Today we are at Mariehamn, Aaland Islands and have been here for several days. I reported last from Stockholm and we had our customary feast of exhibitions and Art Galleries together with a superb concert.
We left Stockholm motoring out through the harbour with the water cut up by large numbers of fast craft - it was worse than the Solent in August. We made for the middle Skaergard and the island of Gallno. Here we found an enclosed lake and a fair amount of privacy. There were a few yachts tied up to rocks at some distance away. We anchored happily in 2 metres of water.
Incidentally you can follow most of our track uing gogle Earth though not all the islands are mentioned there.
The next day we wriggled north through to an almost deserted part of the Skaergard, put the jib up and sailed very gently in warm sun first east then north to eventually emerge onto a major north south route for medium size craft where again we ambled north. Between the islands of Blido and Yxlan we lost the wind but gained it in spades as we emerged onto the main NE ship channel. Badger at 6kts. on jib alone was quite exciting and we reefed the jib to regain control. We ended the day in Kappellskar. This harbour has dry toilets and one tap but also very good shelter for a quite wild night.
The next morning we reefed the main and set of up the ship channel with very little company and found conditions good although the reef was needed. Ok the decision was made - too good a sailing day to waste so off to the Aalands.
This longish sail 44 miles made the autohelm necessary. Last year it was a pain and impossible to get good performance. This time I gave it some thought - and several threats - and managed to get it to work as well as its predecessor. This made foor a very relaxed passage - in bright sun doing 4.5 to 5.5 kts. and having the best day so far this year. We stowed the jib at the long wriggle up to Mariehamn east and motored up to the marina. We found it nearly empty, as most of the harbours have been.
In the harbour office we found my new EHIC european health insurance card. I took it and myself off to the hospital next day where I was told I had got Borelia (Lymes disease). I got this from a tick bite in the Nykoping boatyard which is not the sort of place I thought risky. It took just one set of bites. I'm feeling well but having to take 3 grams of Amoxycillin a day for 14 days - a heroic dose I think.
In the mean time we have attached midsummer pole raising which was a most hazardous affair. and done a lot of work on Badger's teak ork. The weather continues good though a gale is promised for tomorrow.
This is written with rather cold fingers in the shade but outside where I can get wifi. I find it difficult to see the screen in the bright light so mistakes will abound.
I should say that the northern light is amazing bright, clear and somehow cold even in the evenings. It is quite wonderful and yet a little austere.
Love to you all,
Roger and Kristin
Monday 23 June 2008
Sunday 15 June 2008
Badger Report 2008 -2
Friends -we are now in Stockholm. There is an Early Music Fesival and we have missed some of it aready.
After our last report we finished most of the pre departure work, got our liferaft back after a lot of nagging and filled up with very pricy diesel and took the car back to store it in our shed.
2/6/08 That same afternoon we left Nykoping for the season heading into an easterly breeze down the river under engine. We made for the beautiful isle of Broken but, with a low waterstand and consequent lower than usual depths in the harbour plus the now NE wind giving little shelter, found it less than ideal. In particular the fixed boardwalk was high out of water making access dificult. We turned away and found a Swedish Cruising Klub (SXK) buoy to occupy. The weather was hot though the night was cold. We were very thankful to be away at last.
3/6/08 Motoring head into wind again we wriggled through the skerries to Trosa as we usually do early in the season. This particular trip is amazingly intricate and similarly beatiful with tiny pink islands, fir trees and red painted wooden houses. At Trosa we tried to moor in the river giving side access but without success; just not enough water. We also went aground when coming bow to quay in the main harbour but a little more throttle got us up to the quay and securely moored. To escape the heat we opened up the fore hatch, put up the sun shade and cowered below decks till evening. It was just too arly for the smokery to be operating so no smoked Sik for supper - very sad.
4/6/08 Much the same story for the onward passage to Sodertalje. Adverse breeze, very beautiful passage through scattered islands and then a long wide valley up to Sodertalje. Again we cowered in the cabin against the heat and went out to buy food just before the shops shut.
5/6/08 Locked through without incident to get to Lake Malaren. We observed with some amusement a Danish boat anxious to be first into and out of the lock suddenly realised he had to wait for the bridge opening a little upstream but 45 mins later while we happily steamed past him and went underneath it. Incidentally we saw more daytime big ship traffic through the lock than we have ever seen before and consequent hold ups to leisure boats. Once north of the Canal system we raised the jib and had our only sail of the year so far. We had intended to go to Bjorko for lunch but the failing wind and absence of passenger boat traffic which implied the restaurant would not be operational sent us instead to Slando Kalv. In Lake Malaren we had no problems with low water levels of course and mored happily.
Slando Kalv is about the same shape as a King Dick wrench with the jaws forming the harbour and the handle the rest of the island. The island has water for drinking, ood toilets and showers, a modern and efficient sewage processing system, a good clubhouse, dance floor and race starting hut and short but very pretty walks with super views over the lake. Here again we cowered out of the heat rearranging our sunshade whenever necessary. Unfortunately the water was a little cold for swimming 19C and the bthing beach necssitated sandals being fomed of rough rock fragments. We stayed here two nights rejoicing in the islands beauty. Incidentally the heat was so great that even the Swedes rigged sun shades.
7/6 Left Slando with some regrets but we were running out of food. We had problems raising our stern anchor as another boat had laid their anchor line over ours. It was a distinct strugglle to raise both without any mechanical aid. That doe we searated them out, threw the other one back and ot out without hitting any of the other boats or running over their lines - more by accident than design. the wind was easterly and adverse yet again so we motored the 21 miles to Stockholm. the latter part was made hideous by the enormous number of fast moving motor boats that raised high wakes and left behind a severe Solent type chop. Luckily we lost most of that in the run u to the Hammarby Lock which opened after short delay but charged us SEK 150 for the privilege. The Danviks bridge did the same though reluctantly - ony just enough to let us out. We then were free of Stockholm Harbour emerging just under the bow of an enormous Cruise Ship - luckily moored.
Wasahamn was half empty so mooring was easy as was getting Wifi access. The weather has mercifully eased and is now overcast so we have some energy back and can go out in the daylight again. There is a display of pottery from topkapi to see, a concert to attend and a food fair all today. It's a hard life.
Regards,
Roger and Kristin
After our last report we finished most of the pre departure work, got our liferaft back after a lot of nagging and filled up with very pricy diesel and took the car back to store it in our shed.
2/6/08 That same afternoon we left Nykoping for the season heading into an easterly breeze down the river under engine. We made for the beautiful isle of Broken but, with a low waterstand and consequent lower than usual depths in the harbour plus the now NE wind giving little shelter, found it less than ideal. In particular the fixed boardwalk was high out of water making access dificult. We turned away and found a Swedish Cruising Klub (SXK) buoy to occupy. The weather was hot though the night was cold. We were very thankful to be away at last.
3/6/08 Motoring head into wind again we wriggled through the skerries to Trosa as we usually do early in the season. This particular trip is amazingly intricate and similarly beatiful with tiny pink islands, fir trees and red painted wooden houses. At Trosa we tried to moor in the river giving side access but without success; just not enough water. We also went aground when coming bow to quay in the main harbour but a little more throttle got us up to the quay and securely moored. To escape the heat we opened up the fore hatch, put up the sun shade and cowered below decks till evening. It was just too arly for the smokery to be operating so no smoked Sik for supper - very sad.
4/6/08 Much the same story for the onward passage to Sodertalje. Adverse breeze, very beautiful passage through scattered islands and then a long wide valley up to Sodertalje. Again we cowered in the cabin against the heat and went out to buy food just before the shops shut.
5/6/08 Locked through without incident to get to Lake Malaren. We observed with some amusement a Danish boat anxious to be first into and out of the lock suddenly realised he had to wait for the bridge opening a little upstream but 45 mins later while we happily steamed past him and went underneath it. Incidentally we saw more daytime big ship traffic through the lock than we have ever seen before and consequent hold ups to leisure boats. Once north of the Canal system we raised the jib and had our only sail of the year so far. We had intended to go to Bjorko for lunch but the failing wind and absence of passenger boat traffic which implied the restaurant would not be operational sent us instead to Slando Kalv. In Lake Malaren we had no problems with low water levels of course and mored happily.
Slando Kalv is about the same shape as a King Dick wrench with the jaws forming the harbour and the handle the rest of the island. The island has water for drinking, ood toilets and showers, a modern and efficient sewage processing system, a good clubhouse, dance floor and race starting hut and short but very pretty walks with super views over the lake. Here again we cowered out of the heat rearranging our sunshade whenever necessary. Unfortunately the water was a little cold for swimming 19C and the bthing beach necssitated sandals being fomed of rough rock fragments. We stayed here two nights rejoicing in the islands beauty. Incidentally the heat was so great that even the Swedes rigged sun shades.
7/6 Left Slando with some regrets but we were running out of food. We had problems raising our stern anchor as another boat had laid their anchor line over ours. It was a distinct strugglle to raise both without any mechanical aid. That doe we searated them out, threw the other one back and ot out without hitting any of the other boats or running over their lines - more by accident than design. the wind was easterly and adverse yet again so we motored the 21 miles to Stockholm. the latter part was made hideous by the enormous number of fast moving motor boats that raised high wakes and left behind a severe Solent type chop. Luckily we lost most of that in the run u to the Hammarby Lock which opened after short delay but charged us SEK 150 for the privilege. The Danviks bridge did the same though reluctantly - ony just enough to let us out. We then were free of Stockholm Harbour emerging just under the bow of an enormous Cruise Ship - luckily moored.
Wasahamn was half empty so mooring was easy as was getting Wifi access. The weather has mercifully eased and is now overcast so we have some energy back and can go out in the daylight again. There is a display of pottery from topkapi to see, a concert to attend and a food fair all today. It's a hard life.
Regards,
Roger and Kristin
Badger 2008 -01
Friends - this report is from Nykoping where we are still fitting out in the Guest Harbour.
We left home on the 9th of May but travelled seeing friends and relatives before getting to our boat.
We went by way of North Norfolk to see friends and be shown round the area - quite lovely. We visited Cromer to see dughter Amada and family before driving to dover or the ferry. Our main stops were in Brussels (Turkish Brothel decor in the hotel) to see art collections. The Horta House was outstanding.
Thence by way of a dreadful drive through the Ruhr to Celle at the southern end of Luneberg Heath. Celle was a delight 400+ half timbered house with details picked out in careful paintwork and an interesting castle made it a good visit. Luneberg was its equal. A Hansa town very prosperous because of salt extraction with lovely stone houses all saggy because of subsidence from the salt. Apparently neither town expects foreign visitors but well well worth seeing.
We had to be very stern with Susan, our tomTom navigator at this point. She has a dreadful tendenc to get onto motorways and would have doubled our milage to take us to Lubeck via the Hamburg ring which is a plac I would prefer to avoid anyway. Next to Lubeck yet again and in good weather to wander round and admire. We found real old gas lamps alight in some of the smaller alleyways. Supper was in the Captains Club (shippergesellschaft) and a dramatic place to eat on long benches under vast model ships.
On the way to Copenhagen we stopped briefly with the Goudies, our hosts in Norfolk, to admire their fitting out base in Fehrman but had to go on to see friends in Copenhagen and catch up with their adventures in the Northern Frisian Islands last Summer. The rest of the trip accross Sweden was peaceful and Badger was ina goodstate when we found her.
Fitting out was mainly about taking the top off the mast to get a new aerial down through it as part of fitting a new aerial we were given for Xmas. We also polished the hull and patched the antiouling as it survived the season well enough to not need another full coat. The whole fit-out was a scramble as we were told at first that launch would be deayed by yard problems- the crane had broken down and further delays had been caused by water levels that were too low to allow deep keeled boats to be launched. Our pleas got us an early launch but there was still much to do on board, the aerial lead - again, getting the radio to talk to the VHF and so on - in addition to the usual boom, main tuning, sail fitting etc.etc.
We had one serious alarm on our first night afloat. When getting into bed we heard a gentle drip, drip .. but could find no source of problems and concluded it was water against the hull. However Kristin found at 3 am. that the loo comptment floor was "squelching". We investigated; no leak by the toilets, no leak into the stern by the prop shaft. We did have a lot of water on board as the pump ran for several minutes before it started to gurgle. Once stopped it wold not restart. Kristin then noted a small ripple in the water under the floor in the galley area - a clue. the engine and probably where I had refitted the raw water pump impeller. We turned off the engine inlet seacock andwent backto bed. In the morning it did prove to be the raw water pump cover leaking - easily fixed -but salutary.
Other than that it has been a peaceful time. We have been seeing friends and the weather has been wonderful. It is continuously sunny and warm but often cold at night, down to 3C at one point. this must infuriate people in the UK - I'm sorry. We have been eating all the things that go with being in Sweden (sour milk with our muesli, sild (marinated herring, smoked salmon nd so on) The Catering college gives us good cheap lunches with really imaginative salads.
We still have work to do. I have to remove our broomstick mounted aerial from last year and find a place to put the folding bike. the car is stuffed full of gear from the boat we will not need on passage. We do hope the weather improves soon in the UK
Regards,
Roger and Kristin
We left home on the 9th of May but travelled seeing friends and relatives before getting to our boat.
We went by way of North Norfolk to see friends and be shown round the area - quite lovely. We visited Cromer to see dughter Amada and family before driving to dover or the ferry. Our main stops were in Brussels (Turkish Brothel decor in the hotel) to see art collections. The Horta House was outstanding.
Thence by way of a dreadful drive through the Ruhr to Celle at the southern end of Luneberg Heath. Celle was a delight 400+ half timbered house with details picked out in careful paintwork and an interesting castle made it a good visit. Luneberg was its equal. A Hansa town very prosperous because of salt extraction with lovely stone houses all saggy because of subsidence from the salt. Apparently neither town expects foreign visitors but well well worth seeing.
We had to be very stern with Susan, our tomTom navigator at this point. She has a dreadful tendenc to get onto motorways and would have doubled our milage to take us to Lubeck via the Hamburg ring which is a plac I would prefer to avoid anyway. Next to Lubeck yet again and in good weather to wander round and admire. We found real old gas lamps alight in some of the smaller alleyways. Supper was in the Captains Club (shippergesellschaft) and a dramatic place to eat on long benches under vast model ships.
On the way to Copenhagen we stopped briefly with the Goudies, our hosts in Norfolk, to admire their fitting out base in Fehrman but had to go on to see friends in Copenhagen and catch up with their adventures in the Northern Frisian Islands last Summer. The rest of the trip accross Sweden was peaceful and Badger was ina goodstate when we found her.
Fitting out was mainly about taking the top off the mast to get a new aerial down through it as part of fitting a new aerial we were given for Xmas. We also polished the hull and patched the antiouling as it survived the season well enough to not need another full coat. The whole fit-out was a scramble as we were told at first that launch would be deayed by yard problems- the crane had broken down and further delays had been caused by water levels that were too low to allow deep keeled boats to be launched. Our pleas got us an early launch but there was still much to do on board, the aerial lead - again, getting the radio to talk to the VHF and so on - in addition to the usual boom, main tuning, sail fitting etc.etc.
We had one serious alarm on our first night afloat. When getting into bed we heard a gentle drip, drip .. but could find no source of problems and concluded it was water against the hull. However Kristin found at 3 am. that the loo comptment floor was "squelching". We investigated; no leak by the toilets, no leak into the stern by the prop shaft. We did have a lot of water on board as the pump ran for several minutes before it started to gurgle. Once stopped it wold not restart. Kristin then noted a small ripple in the water under the floor in the galley area - a clue. the engine and probably where I had refitted the raw water pump impeller. We turned off the engine inlet seacock andwent backto bed. In the morning it did prove to be the raw water pump cover leaking - easily fixed -but salutary.
Other than that it has been a peaceful time. We have been seeing friends and the weather has been wonderful. It is continuously sunny and warm but often cold at night, down to 3C at one point. this must infuriate people in the UK - I'm sorry. We have been eating all the things that go with being in Sweden (sour milk with our muesli, sild (marinated herring, smoked salmon nd so on) The Catering college gives us good cheap lunches with really imaginative salads.
We still have work to do. I have to remove our broomstick mounted aerial from last year and find a place to put the folding bike. the car is stuffed full of gear from the boat we will not need on passage. We do hope the weather improves soon in the UK
Regards,
Roger and Kristin
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