epoxy) went slowly as the hall was quite cold even when Roger used a hot air gun cautiously to speed matters up. He also fitted a new exhaust water injection bend as the old one had rusted a little. This necessitated disturbing the rest of the exhaust system with unfortunate results.

Lübeck to Nyköping

This was a public holiday so the city stayed shut. We found an unvisited church with morning service and an organ playing. We crept in and hid in a corner but were noticed by the organist when he came out for a smoke during the sermon. We accosted him later and learnt a lot about the organ and a recital at 1800 in the Nikolai church.
We had a very good lunch in Lübecker Hanse and amused ourselves in walking and eating cake till then. The recital was only so-so, dedicated to showing of the organist and the organ rather than making music. This was understandable as Lübeck has just paid an enormous sum for the organ’s restoration.

We pootled off to Travemunde at this point looking for a light snack before taking the night boat to Sweden. Now a light snack is a difficult concept to articulate and we settled for concoctions involving two fried eggs, ham and potatoes.
We got on the boat after getting through the check in system and motoring off into a vast concrete area with no guidance at all. Luckily we’d been told the boat was the Peter Pan and eventually spotted a large cartoon of this figure in the gloom. I suppose this is guidance systems for the illiterate.
We found our cabin and retired to bed happily tired and went to bed after buying a litre of aquavit. Our extra expenditure for an outside cabin was largely wasted as the weather was foggy but we arrived safely and on time at Trelleborg, got caught up in the rush hour and escaped to drive again rather boringly to Nyköping.
Badger seemed fine when we found her but we left her alone. Clocked into our hotel and went off to Kohiro for lovely Sushi before bed time.

Kristin’s birthday

Kristin’s birthday. The roads were nearly empty of lorries so driving to Lübeck (long way) was easier than usual. Once there we booked in to Staudtermaier and went to look for things to do. All the shops and art galleries were shut but we love wandering round town and ate quite well.

Kröller-Müller museum

Peter of the Old House recommended a cash and carry for beer buying in Veurne and we bought a modest supply. They had a new way of operating the check-out. You wheel up the trolley beside an empty one. The operator transfers everything to a second trolley using a portable scanner. You move the trolley to the cash desk and pay up. It means the operators get strong muscles.
Getting to Otterlo in Holland was trouble free but boring. Dutch motorways seem to be on a grid pattern so lots of interchanges. We stayed at Carnegie Cottage with a small if comfortable room and an excellent dining room/art gallery just on the edge of the National Park and very convenient for getting into the Kröller-Müller Museum at 10:00 the next day behind two coachloads of Japanese tourists.
I must try and discover what it is about Japanese society that makes it more important for them to photograph each other in front of things than actually look at what they've come so far to see. They are incredibly good at modelling; falling into poses very quickly.

We escaped the Japanese by going out into the very cold gardens and enjoying some of our favourite sculptures especially Lipfschitz (sic) and discovered a new sculpture of a large red painted boiler suspended from trees and with a maximum occupancy of two, but then retreated inside to look at Van Goghs in a rather differently arranged exhibition with some we had never seen before.

Totnes to Veurne

Up at 0500 to do final packing and drive to Dover. It’s usually the worst drive of the trip with the M25 to traverse. We got there in ample time, had a boring trip to Dunkirk and were in Veurne soon afterwards. The Old House was as welcoming as ever but the town was not. All the top restaurants (according to Trip Advisor) were shut but we revisited Oogappel and had a good dinner to spite them.

Last day in Totnes

We’d packed and were anxious to be off. Kristin had had a hard winter struggling with the Museum and with plans that could have destabilised it. I had gone through one rite of passage into old age – having a cataract operation (successful) and given a largish number of talks.Today was particularly busy: AGM of Probus in the morning, eye exam. That involved Kristin as well as I couldn't drive afterwards, and a splendid dinner and wine tasting organised by Nigel of Totnes Wines.