We did not plan this day's trip very well being a bit uncertain of our aims. We got up quite early and were away by 0745 but had a longish trip through the Nynashamn archipelago before getting to the exit bridge which opens on the hour. We made our cautious way through Dragets canal in lovely cool conditions though the sun was already hot and made a conservative speed through the rest of the wriggles loving the scenery and the coolish air.
However we arrived just too late for the 9am opening and had to moor to the waiting buoy till 1000. This was not a hardship in itself but most motor boats do not get going early so we were wasting valuable wash free time. By 1000 there was more traffic and sailing became steadily more difficult. We did have a pleasant sail northwest, southwest and west across to Bokosund but were constantly passed by motor boats. Here we had to motor as the wind was going southerly and had a fairly lumpy time in the open water before Savosundet. By now large fast and heavy motor boats were passing at speed making really dreadful wakes. We should have been at our destination by this time. Regrettably we had by then decided to make for Broken and a spot of civilisation in the shape of good toilets and shower plus an island to walk on. By the end we had done 33 miles and we were pretty tired and very thankful to have arrived. The harbour was crowded but we managed to insert ourselves,moor up with stern anchor and put up the sunshade.
We did have nice freshly smoked fish from Nynashamn together with white wine so life soon looked up.
Regrettably the harbour had algae and so did other places round the islands. I went off to check for possible bathing sites but failed but cooled of with a shower in the new and very well appointed sauna hut.
We will stay in Broken for a few days while the hot weather lasts ( and our food). The HM bakes rolls every morning and will smoke shrimps to order so we won't starve for a while.
I'm writing this, sitting at a comfortable table in the clubhouse looking out into the tree canopy and glimpsing the waters around the island. It is getting time for lunch with smoked salmon and nice fresh rolls. It's a hard life etc.
Monday 28 July 2014
Fjardlang to Sagviken 25th July
By now we were beginning to run short of water, fuel and fresh food so needed to resupply. Hence our decision to go to Nynashamn. There was also a slight potential problem of low water levels. The high atmospheric pressure had been pushing down levels for some time.
While raising the anchor which Kristin does, I was using the new deckwash system to clean the chain which it did very well. Unfortunately ///i turned it off before I lifted the anchor aboard so Kristin could not use it on the ancor. The first part of the trip, Fjardlang to The open stretch of Myssingen was very lovely and intricate but still troubled by the algal blooms. These persisted and worsened on Myssingen itself. We chugged into Nynashamn around 1300, got to the fuel pontoon and filled up with 66 litres of diesel - yes we had been doing a lot of motoring. Incidentally we took this diesel from the pump labelled "utan RME" in other words without the new bio diesel components. This fuel is more expensive but less likely to give diesel bug problems. We moved to the guest harbour and found a berth easily, filled with water and operated separately ashore. I bought milk, lime juice and fil ( sour milk for breakfast cereals) while Kristin brought fish, veg and fruit.
Once back on board we felt we could not stand the harbour at all with heat, noise and crowds so left at once for the archipelago to the west. After the narrow entrance we turned South into Sagviken which is a large north facing bay on Jarflotta. We anchored at 58N50.136, 17E54.004.
We had a calm and not too hot night though we both slept without any covering.
When leaving the next morning we used the deckwash system again, but this time left it for Kristin to use while Iwent back to the tiller. It washed off the mud very easily but Idon't know if it will cope with clay.
While raising the anchor which Kristin does, I was using the new deckwash system to clean the chain which it did very well. Unfortunately ///i turned it off before I lifted the anchor aboard so Kristin could not use it on the ancor. The first part of the trip, Fjardlang to The open stretch of Myssingen was very lovely and intricate but still troubled by the algal blooms. These persisted and worsened on Myssingen itself. We chugged into Nynashamn around 1300, got to the fuel pontoon and filled up with 66 litres of diesel - yes we had been doing a lot of motoring. Incidentally we took this diesel from the pump labelled "utan RME" in other words without the new bio diesel components. This fuel is more expensive but less likely to give diesel bug problems. We moved to the guest harbour and found a berth easily, filled with water and operated separately ashore. I bought milk, lime juice and fil ( sour milk for breakfast cereals) while Kristin brought fish, veg and fruit.
Once back on board we felt we could not stand the harbour at all with heat, noise and crowds so left at once for the archipelago to the west. After the narrow entrance we turned South into Sagviken which is a large north facing bay on Jarflotta. We anchored at 58N50.136, 17E54.004.
We had a calm and not too hot night though we both slept without any covering.
When leaving the next morning we used the deckwash system again, but this time left it for Kristin to use while Iwent back to the tiller. It washed off the mud very easily but Idon't know if it will cope with clay.
Malma Kvarn to Fjardlang 24th July
It was time to leave Malma; we'd eaten the menu so we set off early in the morning. Leaving was not the easiest trick as the harbour was crowded. We pulled back on the stern tape mooring us to the buoy released the hook but had a problem with the dinghy hitting another buoy but emerged from that to find it not very easy to turn so went out backwards for maybe 150 metres to open water where we could tidy up the warps, put away fenders, reel up the stern tape etc. Once out of the immediate inlet we were in open water going SW with a very gentle following breeze and hot sun. This was the first day we saw the algal blooms that are now covering much of the Baltic. Other sailors have recently reported sailing 30 miles through solid algal bloom. In our case it was maily long thin streaks of well defined yellow brown opaque algae with occasional large patches. It is dangerous to swallow the stuff so swimming becomes pretty impossible. We made our way slowly down to Fjardlanf anchoring at midday in position 59N02.99, 18E31.27. The entry is rather less easy than it appears on Google earth for there are a number of rocks in the "throat" half way down. What is worse the rocks are positioned differently on the Swedish charts whether chip or paper and in the Nautiska guide book chartlet. We relied on the latter and did not hit anything. As it was hot we swam and sheltered from the sun. Luckily the alage had not penetrated into the inlet. We were well provided with dry toilets with at least three within fairly easy reach. It was another lovely spot.
Malma Kvarn Again
After all the Art we had a quieter weekend in Stockholm. We did the usual boaty things, filling up with water, diesel and parts for making a deckwash system. We also bought lovely food from Sabis on Sunday . This was a mistake as we'd forgotten that Systembolaget liquor store was shut. We also had an OK but not great dinner in Hasslebacken - great looking place and good garden, food good in parts.
Our plans to leave early on Monday were scuppered by the need for a quick bolt to Systembolaget for more red wine so we actually left at 1100.
By this time the fast ferries and the motoer boatswere zooming about Stockholm Harbour with all the horribly disturbed water that implies. However by the tie we got to Baggenstaket 59N18.15, 18E17 the worst was over but we were very glad we'd encountered a very large local work boat a little earlier in the trip rather than in the canal. With a light SE wind we had little success in sailing and reaced our destination, Tyreso Slott at 1600, rather hot and bothered by the intense heat. Tyreso Slott is a very small guest harbour at 59N13.9,18E18.8. It is reached up a very long inlet which has large numbers of holiday homes but a pleasant place to visit. Just beyond the harbour is a very pleasant pool for anchoring. The toilets/ showers are good and a cafe operates until about 1700.
The main purpose of our vist was to look at the Slott ( or palace) because Prince Egen of ValdermarsUdde fame used to assemble a party of artists there for several years to paint in the grounds and enjoy an informal summer existence. The park is lovely with large numbers of mature trees but access to the Slott is difficult except at weekends requiring prior booking so we could not enter. We spent a pleasant time there wnd the set off for Malma Kvarn not far away.
On the way we passed close by Sma Dalaro again and a second vast plastic shed on a neighbouring island caused me some some navigational anxiety. We had seen the first one on our earlier visit to Sma Dalaro and found it difficu;t to accept that a secod monstrosity was being built nearby. The anxiety then turned t anger at the way overdevelopment is ruining so much of the ineere Stockholm archipelago.
We arrived early but hot at Malma Kvarn, put up our sunshade and eventually ade our way up to the lake behind to swim. Regrettably I forgot to take a thermometer but the water was unbelievably warm - at least 26C and we had a lovely wallow but the water had dried before we got back tot he boat. While the harbour is attractive, the lake is beautiful, with rocky sloping shores and surrounding pine and birch trees,
We spent two nights in Malma, eating at the restaurant bot evenings when the temperature had reduced a little and finally saying goodbye to two very bright young people, computer graduates, Rassmus and Amanda who were working at the restaurant but who will be off to more serious work next year.
Our plans to leave early on Monday were scuppered by the need for a quick bolt to Systembolaget for more red wine so we actually left at 1100.
By this time the fast ferries and the motoer boatswere zooming about Stockholm Harbour with all the horribly disturbed water that implies. However by the tie we got to Baggenstaket 59N18.15, 18E17 the worst was over but we were very glad we'd encountered a very large local work boat a little earlier in the trip rather than in the canal. With a light SE wind we had little success in sailing and reaced our destination, Tyreso Slott at 1600, rather hot and bothered by the intense heat. Tyreso Slott is a very small guest harbour at 59N13.9,18E18.8. It is reached up a very long inlet which has large numbers of holiday homes but a pleasant place to visit. Just beyond the harbour is a very pleasant pool for anchoring. The toilets/ showers are good and a cafe operates until about 1700.
The main purpose of our vist was to look at the Slott ( or palace) because Prince Egen of ValdermarsUdde fame used to assemble a party of artists there for several years to paint in the grounds and enjoy an informal summer existence. The park is lovely with large numbers of mature trees but access to the Slott is difficult except at weekends requiring prior booking so we could not enter. We spent a pleasant time there wnd the set off for Malma Kvarn not far away.
On the way we passed close by Sma Dalaro again and a second vast plastic shed on a neighbouring island caused me some some navigational anxiety. We had seen the first one on our earlier visit to Sma Dalaro and found it difficu;t to accept that a secod monstrosity was being built nearby. The anxiety then turned t anger at the way overdevelopment is ruining so much of the ineere Stockholm archipelago.
We arrived early but hot at Malma Kvarn, put up our sunshade and eventually ade our way up to the lake behind to swim. Regrettably I forgot to take a thermometer but the water was unbelievably warm - at least 26C and we had a lovely wallow but the water had dried before we got back tot he boat. While the harbour is attractive, the lake is beautiful, with rocky sloping shores and surrounding pine and birch trees,
We spent two nights in Malma, eating at the restaurant bot evenings when the temperature had reduced a little and finally saying goodbye to two very bright young people, computer graduates, Rassmus and Amanda who were working at the restaurant but who will be off to more serious work next year.
Wednesday 23 July 2014
Stockholm - the fun stuff.
Stockholm is a great place to visit and we enjoy ourselves each time. The harbour staff are very friendly and treat us as pets and Leif the harbour master is a good friend. We ate at the BlaPorten restaurant in the garden of th eHallwylska Gallery very enjoyably and introduced others to it. We also much enjoyed the exhibition at the gallery. The current one is called Crafts which is a very inadequate description. On room had only one exhibit; a vast waterfall of 500Kg. of blue denim (old trousers, cut up and sewn). It was about 6 metres high. Another room had a large number of ceramic fantasy animals, all painted in bright colours. Less interesting was a display of various sized cake tins with pattern decoration which turned out to be ceramics - very thin ceramics. The Hallwyska specialised in wierd but enjoyable exhibitions. We also visited the Thielska ( much rehanging, a new restaurant and a requirement to wear overshoes) and Valdemars Udde where there was a fresh exhibition of parts of the collection - always enjoyable.
In Gamla Stan we discoved a new restaurant "The Hairy Pig Deli" run by and anglo swedish couple where the man specialises in making very good sausages. We spent a week ther but in the end felt we needed to leave and get back into the archipelago again.
In Gamla Stan we discoved a new restaurant "The Hairy Pig Deli" run by and anglo swedish couple where the man specialises in making very good sausages. We spent a week ther but in the end felt we needed to leave and get back into the archipelago again.
Stockholm Again
After two days in Gallno were beginning to run out of clean clothes and interesting food so had to go into Stockholm again. This meant getting up early so as to make the 25 mile journey by 1100 at the latest. In fact we left at 0525 having had breakfast. nd motored off, worrying somewhat about the engine's tendency to overheat when pressed hard. Against headwinds we could make barely 4.5 kts. which was becoming worrying. Nevertheless the rout into Stockholm is full of interesting with splendid Victorian and Edwardian mansions to admire and also the intricacy of the shipping route. While approaching Vaxholm we watched two big ferries successively make 130 degree turns at the same point on their rout into or out of Stockholm. They both took these turns very carefully and slowly - not very surprising as the shores are very solid rock.
Once through Vaxholm we encountered the morning shipping convoy into the port areas and were passed by at least three huge ferries which make very little wake unlike the very fast passenger ferries which cut the water up incessantly. We arrived at 1030 and foound to outr great relief a perfectly good berth immediately.
I now had to start dismantling the engine to try to cure the overheating; taking apart the raw water inlet filter, the heat exchanger ( which involves unshipping the alternator) and the raw water pump impeller. The only possible problem appeared to be that the pump impeller was rather too flexible. I replaced it with a new one. I also found a nut missing from one of the alternator support bolts. This was very anoying as it was a metric fine nut , not easily replaceable. I had to make a replacement out of studding; finding in the process that it is not possible to tighten two stiffnuts on the same shaft without access to the shaft itself.
I checked the engine which seemed Ok and we were then free to do more interesting things which was why we were in Stockholm in the first place. In the meantime Kristin did a major wash and looked after me in the heat.
Once through Vaxholm we encountered the morning shipping convoy into the port areas and were passed by at least three huge ferries which make very little wake unlike the very fast passenger ferries which cut the water up incessantly. We arrived at 1030 and foound to outr great relief a perfectly good berth immediately.
I now had to start dismantling the engine to try to cure the overheating; taking apart the raw water inlet filter, the heat exchanger ( which involves unshipping the alternator) and the raw water pump impeller. The only possible problem appeared to be that the pump impeller was rather too flexible. I replaced it with a new one. I also found a nut missing from one of the alternator support bolts. This was very anoying as it was a metric fine nut , not easily replaceable. I had to make a replacement out of studding; finding in the process that it is not possible to tighten two stiffnuts on the same shaft without access to the shaft itself.
I checked the engine which seemed Ok and we were then free to do more interesting things which was why we were in Stockholm in the first place. In the meantime Kristin did a major wash and looked after me in the heat.
Siafortet to Gallno
We had a difficult time extricating ourselves from Siafortet because we had a gusty easterly wind blowing along the line of the harbour. We waited till our neighbours had left and then pulled back on the tape securing us to the buoy. Badger immediately turned donind so that at one point the tape was at rightangles to the buoy. It was very difficult to pull in in a sudden gust and Badger's bow only just cleared the stern of the next but one boat. I had a desperate struggle to get the stern up to the buoy and another struggle to unhook the boathook. I also had to untangle my feet from the tape to get the boat motoring away from the mooring. After that it got easier. We put up the jibe and motored off down the main highway for a while watching for passing liners before turning Sout past Linanas with the wind slowly heading us. We had a glorous sail, perhaps the best this year, getting 6 kts. from time to time and passing bigger boats. By now we were sailing along the west side of Sodra Ljustero and heading for a small gap between it and Grinda at 59N25.3, 18E33.3. At this point we were headed and reverted to engine to wriggle our way by degrees to our preferred anchorage at 59N24.25,18E38.8. We lay here for a couple of days enjoying hot weather and swimming. We also wandered into the settlement through forest and pasture. I was made very angry by bits of police tape saying keep out that were hanging from branches along the route and so removed them. In the settlement i was told that there was a fun race round the island starting soon and the tape was for that purpose - so I had to walk back and replace it. At the settlement we bought food and had a pleasant lunch before returning to Badger.
Sunday 13 July 2014
Visit to Siafortet
Siafortet is part of an island originally named Kirkogard (churchyard) and was originally used as a sailors burial ground. In about 1920 a vast fortress was excavated and capped with concrete shaped to look like the natural contours of the land. It was anelaborate installation with a garrison of 250 men in peacetime but double that when at war. Bizarrely it was equipped with two late nineteenth C. rifled guns of 15 cm. bore which were worn and could not fire accurately. The fort included armoured observation turrets and a plotting room. It was never used and eventually abandoned and is a museum.
The island is very much a visitor destination with youth hostel with OK restaurant, bathing beaches and lovely views along the waterway. Morning and evening convoys of ferries and liners pass by offering entertainment. The harbour on the south side of the island is reasonably well shelered but strong east or west winds can be a trial. It will hold a maxumum of fifteen boats.Electricity is available at the harbour but not water.
View of boat harbour and of gun and its view up the fjord.
Our visit to Siafrtet was for one day only. We arrived there after a short sail down the main sea route into Stockholm and were impressed with the pleasant restaurant cold table lunch and the facilities generally.
The island is very much a visitor destination with youth hostel with OK restaurant, bathing beaches and lovely views along the waterway. Morning and evening convoys of ferries and liners pass by offering entertainment. The harbour on the south side of the island is reasonably well shelered but strong east or west winds can be a trial. It will hold a maxumum of fifteen boats.Electricity is available at the harbour but not water.
Our visit to Siafrtet was for one day only. We arrived there after a short sail down the main sea route into Stockholm and were impressed with the pleasant restaurant cold table lunch and the facilities generally.
Hogmarso Exhibit
The most extrordinary thing we have ever seen at Hogmarso is this gigamtic floating Chinese Restaurant, complete with Dragon head and tail. It is apparently parked here by a Chinese business man. The Dragon mouth is ;large enough for a small dinner party. The restaurant is mounted on a very large steel barge
Thursday 10 July 2014
Paradiset to Hogmarso
We left Finnhamn/Paradiset mainly because of water anxiety. We had last filled up at Nynashamn, some time ago. We left motoring north along a distinct much used but fairly twisty route with a modest north easterly so yet againe we envied those drifting in the opposite direction, down wind and bare chested. We expected to call in at Blido, a place we had always wanted to visit. One of the leading lights there is the famous opera singer Barbara Hendricks , who organises privatish music festivals in summer. On the way into the marina we met a boat coming out who said it was a bad harbour and we should not use the showers. The marine info we had said it could supply water but there was no evidence for that on the pontoons. With all these negatives we decided to go on and in fact we stopped for the night at Furusund where we could get water, electricity and showers. We als managed to get a side to mooring which was a nice change. Furusunfd is a Promarina harbour and expensive. It also has new pontoons but has substituted selling clothes from providing rather nice lunches. The evning brought the usual convoy of ferries and liners out of Stockholm which provided a great spectacle at very close quarters. They also made Badger pitch considerably but this was better than the yachts nearby which rolled horribly. There is no Promarina harbour that gets it right. Many are unsafe or uncomfortable though I do accept that they have good showers. We managed to buy some veg. but the only shop has little else worth eating. However the suroundings are very pretty.
We had a worrying encounter with a very brave Finnish lady of about 45 -50 who was using with great difficulty a rollator ( sort of push along seat with brakes) to get along the pontoon. It appears she had had a bad attack of Lyme disease which had affected her back ( spinal cord?) and so had very little control of her legs. Her retraining was slow but continuing. I had not realised this was one of the dangers attending Lyme disease and Kristin and I have both had attacks of the disease.
we moved off the next day to Hogmarso - a journey of less than three miles.
Hogmarso provides free, fendered moorings but no services at all, no water, electricity, toilets, showers. There are toilets when the restaurant is open though. The local supermarket remains good but the restaurant quality has gone down. The staff are concentrating more on the music that they provide. We left because a Rock concert was to be perpatrated the next evening. The shipyard itself continues to fascinate with so many sorts of junk turning up and disappearing. This time the new arrivals included a large yachts keel ( blade and torpedo shape) and a child's spiral slide.
We had a worrying encounter with a very brave Finnish lady of about 45 -50 who was using with great difficulty a rollator ( sort of push along seat with brakes) to get along the pontoon. It appears she had had a bad attack of Lyme disease which had affected her back ( spinal cord?) and so had very little control of her legs. Her retraining was slow but continuing. I had not realised this was one of the dangers attending Lyme disease and Kristin and I have both had attacks of the disease.
we moved off the next day to Hogmarso - a journey of less than three miles.
Hogmarso provides free, fendered moorings but no services at all, no water, electricity, toilets, showers. There are toilets when the restaurant is open though. The local supermarket remains good but the restaurant quality has gone down. The staff are concentrating more on the music that they provide. We left because a Rock concert was to be perpatrated the next evening. The shipyard itself continues to fascinate with so many sorts of junk turning up and disappearing. This time the new arrivals included a large yachts keel ( blade and torpedo shape) and a child's spiral slide.
Wednesday 9 July 2014
Life at Paradiset
Paradiset is the name given to an enclosed "lake" lying between Finnhamn and Idholmen. The water depth iis mostly around 7 metres and the lake is surrounded by woodland and cliffs. It is deservedly popular and we have seen about 100 boats moored to the rocks with 15 anchored in the middle. It still did not feel crowded and it was quiet. People wanting entertainment do not stay long. We anchored in 8 metres of water and the anchor held at once. We continue to gain confidence in the Rocna.
It is enormously enjoyable just sitting on Badger and looking round at the water, the surrounding cliffs and woods and of course the boats that come and go and the children jumping off the springboard. We made new friend there; Artur and Marie who are English but live in Finlandd and are restoring a 2/3 scale Nantucket Trader. This makes an enormous boat for just two people and very comfortable. Finnhamn is a good place to walk in and we enjoyed a very pleasant stroll to a farm said to supply ecological veg. However we only manged to buy 6 very nice eggs as the season was delayed by cold. I did manage a very brief swim but the cold water 18C made it valuable more for hygiene than pleasure.
We always love Paradiset and regret leaving the place but low water and food stocks made going essential
It is enormously enjoyable just sitting on Badger and looking round at the water, the surrounding cliffs and woods and of course the boats that come and go and the children jumping off the springboard. We made new friend there; Artur and Marie who are English but live in Finlandd and are restoring a 2/3 scale Nantucket Trader. This makes an enormous boat for just two people and very comfortable. Finnhamn is a good place to walk in and we enjoyed a very pleasant stroll to a farm said to supply ecological veg. However we only manged to buy 6 very nice eggs as the season was delayed by cold. I did manage a very brief swim but the cold water 18C made it valuable more for hygiene than pleasure.
We always love Paradiset and regret leaving the place but low water and food stocks made going essential
Tuesday 8 July 2014
Malma Kvarn to Paradiset 4th July
We left Malma in glorious warm sunlight anda weak southerly breeze to sail northeast and thern north to Paradiset on Finnhamn.
we unrolled the jib but could get between 1.5 and 2.5 kts. which was not enough so on with the motor again. We went up Namdo fjarden to Stavsnas (59N17.2, 18E 46.2) which is actually the location of Tegelhallan light. Here we wriggled through the gaps and out into Kanholms Fjarden. (59N20, 18E46. This is one of the main routes for ships going in to Stockholm adn we kept a good look out behind as well as in front. In 2000 We had been going NE in this fjard and suddenly a couple of liners came hammering out from behind a small island. We had to do a rapid 360 degree turn to keep out of their way.
Life was about to become a little more complicated as we exited Kanholms fjarden between two islets at 59N22.1,18E47.4. This led us through a small archipelago of islands with several summer houses discreetly placed. What dis stand our was a wood fired hot tub on a bluff with a gorgeous view all round. I have no idea whether they used sea or fresh water to fill it. It was a long way above the sea and fresh water is usually too precious to waste on a hot tub. This was a lovely area and I would love to think of having a hut here. Soon we got into more open water at 59N33.6, 18E46.5, only to wriggle back into the tight space at. Norra Stavsudda 59N24.5, 18E46.85. Here is placed a Swedish Cruising Club buoy which we took over from a fellow British buoy. It is a very attractive mooring with cliffs, woodland but also shop, cafe and fuel station. Regrettably the cafe was expensive, mean, used cardboard plates and served indiferent food. The shop had poor stock and there was a surprising amount of sea traffic so rather unpeaceful. We took a short walk through quiet lanes with many flowers, both wild and garden escapees. As a destination though it lacked all the qualities we like so we went off further north to Paradiset 59N28.4, 18E48.5. You might like to speculate on our route between the two. The weather was hot and sunny with light breezes all the time.
we unrolled the jib but could get between 1.5 and 2.5 kts. which was not enough so on with the motor again. We went up Namdo fjarden to Stavsnas (59N17.2, 18E 46.2) which is actually the location of Tegelhallan light. Here we wriggled through the gaps and out into Kanholms Fjarden. (59N20, 18E46. This is one of the main routes for ships going in to Stockholm adn we kept a good look out behind as well as in front. In 2000 We had been going NE in this fjard and suddenly a couple of liners came hammering out from behind a small island. We had to do a rapid 360 degree turn to keep out of their way.
Life was about to become a little more complicated as we exited Kanholms fjarden between two islets at 59N22.1,18E47.4. This led us through a small archipelago of islands with several summer houses discreetly placed. What dis stand our was a wood fired hot tub on a bluff with a gorgeous view all round. I have no idea whether they used sea or fresh water to fill it. It was a long way above the sea and fresh water is usually too precious to waste on a hot tub. This was a lovely area and I would love to think of having a hut here. Soon we got into more open water at 59N33.6, 18E46.5, only to wriggle back into the tight space at. Norra Stavsudda 59N24.5, 18E46.85. Here is placed a Swedish Cruising Club buoy which we took over from a fellow British buoy. It is a very attractive mooring with cliffs, woodland but also shop, cafe and fuel station. Regrettably the cafe was expensive, mean, used cardboard plates and served indiferent food. The shop had poor stock and there was a surprising amount of sea traffic so rather unpeaceful. We took a short walk through quiet lanes with many flowers, both wild and garden escapees. As a destination though it lacked all the qualities we like so we went off further north to Paradiset 59N28.4, 18E48.5. You might like to speculate on our route between the two. The weather was hot and sunny with light breezes all the time.
Staying at Malma Kvarn again 2nd - 4th July
In the afternoon we found a large part of the chef tribe; Johan his wife Blenda and her daughter. We had another marmalade tasting, this time of some delicious lemon marmalade, made by our friend Helena (from the Music Festival) This was approved and the recipe requested - work in progress. Dinner was smked cod for Kristin ( a bit too salty) and gorgeous steak for me.
We remained in harbour and I got Kristin out into the woodlands by the local lake which is in many ways one the the environments she most likes. I have a picture of her which I'll post. We ate again at Johan's with a more successful cod for Kristin and superb mussels for me. and eft in sunshine the next morning.
We remained in harbour and I got Kristin out into the woodlands by the local lake which is in many ways one the the environments she most likes. I have a picture of her which I'll post. We ate again at Johan's with a more successful cod for Kristin and superb mussels for me. and eft in sunshine the next morning.
Kolnasviken to Malma Kvarn ( 59N15.9, 18E39.5) 2nd July
We recovered the anchor with just a little wait for it to releas from the bottom. It came up very caked in clay which was difficult to remove. The deck broom got full of mud and is too big to get into the anchor crevices. We need a trowel. However it does set fast and hold firm. Our exit from Kolnasviken was just as twitch making as the entry but successful. We made off up the lead N of Orno in sunshine and warmer weather.
I'd been intrigued by the mention of a secluded guest harbour and hotel restaurant complex at Sma Dalaro and went to have a look. The island to the east Krogholmen is pretty horrid with big building progrmmes both at the shore and inland with an enormous hotel? being built in a large plastic tent, otally dominating the surroundings. The marina is entered via a very narrow canal at 59N09.9,18E27.85. The immediate neighbourhood of the hotel is reasonable but development is proceeding very fast and the area sems overcrowded and unpeaceful. The hotlel has mixed reviews so it was a quick tour round the pool and we left not intending to return. Outside the world went on and v=beauty returned quickly. We made Malma Kvarn in time for lunch onlyh to find the restaurant did not open till evening. We moored up at the far end of the harbour this time rather more peaceful and just enough water and had lunch on board and started waiting for dinner - as well as going on scraping and oiling teak.
I'd been intrigued by the mention of a secluded guest harbour and hotel restaurant complex at Sma Dalaro and went to have a look. The island to the east Krogholmen is pretty horrid with big building progrmmes both at the shore and inland with an enormous hotel? being built in a large plastic tent, otally dominating the surroundings. The marina is entered via a very narrow canal at 59N09.9,18E27.85. The immediate neighbourhood of the hotel is reasonable but development is proceeding very fast and the area sems overcrowded and unpeaceful. The hotlel has mixed reviews so it was a quick tour round the pool and we left not intending to return. Outside the world went on and v=beauty returned quickly. We made Malma Kvarn in time for lunch onlyh to find the restaurant did not open till evening. We moored up at the far end of the harbour this time rather more peaceful and just enough water and had lunch on board and started waiting for dinner - as well as going on scraping and oiling teak.
Nynashamn to Kolnasviken 1st July
We first had a short walk round "three corner island" looking at the splendid houses of the rich and at the very ornate hotel and bath house that can been seen from the sea while still a long distance out. We went on to have lunch and then decided on a late departure to get past the open waters of Myssingen. The weather was cold 13.7 C and cloudy with threatening rain which soon arrived - but did not last. We made steady progress unde jib and motoer and duly arrived at the entrance to Kolnasviken. ( 59N05.1, 18E24) The GPS isnot in close agreement witht he charts and the channel between shoals is very narrow so the piot, speaking off "awash steep sided rocks" has to be consulted. We have been in before and our recorded trails sometimes intersect one of the rocks. So here the eyeball is king. We dropped the anchor in 6 metres of water and stayed secure in good shelter all night.
Monday 30 June 2014
Ringson, Rassavikar and Nynashamn
Thursday 26th June
We left Nykoping and friends after a last visit with some of them to the Pud School - excellent fish soup with aioli.
At 1420 we slipped and raised the main but motor sailed in a light SE breeze until the track went NE (58N42.8, 17E18) and we could unfurl the jib. We then had a lovely sail througt the last narrow passage and out into clearer water. We chose as usual to take the narrow dogleg through the skerries at (5844.06,17E21.55) and got away with a very tight fetch going ESE through the hole. I did have the motor turning for this bit though not in gear. The obvious passage here is blocked by a large awash rock so care is needed. However the wind went light at Stendorren ( Stone door in Swedish) (58N44.6,17E23.8) where there is another tight dogleg. This route has been used for at least 800 years and I have enormous admiration for those who sailed large and clumsy boats through these passage without charts or much in the way of navigation aids.
From Stndorren we motored to Ringson and anchored for the night at 58N43.9, 17E26.6 very close to another friends boat Claire Elaine in very good shelter and exchanged gossip for drinks in the evening.
The forecast for Friday was good but bad for Saturday so we left Ringson fairly early and unfurled the jib at once to have a lovely gentle sail towards Savosundet ( 58N45.9,17E28.5). Approaching it the wind headed us and we had to motor through, distinctly hampered by the antics of two historic naval vessels moving in the opposite direction.
Once clear of Savo we were less hard on the wind and made good progress. The ib took on a very good shape and pulled hard, giving us 5 kts. plus. However we chose to go more or less east south of Asko in fairly open water and really enjoyed ourselves in the freer wind to the Askenhallen light at 58N47, 17E41.9. Here we went off the wind which promptly died so we then had to motor. Here we were overtaken by Saga Leon, a small cruise ship based in Nykoping that makes a precarious living running trips along the coast. We had not seen her for a while and were glad the business had not foundered. However putting palm trees on the after deck did not strike us as a sensible marketing ploy. We went on NNE through various skerries to the sound E of Liso ( 58N52, 18E48.2). We motored on up to the opening bridge to wait for it to open on the hour. After this was the normal serpentine route to Rassavikar and a pleasant two night stop there. The weather was cold and at times rainy but we avoided the strong winds blowing outside. The trees around us were being blown and made a continuous hissing but we got only the turbulence pushing the boat about a little. Our new anchor again worked well and came up reasonably readily once we had given it time to get unstuck.
We left Rassavikar on Sunday morning when the mist had cleared to about half a mile visibility. This mist was ahead of the forecast schedule and proved persistent with some patches quite thick. However this little archipelag is small scale and the vis was enough to stop us getting lost. We move quickly on to Nynashamn 58N53.9, 17E57.2 where we now are. We are staying here for at least two nights as the cold and the adverse winds make the long plod NE through Myssingen unattractive. The harbour itself is OK but constant ferry traffic makes the water rather rough and the town has little of interest to detain us.
As I write the sky is heavily overcast and the outside temperature is 15.7 C. This is undoubtedly the coldest summer we have spent in Sweden and we rather uselessly resent it.
We left Nykoping and friends after a last visit with some of them to the Pud School - excellent fish soup with aioli.
At 1420 we slipped and raised the main but motor sailed in a light SE breeze until the track went NE (58N42.8, 17E18) and we could unfurl the jib. We then had a lovely sail througt the last narrow passage and out into clearer water. We chose as usual to take the narrow dogleg through the skerries at (5844.06,17E21.55) and got away with a very tight fetch going ESE through the hole. I did have the motor turning for this bit though not in gear. The obvious passage here is blocked by a large awash rock so care is needed. However the wind went light at Stendorren ( Stone door in Swedish) (58N44.6,17E23.8) where there is another tight dogleg. This route has been used for at least 800 years and I have enormous admiration for those who sailed large and clumsy boats through these passage without charts or much in the way of navigation aids.
From Stndorren we motored to Ringson and anchored for the night at 58N43.9, 17E26.6 very close to another friends boat Claire Elaine in very good shelter and exchanged gossip for drinks in the evening.
The forecast for Friday was good but bad for Saturday so we left Ringson fairly early and unfurled the jib at once to have a lovely gentle sail towards Savosundet ( 58N45.9,17E28.5). Approaching it the wind headed us and we had to motor through, distinctly hampered by the antics of two historic naval vessels moving in the opposite direction.
Once clear of Savo we were less hard on the wind and made good progress. The ib took on a very good shape and pulled hard, giving us 5 kts. plus. However we chose to go more or less east south of Asko in fairly open water and really enjoyed ourselves in the freer wind to the Askenhallen light at 58N47, 17E41.9. Here we went off the wind which promptly died so we then had to motor. Here we were overtaken by Saga Leon, a small cruise ship based in Nykoping that makes a precarious living running trips along the coast. We had not seen her for a while and were glad the business had not foundered. However putting palm trees on the after deck did not strike us as a sensible marketing ploy. We went on NNE through various skerries to the sound E of Liso ( 58N52, 18E48.2). We motored on up to the opening bridge to wait for it to open on the hour. After this was the normal serpentine route to Rassavikar and a pleasant two night stop there. The weather was cold and at times rainy but we avoided the strong winds blowing outside. The trees around us were being blown and made a continuous hissing but we got only the turbulence pushing the boat about a little. Our new anchor again worked well and came up reasonably readily once we had given it time to get unstuck.
We left Rassavikar on Sunday morning when the mist had cleared to about half a mile visibility. This mist was ahead of the forecast schedule and proved persistent with some patches quite thick. However this little archipelag is small scale and the vis was enough to stop us getting lost. We move quickly on to Nynashamn 58N53.9, 17E57.2 where we now are. We are staying here for at least two nights as the cold and the adverse winds make the long plod NE through Myssingen unattractive. The harbour itself is OK but constant ferry traffic makes the water rather rough and the town has little of interest to detain us.
As I write the sky is heavily overcast and the outside temperature is 15.7 C. This is undoubtedly the coldest summer we have spent in Sweden and we rather uselessly resent it.
Friends at Nykoping
On the way to Nykoping we stopped off at Nykopings Varv to check up on our car which Mikke had kindly delivered to the yard. It was fine so we liberated it for our stay and Kristin drove it to the marina while I took the boat round.
We took the opportunity to stock up with food and wine, but also to have lunch at the Pud school (Richard's description of the Hotel and Restaurant School) agin and of course to Kohiro where John and Lizzie took us as a treat.
During this period Lizzie left to go home for a while and Pregrine and Fiona Bruce arrived in their splendid new boat Joya on their way to the RCC rally. is made for very pleasant gatherings and we left with some regrets as the weather became tolerable and we were anxious to get furthe north into the Stockholm Archipelago.
We took the opportunity to stock up with food and wine, but also to have lunch at the Pud school (Richard's description of the Hotel and Restaurant School) agin and of course to Kohiro where John and Lizzie took us as a treat.
During this period Lizzie left to go home for a while and Pregrine and Fiona Bruce arrived in their splendid new boat Joya on their way to the RCC rally. is made for very pleasant gatherings and we left with some regrets as the weather became tolerable and we were anxious to get furthe north into the Stockholm Archipelago.
Midsummer at Broken
Midsummer at Broken was fun but the weather was cold. Here we met John and Lizzie Langdon on Fidelity who are en route to Finland for an RCC rally. Many of the boats dressed overall with John taking great trouble to ensure his were in the correct internationally agreed order which made sure they said nothing obscene in any language. The summer pole was a small tree of the island with the correct cross piece and rings, duly decorated and erected. Songs and dances ensued but we missed them as they happened two hours ahead of schedule. I think it was because the children were agitating for their free ice creams. At 1800 we all lined up for the club party. We'd already seen the musicians arrive in the clubs garbage scow. They were a very effective young jazz group with an excellent saxophonist. The open sided pavilion was distinctly less crowded than the previous year, presumably because ot the cold weather. wE enjoyed the music and the meal we had prepared but left a little early because of the cold to sit drinking in our boat till late. Even when we all went to bed the party was still going on and the sound of music and song drifted down to us pleasantly. The bad weather and strong winds that had been predicted luckily did not arrive so our stay was peaceful.
We left the next morning for Nynashamn because we'd run out of food while John and Lizzie went off to Ringson for a couple of days.
We left the next morning for Nynashamn because we'd run out of food while John and Lizzie went off to Ringson for a couple of days.
Wednesday 18 June 2014
Wednesday at Broken 58N42.68, 14E14.34
On departing from Malma Kvarn full of good food and meeting friends, we set off south west to Nynashamn 58N54.0,17E56.8 mainly so we could buy more food and drink. We had a pleasnt early sail in gentle breezes but, as often happens on Myssingen, the wind strengthened and headed us so we had to put in a tack even when on motoer and main to get a sailable course. We stayed one night, had an excellent and unexpected Dagens Lunch at a restaurant I thought boring and expensive and left in the morning with relief..
We then sailed a mere 6 miles to Rassavikar 58N51.7, 17E52.4 where we stayed two nights in complete shelter more or less alone and surrounded by wildlife, trees and rocks - it was lovely. It was wet at times so we put up our plastic "shed" and then managed to scrape and oil the rest of the cockpit teak which now looks warm and glowing.
Our new Rocna 10 Kg. anchor set well and held while we moved round it as the wind changed.
This morning we pulled it up with some difficulty and set off through the archipelago surrounding Rassavikar to exit into Svardsfjarden and open water. We had a lovely jib only sail at up to 6 kts. south and west to the corner of a very long island inconveniently blocking the fjard. From here we sailed west on a closer and closer fetch and a westering wind to Savosundet 58N45.9, 17E28.3 and then southwest through tighter and tighter passages to Broken. Here 14 yachts have already arrived for Fridays festival including one from Germany and the weather has warmed up though it promises to be very nasty tomorrow.
We then sailed a mere 6 miles to Rassavikar 58N51.7, 17E52.4 where we stayed two nights in complete shelter more or less alone and surrounded by wildlife, trees and rocks - it was lovely. It was wet at times so we put up our plastic "shed" and then managed to scrape and oil the rest of the cockpit teak which now looks warm and glowing.
Our new Rocna 10 Kg. anchor set well and held while we moved round it as the wind changed.
This morning we pulled it up with some difficulty and set off through the archipelago surrounding Rassavikar to exit into Svardsfjarden and open water. We had a lovely jib only sail at up to 6 kts. south and west to the corner of a very long island inconveniently blocking the fjard. From here we sailed west on a closer and closer fetch and a westering wind to Savosundet 58N45.9, 17E28.3 and then southwest through tighter and tighter passages to Broken. Here 14 yachts have already arrived for Fridays festival including one from Germany and the weather has warmed up though it promises to be very nasty tomorrow.
Saturday 14 June 2014
Saturday in Malma Kvarn
We've had the promised gale. Last night it was pretty windy. I took the cover off again and the boat's motion reduced considerably but even so it was a bit bouncy. The night forecast was for 15 - 18 mtres/s northerly but our wind came from the east because of the lay out of the land. A party of children arrived for a sailing course but had to accept learning how to put sails up on dry land as it would have been too risky for them to be on the water. They looked about 11 years old. We've had two excelent meals at Johans restaurant 10 paces from the boat and Kristin has a new idea for party food - chicken breast filled with goat cheese - distinctly nice and with an an excellent wine sauce.
We should be off tomorrow SW to Nynashamn and then into a remote archpelago to try out our new anchor.
I should record that the Huawei Myfi gadget is performing well and giving web access both to the computer and the Kindle Fire
We should be off tomorrow SW to Nynashamn and then into a remote archpelago to try out our new anchor.
I should record that the Huawei Myfi gadget is performing well and giving web access both to the computer and the Kindle Fire
Friday 13 June 2014
Friday in Malma Kvarn 59N15.31,18E36.87
So we slipped from Stockholm's Wasahamnen at 1158 and motored off between Djurgarden and Skeppsholmen with not much traffic butr when we turned east we encountered the full Waxholm Bolaget treatment. These fast ferries dart about chucking up enormous wakes and equally chucking us about as well. After about five miles we reached the south going "cutting" leading to Baggenstaket. at 59N20,18E13 where we attained peace still motoring between high clifs covered over with expensive houses. The most splendid on the Eastern shore had long staircses leading down the cliff to landing stages. This was initially their only way of getting into Stockholm until the road bridge was built, probably in the 1930's. We had just got dunder this bridge when the rain started and steadily strengthened. It kille the gentle breeze he had enjoyed and before I could get fully dressed my jeans were soaked. Then the lightning started, stiking fairly close 0-1 seconds between flash and bang but not close enough to matter. At the southern end of the cutting we turned E into quiet water with houses, flats and yacht harbours but still some woodlands and got to the Dragets Canal 59N18.0, 18E16.5 as the rain stopped. The canal is fringed with little harbours and very lovely houses. It must be hard for the inhabitants to accept the idiots who go out on Wednesday evenings to a pub with a disco and return after midnight drunk at 30 + mph and crash into each other in the canal.
Once out into clear water we unrolled the jib with a gentle following breeze to our se gong path but actually to little effect. Baggensfjord s wide and deep with a pretty unfriendly cliff to the east but a good place to make progress. It soon turns into Ingarofjord and continues as before. There are some pleasant anchorages on the west side, notably Napoleonsviken which is very well sheltered. Motoring on we rounded the corner to go E and then ENE along the coat. taking an inshore route to look more closely at a number of small islands, mostly inhabited and some with dry toilets marked on the charts.
One of these has a splendid Viking type mansion in wood. This is perhaps the one that chsed away an aquaintance saying "Go away , this is private" which is not the way most Swedes behave. We wandered on into Klevsfjorden and thence to Malmakvarn which we found open but fairly empty. We moored outside the restaurant and found from the retired HM, Paavo, that the restaurant was to open on Saturday. Great news.
Later the present HM Claes appeared ans asked after my nose which had a role in mending last year.
We arrived at 16:30, withe log reading 24.2 miles.
The forecast is till for strong winds on Friday night and Saturday but the maximum has reduced to 16 metres/sec. - a slight improvement. We have increased the number of mooring lines and fitted the cockpit cover. This justified itself in the night when we had very heavy rain and this morning with a persistent drizzle.
We have now scraped and oiled the whole of the starboard cockpit teak which looks splendid and orange.
Johan, the chef, greeted us with the news hehas opened one restaurant tin the centre of Stockholm and has another in train. Perhaps more importantly he is opening tonight and we will be there
Once out into clear water we unrolled the jib with a gentle following breeze to our se gong path but actually to little effect. Baggensfjord s wide and deep with a pretty unfriendly cliff to the east but a good place to make progress. It soon turns into Ingarofjord and continues as before. There are some pleasant anchorages on the west side, notably Napoleonsviken which is very well sheltered. Motoring on we rounded the corner to go E and then ENE along the coat. taking an inshore route to look more closely at a number of small islands, mostly inhabited and some with dry toilets marked on the charts.
One of these has a splendid Viking type mansion in wood. This is perhaps the one that chsed away an aquaintance saying "Go away , this is private" which is not the way most Swedes behave. We wandered on into Klevsfjorden and thence to Malmakvarn which we found open but fairly empty. We moored outside the restaurant and found from the retired HM, Paavo, that the restaurant was to open on Saturday. Great news.
Later the present HM Claes appeared ans asked after my nose which had a role in mending last year.
We arrived at 16:30, withe log reading 24.2 miles.
The forecast is till for strong winds on Friday night and Saturday but the maximum has reduced to 16 metres/sec. - a slight improvement. We have increased the number of mooring lines and fitted the cockpit cover. This justified itself in the night when we had very heavy rain and this morning with a persistent drizzle.
We have now scraped and oiled the whole of the starboard cockpit teak which looks splendid and orange.
Johan, the chef, greeted us with the news hehas opened one restaurant tin the centre of Stockholm and has another in train. Perhaps more importantly he is opening tonight and we will be there
Friday in Malma Kvarn
We made a somewhat earlier than expected departure from Stockholm because of an interesting set of forecasts. Thursday and Friday were innocuous but Saturday would bring North winds of15 - 18 mtres per second. [ 1 metre/sec roughly equates to 2 kts. and 0.5 Beaufort ]. The weather has a tendency to arrive earlier than forecast hence our decision. The made it necessary to walk at once to SABIS, one of the best supermarkets we have ever been to.
One of its distinctive features is a cheese dept with a man who brings up his cheeses properly. Kristin bought an Epoisses ( ready tomorrow) and a Langres ( ripe) together with some hot smoked salmon a cake or two and some good bread. We also bought sliced bred because it survives longer but avoid eating it if possible.The cost was horrendous. I also spent time trying to get a months subscription to my "3" dongle card. The Phoneshop had one man only serving and a queue of 1. This did not move for several minutes. Phone shop discussions last indefinitely so I left. I should say SABIS have new trolleys which put the brakes on if you leave the shop. Kristin had to guard the trolley while I wandered off to Kjell, an electronics specialist. No luck so back to ~Kristin, who I found was having a suchi so I joined her. LAter I went back to Phoneshop and got served quickly. No they no longer supplied "3" subscriptions, try the betting and paper shop. I was beginning to lose hope but the betting shop came up a winner - appropriately. We had a taxi back to the boat ( two carrier bags, two backpacks, two boxes of wine and a pot plant - just too much to carry.
We said a rapid goodbye to the harbour crew and gave Leif the pot plant, watered up and left just before mid-day.
I~ must recall last year when we also bought an Epoisses at SABIS. There was no price indicated so the till lady had to phone describing the item in Swedish as an ep-oou-i-ses which we found rather charming
One of its distinctive features is a cheese dept with a man who brings up his cheeses properly. Kristin bought an Epoisses ( ready tomorrow) and a Langres ( ripe) together with some hot smoked salmon a cake or two and some good bread. We also bought sliced bred because it survives longer but avoid eating it if possible.The cost was horrendous. I also spent time trying to get a months subscription to my "3" dongle card. The Phoneshop had one man only serving and a queue of 1. This did not move for several minutes. Phone shop discussions last indefinitely so I left. I should say SABIS have new trolleys which put the brakes on if you leave the shop. Kristin had to guard the trolley while I wandered off to Kjell, an electronics specialist. No luck so back to ~Kristin, who I found was having a suchi so I joined her. LAter I went back to Phoneshop and got served quickly. No they no longer supplied "3" subscriptions, try the betting and paper shop. I was beginning to lose hope but the betting shop came up a winner - appropriately. We had a taxi back to the boat ( two carrier bags, two backpacks, two boxes of wine and a pot plant - just too much to carry.
We said a rapid goodbye to the harbour crew and gave Leif the pot plant, watered up and left just before mid-day.
I~ must recall last year when we also bought an Epoisses at SABIS. There was no price indicated so the till lady had to phone describing the item in Swedish as an ep-oou-i-ses which we found rather charming
Wednesday in Stockholm.
Another sunny day so walked to Valdemars Udde, forlerly the home of Prince Eugen in the late 19th C. He would have liked to be just a painter but was only allowed to do so part of the time. Eventually he found a role being the chair of a handicraft movement in Sweden and he took a great interest in it. This year we arrived at the opening time of 1:00 to find ourselves going in by the front door. They were in the process of rejigging the separate exhibitions space so less of the collection was visible than usual. We started would you believe, with an excellent lunch in the original house kitchen, followed by an exhibition of abstract weavings ( good) and another of sculpture ( so bad that the main interest was geological; he had some intereasting rocks he had mistreated). We went home and did some more teak work, eating at home.
Wednesday 11 June 2014
Wednesday in Stockholm
The Music festival is over and we are exhausted and exhilarated in equal measure - 13 concerts and two lectures in 5 days with lots of contacts with English and Swedish friends.
Monday we spent domestically with Kristin doing the laundry and I fetched some food and got bits for the boat.
Tuesday we started work on the teak, scraping off dirty varnish and then putting on clean. Today we went to Valdemarsudde - former home of Prince Eugen to see two exhibitions - one good, one poor and then returned to work on the teak. More detail will follow.
Monday we spent domestically with Kristin doing the laundry and I fetched some food and got bits for the boat.
Tuesday we started work on the teak, scraping off dirty varnish and then putting on clean. Today we went to Valdemarsudde - former home of Prince Eugen to see two exhibitions - one good, one poor and then returned to work on the teak. More detail will follow.
Saturday 7 June 2014
Thursday in Stockholm
To StadsMission for cold luch before the 1200 concert. This was an opera school exercise in performance directed by Mark Tatlow ( late of Drottningholm Opera) Illness robbed us of an actor and reduced the power of the soprano but very interesting performance concentrating on gesture as adding to the drama - right up Kristin's street and she asked a question and was subsequently asked if she was in the business.
1400 Talk on a Belgian project to digitise Almira Flemish song manuscripts housed in Vatican, talk of techniques ( 800 Mpixel camera) brueaucrcy of course and wish to make info available on net by autumn.
Parallel German group reckons it has 20 years work ahead of it. Again up Kristin'sstreet but also mine.
2030 Concert Collegium Marianum. Bohemian Baroque - principally Biber. Some table music - light but pleasant but some new and enchanting music.
Wine afterwards interupted by large group of musicians and Czech ambassador eating after concert. We had to retreat into corner to give them room. Were recognised and asked our opinion on the concert. All very agreable. Again the 2340 boat home.
1400 Talk on a Belgian project to digitise Almira Flemish song manuscripts housed in Vatican, talk of techniques ( 800 Mpixel camera) brueaucrcy of course and wish to make info available on net by autumn.
Parallel German group reckons it has 20 years work ahead of it. Again up Kristin'sstreet but also mine.
2030 Concert Collegium Marianum. Bohemian Baroque - principally Biber. Some table music - light but pleasant but some new and enchanting music.
Wine afterwards interupted by large group of musicians and Czech ambassador eating after concert. We had to retreat into corner to give them room. Were recognised and asked our opinion on the concert. All very agreable. Again the 2340 boat home.
Wedneday in Stockholm
To Moderna Museet seeing newTinguley and Niki de Ste Phaele joined sculptures outside museum. Next exhibition of Nils Dardel 1888 to 1943. Dardel shows wide variety of styles and is very good at satire. The Duchamp and Surrealist exhibition is still going and worth seeing. However the Monument to the third international by Tatlin has disappeared. Ate moderately well at the museum but wonderful view of Stockholm harbour.
To German Church for first concert of the series with L'Arpeggiata. Lovely playing, good singing and very violent female dancing. Theme was tarantella for performance, marriage and mourning. Extremely good start to season. Met number of old friends including eminent American Duncan who is on short visit consulting at Karolinska. Wine after performance and the 2340 boat back to Badger and bed.
To German Church for first concert of the series with L'Arpeggiata. Lovely playing, good singing and very violent female dancing. Theme was tarantella for performance, marriage and mourning. Extremely good start to season. Met number of old friends including eminent American Duncan who is on short visit consulting at Karolinska. Wine after performance and the 2340 boat back to Badger and bed.
Tuesday 3 June 2014
Stockholm impression
On Monday 2nd June we retrieved some post from daughter Alice containing documentation from the Swedish lifeboat organisation and a special flag to use when tied up to a Swedish Cruising Club buoy. We also did some cleaning and sorting on board Badger, washing the deck and trying to get rid of rust stains round the old liferaft cradle position. This kept us reaonably busy. We als emptied the rope locker and junked some old dog-ends of tatty rope. In the evening we went off to an Asiatic restaurant and retired to bed.
It gets cold at night with the inside temperature reaching 11C quite often. It's only really noticeable if we need to get out of bed as the sleeping bag and thermal blanket combo works very well.
Tuesday 3rd June
Today was initially cloudy and then rainy so not very pleasant out. We took the ferry to Gamla Stan ( oldest part of Stockholm) to have a very good and cheap lunch at the Stadts Mission Cafe before going off to the German church to get our Early Music Festival passes. As first in the queue we got special treatment, given chairs to sit in as indicating our status as old dears and photographed as first customers. Kristin is required to do an interview for Stockholm Radio when the festival opens tomorrow. Incidentally Leif, the harbourmaster at the marina had to answer questions on Badger to a radio interviewer doing a piece on water temperature ( currently 10C). Leif also showed us his pride and joy, a 1986 Morgan with a V6 or V8 engine. He drives it only if the day is dry and sunny.
I'm amazed at the amount of building development work going on in Stockholm. There are projects apparently going on everywhere. It is such a contrast to the lack of such activity in the UK. We are still in depression mode but Sweden clearly is not.
It gets cold at night with the inside temperature reaching 11C quite often. It's only really noticeable if we need to get out of bed as the sleeping bag and thermal blanket combo works very well.
Tuesday 3rd June
Today was initially cloudy and then rainy so not very pleasant out. We took the ferry to Gamla Stan ( oldest part of Stockholm) to have a very good and cheap lunch at the Stadts Mission Cafe before going off to the German church to get our Early Music Festival passes. As first in the queue we got special treatment, given chairs to sit in as indicating our status as old dears and photographed as first customers. Kristin is required to do an interview for Stockholm Radio when the festival opens tomorrow. Incidentally Leif, the harbourmaster at the marina had to answer questions on Badger to a radio interviewer doing a piece on water temperature ( currently 10C). Leif also showed us his pride and joy, a 1986 Morgan with a V6 or V8 engine. He drives it only if the day is dry and sunny.
I'm amazed at the amount of building development work going on in Stockholm. There are projects apparently going on everywhere. It is such a contrast to the lack of such activity in the UK. We are still in depression mode but Sweden clearly is not.
Sodertalje to Stockholm
1st June
We slipped at 0800 and motored out of the marina, across the channel to the waiting quay below the lock, anticipating competition for space. Today was the first time lock should open at 0830. We waited in the sunlight watching for signs of activity. At 0830 there was a very quiet anouncement on the loudspeaker and immediately the bridge began to open for us. We hurriedly untied, started the engine and motored in somewhat panicked as the lock keepers here do tend to act hastily and without care. In fact we were allowed to tie up without problems and the lock cycled just for us - no competion at all. We motored out into another cutting and under a bridge which makeds for an awkward wait for bigger boats but we slip uner it nicely. The water then widens out to display the two boatyards of the Sodertalje boat club. It really is a well found club and it also posseses an island as well. The last canal section follows, again entrance is controlled by lights which were white. Here are more boatyards full of old projects some f which do eventually come to completion. There seems to be an inexhaustible supply of boats for sheltered waters, tugs, ferries, fishing boats and the like. One of the harbour masters in Stockholm has just taken his large wooden fishing boat into dry dock to check the condition of the planking, fit anodes etc. He has a team of freinds to help him get the job done in the week he is allowed.
Beyond the canal the water widens again, looking lovely with high banks covered in houses clinging to every knobble of rock. Building here means serious work, blasting, excavation even getting materials on site presents challenges. The wind was more or less Ne so we raised the jib which helped a little. The lake Malaren is large and open at this point with long views and good cloudscape to enjoy as we continued under autohelm. All too soon we changed course to the east into narrower channels and lost the wind, reverting to motor. Here there is considerable development with grand houses on the northern side, a stable complex and of course powerlines to worry about. Later are wider waters, more housing a ferry system and gradually Stockholm suburbs, punctuated by grand old Victorian era houses, big cliffs and forests, all very agreeable.
Later the city closes about us as we run down towards Hammarby lock past blcks of flats, some well made, others ugly, under various bridges.
The lock opened promptly letting us in with a number of power and sail boats and charging SEK 160 (£16) for doing so. We were ejected into a very nw suburb full of prestige flats but with a replica Viking boat ( now a Thai restaurant) for company. We had to manouvre about for ten minutes before the last bridge would open but were then free to enter Stockholm harbour. Here the water is always rough with the passage of large fast ferries, so best passed through quickly.
Familiar sights greet us, particularly the ancient dock crane painted to look like a giraffe and then the immense and gaudy Grona Lund funfair, full of mechanical emtics in full operation and at last Wasahamnen, our home for the next week or so where we were greeted by someone unknown before we had reached a berth. It is good to be back here and we should enjoy Stockholm immensely.
We slipped at 0800 and motored out of the marina, across the channel to the waiting quay below the lock, anticipating competition for space. Today was the first time lock should open at 0830. We waited in the sunlight watching for signs of activity. At 0830 there was a very quiet anouncement on the loudspeaker and immediately the bridge began to open for us. We hurriedly untied, started the engine and motored in somewhat panicked as the lock keepers here do tend to act hastily and without care. In fact we were allowed to tie up without problems and the lock cycled just for us - no competion at all. We motored out into another cutting and under a bridge which makeds for an awkward wait for bigger boats but we slip uner it nicely. The water then widens out to display the two boatyards of the Sodertalje boat club. It really is a well found club and it also posseses an island as well. The last canal section follows, again entrance is controlled by lights which were white. Here are more boatyards full of old projects some f which do eventually come to completion. There seems to be an inexhaustible supply of boats for sheltered waters, tugs, ferries, fishing boats and the like. One of the harbour masters in Stockholm has just taken his large wooden fishing boat into dry dock to check the condition of the planking, fit anodes etc. He has a team of freinds to help him get the job done in the week he is allowed.
Beyond the canal the water widens again, looking lovely with high banks covered in houses clinging to every knobble of rock. Building here means serious work, blasting, excavation even getting materials on site presents challenges. The wind was more or less Ne so we raised the jib which helped a little. The lake Malaren is large and open at this point with long views and good cloudscape to enjoy as we continued under autohelm. All too soon we changed course to the east into narrower channels and lost the wind, reverting to motor. Here there is considerable development with grand houses on the northern side, a stable complex and of course powerlines to worry about. Later are wider waters, more housing a ferry system and gradually Stockholm suburbs, punctuated by grand old Victorian era houses, big cliffs and forests, all very agreeable.
Later the city closes about us as we run down towards Hammarby lock past blcks of flats, some well made, others ugly, under various bridges.
The lock opened promptly letting us in with a number of power and sail boats and charging SEK 160 (£16) for doing so. We were ejected into a very nw suburb full of prestige flats but with a replica Viking boat ( now a Thai restaurant) for company. We had to manouvre about for ten minutes before the last bridge would open but were then free to enter Stockholm harbour. Here the water is always rough with the passage of large fast ferries, so best passed through quickly.
Familiar sights greet us, particularly the ancient dock crane painted to look like a giraffe and then the immense and gaudy Grona Lund funfair, full of mechanical emtics in full operation and at last Wasahamnen, our home for the next week or so where we were greeted by someone unknown before we had reached a berth. It is good to be back here and we should enjoy Stockholm immensely.
Trosa to Sodertalje 59N11.4,17E36.9
Saturday 31st May
With a reasonable forecast the night before and no rain we left early at 0849. We had gone aground in the river but the fall in air pressure led to us coming afloat in the night. We were positioned with two boats rafted alongside close ahead and a big motor boat behind so we pushed off at the stern with the boat hook and reversed outbackwards to port which Badger preferred. We missed the motor boat and got away cleanly as the river current was slight. We went off sout through a Broads type exit with reeds and housing on one bank.
We thern turned east and gradually north between widely scattered islands under a grey sky The colouring was Paynes grey and it was cold - just like early season Solent sailing. We got the jib up and it helped push us along raising our speed to 6 kts. and moreAs we turned more and more north we came harder on the wind and boat speed increased. However the wind was becoming more northerly and we had eventually to roll up the jib beside the light Stenskar at 58N54.4, 17E42.8.
Just before this point we'd had to be careful judging leeway to avoid going onto a nasty reef.
At this point we entered the main shipping channel to Sodertalje and so had to look behind as well as in front. A commercial ship in these waters has no choice in course and very little in speed if it is to meet a schedule at lock or dock. It can certainly not turn round.
As we motored north we saw two ships coming south without problems. The scene now was of sailing up a very long fairly straight valley with low cliffs to starboard and low meadows to port.
One initial novelty was the island of Oaxen made, most unusually, of limestone and largely quarried away. It is in its dereliction, rather ugly but indicative of past industry.
The next point of interest is Skansholmen. This lump intruding into the fjord is at the same time an old fortress, a campsite, a marina and a ferry point. The ferry is always of concern as it is bound to set across just as one is passing. Luckily this time it stayed put till we had passed and then crossed just ahead of a big ship!.
Just before Skansholmen is a small islet covered with dead entirely white trees, very ghostly. The trees serve as roosts for cormorants, whose droppings kill the trees.
The dominant birds roost on the highest branches with the pecking order going down the tree. The lower birds suffer from the droppings from on high and have shorter lives and poorer health than the dominant ones. It thus resembles the typical management system.
Very soon the valley does a jink to the east so ships big and little have to make large course changes.
The corner is blind, so for big ships a serious cause for anxiety before the days of AIS. After this jink the valley narrows and becomes industrial. There is a high voltage power line to pass. This always makes for anxiety as the mast seems certain to touch the cables even though the sign on the bank reads 35 metres. After a dock or two and a power station burning wood waste comes the first canal. This has a rather dim white isophase light to show we may pass. The canal is a deep cutting through the rock with the E4 motorway bridge and a rail bridge to pass. After this we turned into the marina below the lock, refuelled and then moored. The marina is insecure and recently a CA boat was robbed while the crew slept. Nothing happend to us but we did not leave the boat unguarded and locked up as best we could for the night.
Day in Trosa
We spent the 30th May in Trosa. Faced with wettish weather and a forecast of strong northerly winds we stayed in harbour. Patricia Elaine joined us having started later from Nykoping. They had experienced harder weather than we had with winds up to 36 kts.. W had expected to eat well in Trosa but the good restaurant menus were boring. They had not woken up to the summer yet. Instead we visited the good cheese shop near the Systembolaget and bought two very strong and well made Swedish cheeses which frmed the basis of our meals that day.
Friday 30 May 2014
Stendorren 58N44.55,17E23.4
We paased through Stendorren yesterday and it is worth a word or two. Stendorren, meaning "stone door" is a noteworthy hazard on an important and ancient coastal route fairly close to Stockholm.
It is marked by a small black and white hut supplemented by a number of buoys and must have presented problems to old sailing ships. We approached on a north westerly heading, changed course round a green buoy to go just south of east and then NNE after just 100 metres at a red buoy to make our escape past three more green buoys. All other choices would have brought us onto the rocks.
Without the buoys and with inadequate charts it would have been very frightening to the stranger.
Usually the hut stands surrounded by water. Yesterday, because of prolonged high air pressure, it was surrounded by a flattish rock about 25 metres across. In about 14 years cruising we have not seen this rock shelf before. It usually lurks just under the surface. The high pressure als presented problems at Trosa. We moored in the river but found we had gone aground in the mud and could not get the stern alongside so we are sticking out slightly awry.
Trosa itself is barely awake yet. the harbour office will not be opened till 28th June and few of the normal tourist facilities are yet available. there is a little light drizzle and we are resting, reading and trying to get cught up with our chores. We have found the cheese shop here has much improved and have bought two splendid strong Swedish cheeses for lunch and supper.
It is marked by a small black and white hut supplemented by a number of buoys and must have presented problems to old sailing ships. We approached on a north westerly heading, changed course round a green buoy to go just south of east and then NNE after just 100 metres at a red buoy to make our escape past three more green buoys. All other choices would have brought us onto the rocks.
Without the buoys and with inadequate charts it would have been very frightening to the stranger.
Usually the hut stands surrounded by water. Yesterday, because of prolonged high air pressure, it was surrounded by a flattish rock about 25 metres across. In about 14 years cruising we have not seen this rock shelf before. It usually lurks just under the surface. The high pressure als presented problems at Trosa. We moored in the river but found we had gone aground in the mud and could not get the stern alongside so we are sticking out slightly awry.
Trosa itself is barely awake yet. the harbour office will not be opened till 28th June and few of the normal tourist facilities are yet available. there is a little light drizzle and we are resting, reading and trying to get cught up with our chores. We have found the cheese shop here has much improved and have bought two splendid strong Swedish cheeses for lunch and supper.
Thursday 29 May 2014
Report from Trosa 58N53.35, 17E33.13
I've been asked to include position data so there is the first example in the title. The first bit means North 58 degrees and 53.35 minutes. It is a pain to try to put in the correct diacritical marks.
During the week we continued working on the boat fittin boom, sails, lazy jacks and so on. We rejigged the exhaust system refitting a Vetus waterlock that had leaked badly last year when it lost an "0" ring. We hoped this would quieten the engine down. We did a certain amount of junking stuff we did not need and also dumped tools into the car which we normally use only at fit-out time. We were entertained ( and retaliated ) by David and Patricia from Patricia Elaine which spent the winter in the same Varv as Badger did but in a different hall.We also at long last got our new Myfi system operational
We have been suffering from strong cold northerly winds which make working outside painful and discourage sailing entirely.
However I had a sudden attack of stir craziness this morning. The sun was bright and the weather a little warmer so we upped and left precipitously, leaving the car behind the marina building - so I have to go back and store it properly. Was it worth it? Well probably. We had a somewhat hard motor into the wind for 6 hours with the wet log reading 28 Nmiles which is probablly due to a pronounced S going current set up by the winds. The weather was sunny and reasonably warm but the breeze was persistently strong and is affecting us now in a little S-flowing river at Trosa. The countriside or islandscape was very beautiful with many of thewaterlines painted with a uniform 15 cm. high band which contrasted nicely with the pink granite dark green trees and blue water. The yellow was due to enormous amounts of silver birch pollen. This gets into clumps, sicks to bats, turns brown and is anuisance but as a paint trim it's lovely. There are few boats about even though it is a public holiday ( Ascension Day) and few amenities are open in Trosa. The Marina offices and the smoked fish stall are not operating - the latter to ur great regret.
The motoring day was a considerable success with a much quieter engine sounding happy, good thrust from the impeller and good speed when the wind dropped. When it rose it could reduce our speed to 3.5 kts..
We are having a quiet time till supper which will be Mexicchicken and red wine at home.
During the week we continued working on the boat fittin boom, sails, lazy jacks and so on. We rejigged the exhaust system refitting a Vetus waterlock that had leaked badly last year when it lost an "0" ring. We hoped this would quieten the engine down. We did a certain amount of junking stuff we did not need and also dumped tools into the car which we normally use only at fit-out time. We were entertained ( and retaliated ) by David and Patricia from Patricia Elaine which spent the winter in the same Varv as Badger did but in a different hall.We also at long last got our new Myfi system operational
We have been suffering from strong cold northerly winds which make working outside painful and discourage sailing entirely.
However I had a sudden attack of stir craziness this morning. The sun was bright and the weather a little warmer so we upped and left precipitously, leaving the car behind the marina building - so I have to go back and store it properly. Was it worth it? Well probably. We had a somewhat hard motor into the wind for 6 hours with the wet log reading 28 Nmiles which is probablly due to a pronounced S going current set up by the winds. The weather was sunny and reasonably warm but the breeze was persistently strong and is affecting us now in a little S-flowing river at Trosa. The countriside or islandscape was very beautiful with many of thewaterlines painted with a uniform 15 cm. high band which contrasted nicely with the pink granite dark green trees and blue water. The yellow was due to enormous amounts of silver birch pollen. This gets into clumps, sicks to bats, turns brown and is anuisance but as a paint trim it's lovely. There are few boats about even though it is a public holiday ( Ascension Day) and few amenities are open in Trosa. The Marina offices and the smoked fish stall are not operating - the latter to ur great regret.
The motoring day was a considerable success with a much quieter engine sounding happy, good thrust from the impeller and good speed when the wind dropped. When it rose it could reduce our speed to 3.5 kts..
We are having a quiet time till supper which will be Mexicchicken and red wine at home.
Saturday 24 May 2014
Living on the Water - at last.
Badger was launched on Friday at 9:30 am as arranged and the mast installed immediately afterwards. Jet and Totta, who do this work, appear to amble about slowly but suddenly the work is done. We turned the boat by hand to face the breeze as going backwards under control is not Badger's forte and st off on my solo voyage of the year - one kilometre to the marina. The repitched propellor seemed to be working well and we berthed in time to go to lunch. We invited old friends David and Carol of Skimmer to join us and they were joined by Burt and Lidi, a Dutch couple who enjoyed with us Lunch at the Catering college and a lot of conversation. We had to convert to the waterborne existence, meeting harbourmaster Mikke and exchanging news, but also stocking up with food and stowing more of our gear on board and removing unwanted kit to the car. We also "tuned" the mast, tightening the rigging and setting the mast upright. We had an early supper at Tres Tapas and then an early bed.
This morning we fitted on boom and mainsail
, found and raised the ensiegn, courtesy flag and club ensiegns, fed the deck wiring through to the inside of the boat, did fureter organising and stowing and fell asleep in the afternoon . In general we are getting ready but not able to depart yet whiile the Dutch couple and Skimmer made off this morning leaving us alone again.
This morning we fitted on boom and mainsail
, found and raised the ensiegn, courtesy flag and club ensiegns, fed the deck wiring through to the inside of the boat, did fureter organising and stowing and fell asleep in the afternoon . In general we are getting ready but not able to depart yet whiile the Dutch couple and Skimmer made off this morning leaving us alone again.
Thursday 22 May 2014
The Onshore work is done
Badger is now ready for launch at 0930 tomorrow. I just have to put the tricolour and aerial on the mast. We've tested the engine - it works. We've AF ed a couple of patches on the hull and ad a healthy salad lunch. The alternative was korv Stroganoff where the korv is a sort of pink spam. Starnholm is full of Christians, some of whom made a racket at midnight possibly drunk and certainly merry. We will be sleeping on the boat tomorrow and putting on boom sails etc.
Wednesday 21 May 2014
A Good Day for Weather and work
.
We began with a pleasant breakfast at Stiftsgarden with
meusli and fil followed by bacon and egg with a little herring as a side dish.
Kristin was coughing badly at breakfast but is sufficiently
improved to have washed the boat and removed stains from the whole above water
hull. ~We then tried to apply a waterline stripe but failed utterly to get it
to stick down smoothly in the place we wanted it to be. The result was
frustration and we abandoned the idea.
In the mean time I’d been working on the under kitchen
Blakes seacock which had stuck. It’s almost impossible to get at the locknuts
keeping the securing bolts tight but I did get there in a very uncomfortable
position and a curse or two.
I then sampled the fuel tank finding a little water and some
rather cloudy fuel at the bottom but less than half a litre so I’ll just add
more anti bug treatment. The prefilter looks fine. The use of FAME in diesel
fuel makes this problem endemic nowadays. Another routine job was to change the gearbox
lubricant which would have been easier with the boat upside down. I’m no longer
happy to work doubled up. There’s too much of me in the way.
I did more work on the mast and had a tug at the aerial lead
wire finding it surprisingly easy to move. Now the yard had damaged the aerial
making it pretty ineffective a year ago so I needed to fit a new aerial but had
been frightened of the risks of changing the aerial lead up the mast. It is
very easy to break the cable or the auxiliary string.
Anyway, finding the lead movable I cut the old lead off at
the base of the mast, spliced it to a piece of thin cordage and pulled the old
cable out of the top of the mast followed by all the spare cordage as Alan
Burwin had once told me so as to have a remedy later in case of accident. I
then attached the new aerial lead to the cordage and started pulling it down
the mast. This proved difficult. The problem was excessive friction at the top
of the mast caused by bending the new lead on entry. It proved beneficial to
prefeed the new cable in through the hole at the top of the mast. Even so it
was hard work and became impossible when I started to pull the old cable back
down the mast with the new one. The extra cordage length was insufficient. I
cut off the cordage and resumed pulling only to find the new lead was fouled on
other cables inside the mast at the exit hole. I managed to clear this by the
high tech method of prodding with a pair of scissors and the aerial lead then
emerged. We then had to push and feed the next 15 metres of cable through the
mast to get the full length needed to reach the VHF radio. We were very
relieved to get that far. In addition Totta has accepted my plea for a later
launch on Friday so we can have breakfast at the hotel and leave in time to
attend the launch at 9:30 a.m.
We are having a rest now and then going out for
more Suchi for supper.
Tuesday 20 May 2014
More work on Badger
Progress a bit slow today as Kristin unable to do much. The antibiotics are beginning to work and she is coughing less. I've finished installing the liferaft cradle and it seems firmly fixed - which is distinctly important! I've also checked and reset the raw water pump impeller and checked over the seacocks. One really needs re-greasing. Jet and Totta have got the mast out and I've started preparing it for repacing on the boat on Friday. We went to lunch at the Pud School as usual but were waylaid by Anka, one of the teachers there, and invited to a full service two course lunch which was an examination for the students concerned - quite a compliment really and we were very scruffy from boat work. The food was good - rather nice mango drink with crushed ice then flat fish with wine sauce and asparagus ( all good) and carrot puree ( rather over spiced and almost too runny to eat with a fork. This was followed by rhubarb pie ( too sweet with marshmallow foam on top) or rhubarb icecream with crunchy biscuit and strwberry coule ( all good). Time is running out for work on shore before launch.
Monday 19 May 2014
Work has started on Badger
Breakfast at the Slott was good with meusli and sour milk ( fil) - we do miss it at home. We spent much of the time getting kit from the car into Badger. Since Badger's deck is about 3 metres above he ground this requires climbing and hauling on ropes. Once the kit is on board it has to be stowed by Kristin who is feeling pretty grotty and has got Bronchitis. We went to the "Vard Centrale" and Kristin got to see a doctor and was prescribed antibiotics. We almost missed our lunch at the Pud School but managed to get some salad and greetings from old friends among the staff on the lines of "It must be summer". In fact is was raining but warm and muggy. We were also greetecd by the yard crew of Jet and Totta.
Ive adjsted the pitch on the propellor, removed the old life raft cradle and started installing the new one and also fitted the new Rocna anchor. We quit around 5.30 pm. and found our way to Kohiro for suchi. IT was even better than we remembered it and we were thoroughly welcomed by the owner and his wife and given free coffee and a sweet.
We are now back in the slott and resting ready for more work tomorrow. The launch is to be at 7.00 on Friday so we have just 3 days work left - its a bit daunting.
Ive adjsted the pitch on the propellor, removed the old life raft cradle and started installing the new one and also fitted the new Rocna anchor. We quit around 5.30 pm. and found our way to Kohiro for suchi. IT was even better than we remembered it and we were thoroughly welcomed by the owner and his wife and given free coffee and a sweet.
We are now back in the slott and resting ready for more work tomorrow. The launch is to be at 7.00 on Friday so we have just 3 days work left - its a bit daunting.
Sunday 18 May 2014
Arrived Nykoping
From Oyten we had an easy run to Lubeck, even the Hamburg ring was innocuous although there was a little sting in the tail with 3 lanes going down to 2 where a sort of tent hanging from an overhead bridge on the closed lane. There were sounds of drilling - very mysterious. This happened twice.
Finding our hotel Alte Stadtmauer requires us to defeat the Tomtom and remember what we did a year ago. We made it with only one small loop round but had to park in the only possible spot - the middle of the road to unload kit and get the key to the carpark. By the time Ireturned a large lorry was just behind!
Once sorted, Kristin wnet to bed with her cold while I had a wander. We lunched in an upsteirs cafe by the Townhall - very romantic and with great ceilings. After that the pattern repeated and I renewed acquaintance. One novelty I enjoyed was seeing a man with bright yellow elbow crutches which were fitted with red reflectors - a good safety aid.
We followed Amanda's advice for a light supper by going to a somewhat scruffy Italian restaurant halfway up one of the city's defensive round towers. The decor seemed to be from a battered night club but the mixed antipasti and the pizzas were excellent as was the wine.
On the Saturday we moved out of Lubeck to Travemunde but found it very crowded, sunny and not very interesting so moved off the Timmendorfer Strand which was terrible for the car borne. We ended up at a bird zoo in a swamp which gave very pleasant entertainment. I had planned to Take Kristin to Buddenbrooks as a prebirthday treat but she wasnt fit enough for the struggle so we suppered fwirly simply and then had a very long wait till sailing time at 0030 on Sunday. I was ver relieved to find it was possible to get to a looo in Travemunde Scaninavienkai as otherwise the wait might have been painful. The port deals mainly with freight lorrise and we were packed in with them slowly so it was midnight before we got to bed.
Monday
We got off the boat a little before 10 am - it is interesting to see enormous lorries steering down very tight holes but also anxiety inducing.
The three hundred mile journey to Nykoping was tiring and boring but not difficult with both Kristin and Itaking hourly stints at the wheel.
We are at Stjarnholm Slott till Friday morning when the boat will be launched. The slott is a stately home run in part as a hotel or more a B&B with extensive grounds, a sculpture park etc. We have a room in the attic with a two metre high porclain stove in one corner.
Finding our hotel Alte Stadtmauer requires us to defeat the Tomtom and remember what we did a year ago. We made it with only one small loop round but had to park in the only possible spot - the middle of the road to unload kit and get the key to the carpark. By the time Ireturned a large lorry was just behind!
Once sorted, Kristin wnet to bed with her cold while I had a wander. We lunched in an upsteirs cafe by the Townhall - very romantic and with great ceilings. After that the pattern repeated and I renewed acquaintance. One novelty I enjoyed was seeing a man with bright yellow elbow crutches which were fitted with red reflectors - a good safety aid.
We followed Amanda's advice for a light supper by going to a somewhat scruffy Italian restaurant halfway up one of the city's defensive round towers. The decor seemed to be from a battered night club but the mixed antipasti and the pizzas were excellent as was the wine.
On the Saturday we moved out of Lubeck to Travemunde but found it very crowded, sunny and not very interesting so moved off the Timmendorfer Strand which was terrible for the car borne. We ended up at a bird zoo in a swamp which gave very pleasant entertainment. I had planned to Take Kristin to Buddenbrooks as a prebirthday treat but she wasnt fit enough for the struggle so we suppered fwirly simply and then had a very long wait till sailing time at 0030 on Sunday. I was ver relieved to find it was possible to get to a looo in Travemunde Scaninavienkai as otherwise the wait might have been painful. The port deals mainly with freight lorrise and we were packed in with them slowly so it was midnight before we got to bed.
Monday
We got off the boat a little before 10 am - it is interesting to see enormous lorries steering down very tight holes but also anxiety inducing.
The three hundred mile journey to Nykoping was tiring and boring but not difficult with both Kristin and Itaking hourly stints at the wheel.
We are at Stjarnholm Slott till Friday morning when the boat will be launched. The slott is a stately home run in part as a hotel or more a B&B with extensive grounds, a sculpture park etc. We have a room in the attic with a two metre high porclain stove in one corner.
Thursday 15 May 2014
Thursday 15th May at Oyten
Hazards for the pedestrian in Amsterdam
We found ourselves continually at risk in Amsterdam while on the street. The typical Amsterdam road is complex. It may have two tram tracks down the middle - the nearer one has trams going to the right. Outside the tram tracks on either side is a single lane for ordinary vehicles - but taxis, police cars and the like also use the tram tracks. Outside the road lane is a cycle track on each side which may have cyclists going either way. Outside these are the pavements, also used by cyclists but mainly used as dumping grounds for household rubbish, gardens and, above all, bicycles in their thousands. The only reasonable place to walk is on the cycle path where you get shouted at. In canal streets where the canal replaces the tram life is littlle more complicated as any car that cannot get down the street the right way, reverses back the wrong way at considerable speed so that it is not trapped. Here the pavement is further obstructed by house entry steps, tables and chairs, the occasional sofa and advertising stands. The speed hump smake for an extra trip-hazard and of course the cyclist in either direction is probably texting with one hand at least. Cyclists also cut corners at intersections using the pavements and weaving between the poor pedestrians.
Luckily it is possible to buy Belgian beer to reduce the pain and fear to reasonable proportions.
On the road Again
We left Amsterdam early today to drive to Oyten near Bremen, a matter of 230 miles. The Amsterdam rush hour was perfectly reasonable and the Dutch motorways quitr OK but, as always the German A1 was being reconstructed and down from 3 lanes to one in two places with tail backs of about 6 kilometres -very slow and stressful. We arrived in Oyten to found our little hotel had lost our booing but had a room for us anyway and a pleasant one at that. So we have settled down each with a rather boring Becks beer to snooze till supper. The weather has improved and it is sunny outside to our considerable pleasure.
We found ourselves continually at risk in Amsterdam while on the street. The typical Amsterdam road is complex. It may have two tram tracks down the middle - the nearer one has trams going to the right. Outside the tram tracks on either side is a single lane for ordinary vehicles - but taxis, police cars and the like also use the tram tracks. Outside the road lane is a cycle track on each side which may have cyclists going either way. Outside these are the pavements, also used by cyclists but mainly used as dumping grounds for household rubbish, gardens and, above all, bicycles in their thousands. The only reasonable place to walk is on the cycle path where you get shouted at. In canal streets where the canal replaces the tram life is littlle more complicated as any car that cannot get down the street the right way, reverses back the wrong way at considerable speed so that it is not trapped. Here the pavement is further obstructed by house entry steps, tables and chairs, the occasional sofa and advertising stands. The speed hump smake for an extra trip-hazard and of course the cyclist in either direction is probably texting with one hand at least. Cyclists also cut corners at intersections using the pavements and weaving between the poor pedestrians.
Luckily it is possible to buy Belgian beer to reduce the pain and fear to reasonable proportions.
On the road Again
We left Amsterdam early today to drive to Oyten near Bremen, a matter of 230 miles. The Amsterdam rush hour was perfectly reasonable and the Dutch motorways quitr OK but, as always the German A1 was being reconstructed and down from 3 lanes to one in two places with tail backs of about 6 kilometres -very slow and stressful. We arrived in Oyten to found our little hotel had lost our booing but had a room for us anyway and a pleasant one at that. So we have settled down each with a rather boring Becks beer to snooze till supper. The weather has improved and it is sunny outside to our considerable pleasure.
Wednesday 14 May 2014
Amsterdam 14th May
Kristin has pointed out that we found many more Van Goch paintings on show at Kroller Muller Museum than we had ever seen before and she had been told many of the paintings had recently been "returned" to KM. This might explain our previous memory of many Van Goch paintings in the Van Goch museum on our 1976 visit and disappointment this May. Certainly the KM has many more of the spectacular late period paintings than the Van Goch museum has on show. It is of course possible that many more of the Van Goch museum's paintings are undergoing restoration or are visiting other shows. At present the Van Goch museum is fairly poor value.
The Van Goch museum has a large building site beside it with a new entrance building under construction with a large hole beside it. I have no idea why it should need a new entrance building unless it means to provide under-cover queuing.
On the building sites is a large vertical cylinder about 10 metres by 1.5 metres. From a pipe at the top issues a large amount of fog all the time. An official said this was nitrogen so my guess is that the ground round the hole ( which is mostly under water is) being frozen with liquid nitrogen to stabilise the hole. Martin might like to comment on this. I also have a feeling that soil frozen like this goes to a horrible mush once thawed.
Kristin stayed in the hotel today feeling weak and with a sore throat while I went out to walk beside the canals one last time. The canals are lovely but the main shopping area of the Damrak is simply cheap, international and nasty. At lunch time she was noticeably improved.
We have at last sussed the tram system which is efficient and with frequent services - however it does change somewhere every day so you have to use it all the time or get lost.
The Van Goch museum has a large building site beside it with a new entrance building under construction with a large hole beside it. I have no idea why it should need a new entrance building unless it means to provide under-cover queuing.
On the building sites is a large vertical cylinder about 10 metres by 1.5 metres. From a pipe at the top issues a large amount of fog all the time. An official said this was nitrogen so my guess is that the ground round the hole ( which is mostly under water is) being frozen with liquid nitrogen to stabilise the hole. Martin might like to comment on this. I also have a feeling that soil frozen like this goes to a horrible mush once thawed.
Kristin stayed in the hotel today feeling weak and with a sore throat while I went out to walk beside the canals one last time. The canals are lovely but the main shopping area of the Damrak is simply cheap, international and nasty. At lunch time she was noticeably improved.
We have at last sussed the tram system which is efficient and with frequent services - however it does change somewhere every day so you have to use it all the time or get lost.
Tuesday 13 May 2014
Amsterdam 13th May
Early to Van Goch Museum for entry at 0900. Distinctly unfriendly staff outside keeping the mob at bay. They have an elaborate system of tapes and stands they put away each evening and out in the morning. Presumably it would be stolen if left out overnight..
Once in and, we were first to the pictures, it was a little disappointing. The exhibition was didactic with comparisons with other paintings and emphasis on early works, all very worthy. However there were very few of the great paintings. The Kroller Muller Museum is much better. In 1976 we visited the predecessor to this museum and I think saw more Van Goch paintings. Kristin remembers seeing and enjoying many drawings. These are now considered too fragile to exhibit. I did see one superb sea painting whic I will put on display when I can. This was certainly painted on site as there are traces of sand in the paint surface. Beside it there was a better known painting of fishing boats drawn up on the beach. This was painted in the studio and is lifeless in comparison with the other. We were done with the gallery after about an hour and looking for something else to do.
We walked north and explored some of the southern canal belt, had a light lunch and looked at the great houses on the "golden bend". These are now offices etc. and sterile, while the smaller less glamourous houses on other canals have much more life and interest. We walked north and much enjoyed the Beguinage with the protestant church stripped from the beguines by the anticatholic movement in Holland. Then on to Dam Square and tried to look ad the Oudkirke but resented the idea of paying for the privilege of entering it and so went home for the afternoon by tram.
Once in and, we were first to the pictures, it was a little disappointing. The exhibition was didactic with comparisons with other paintings and emphasis on early works, all very worthy. However there were very few of the great paintings. The Kroller Muller Museum is much better. In 1976 we visited the predecessor to this museum and I think saw more Van Goch paintings. Kristin remembers seeing and enjoying many drawings. These are now considered too fragile to exhibit. I did see one superb sea painting whic I will put on display when I can. This was certainly painted on site as there are traces of sand in the paint surface. Beside it there was a better known painting of fishing boats drawn up on the beach. This was painted in the studio and is lifeless in comparison with the other. We were done with the gallery after about an hour and looking for something else to do.
We walked north and explored some of the southern canal belt, had a light lunch and looked at the great houses on the "golden bend". These are now offices etc. and sterile, while the smaller less glamourous houses on other canals have much more life and interest. We walked north and much enjoyed the Beguinage with the protestant church stripped from the beguines by the anticatholic movement in Holland. Then on to Dam Square and tried to look ad the Oudkirke but resented the idea of paying for the privilege of entering it and so went home for the afternoon by tram.
Monday 12 May 2014
Amsterdam Monday 12th May
We .did indeed go out into the rain last night looking for food in Jordaan. This area has relly appealed to us even in bad weather and we ate well in "Cuisine Flamande" before getting back to the hotel and eventually figuring out how to buy and print out tickets for the Rijksmuseum. Armed with these we went by tram to said museum and had only a small queue to worry about for the 9am opening. The place is a nightmare for lack of informative signs including emergency exits, it's difficult to find cloakroom toilets and cafe. Thecafe itself has a very limited menu and is far too small. However there is a god free map available and we had the onour gallery very uncrowded for a while though the Nightwatch gallery filled up immediately. We liked the hanging scheme with lots of Nightwatches close together. Rembendts is much the best painting but some of the sitters might have felt agrieved. It also has a faint air of smoke and flames suggesting the people might actually get out and fight.The main 1600-1650 gallery floor is wonderful with so many great pictures. The 1700-1900 floor less so but still worthwhile. We were there for 3 2/3 hours including light lunch.After lunch we returned to the main floor to see the Vermeers we had missed before. There was at least one I have not seen before but the experience was unhappy. We were full already with pictures and the crowds made it difficult to see any of them clearly. Fairly exhausted we went back to the hotel to snooze though I made a side trip to survey a LIDL - not very different from the UK.
We returned to the Jordaan for a Thai meal - very good cooking and had again slight trouble with the return tram. The authorities are digging up track under the running trams and so access is difficult and temporary stops frankly dangerous on a half metre wide strip of raised concrete between cars and bicycles - both rabid.
However we made it home with tickets for Van Goch at 9am tomorrow.
We returned to the Jordaan for a Thai meal - very good cooking and had again slight trouble with the return tram. The authorities are digging up track under the running trams and so access is difficult and temporary stops frankly dangerous on a half metre wide strip of raised concrete between cars and bicycles - both rabid.
However we made it home with tickets for Van Goch at 9am tomorrow.
Sunday 11 May 2014
Amsterdam Report
We left home on 9th May in high winds and made a relatively easy run to Dover. Even the M25 was flowing well though there were idiots aplenty. I had great anxieties over the fridge which does not work in the car unless the engine is running - very clever people Mercedes. By the time we got to Veurne almost 30 miles driving) we were pretty tired. The ferry had been OK and did not have trouble with the weather c. force 7 with long streaks down the waves but no small boats were to be seen. The Old House was lovely so we quickly went out for a beer and to consider options for supper. The sun was shining but the wind was very strong. We opted for Oogappell and Kristin had langoustines and then lobster while I had fish soup (inferior to Sonja's) and tournedos rossini. We went to bed happy and got up next day to wind and much rain. The breakfast was good - smoked salmon and scrambled eggs but then we had to get on the road to Amsterdam. The Belgian Mway was murderous, heavy traffic and much standing water mainly due to wear with long waterfilled grooves in the road. When we hit one of these the car tried to slew round. In addition passing lorries was actively dangerous as the spray thrown up was almost opaque. Even worse was on car/caravan combination that behaved like an upsidedown waterfall - presumably emptying both longtitudinal grooves.
Dutc Mways were much better with less standing water and fewer lorries. Again we got to our hotel (Golden Tulip west) exhausted.
We had a snack lunch in the hotel bar, good food but slow service and very noisy Dutch group nearby. We rested till 5 pm. and went off by trqam to the Jordaan finding our supper at a Basque restaurant with pinchos, razor shell clams and tuna and duck liver brochettes - all very nice. Our homeward tram journey led us astray because of a route diversion but we were helped by a very nice local and got home eventually.
12th May today we set off initially to get a tram (not running) then by taxi and passed a hi lift lorry repairing the overhead cable so the lack of tram was explained. We were late at the VanGoch museum so abandoned it for theModern Art Museum with several good exhibitions plus lots of early 20th C art. We returned tired in the tram and continuing wind and rain expecting to sally forth again to the Jordaan which is a lovely neighbourhood.
Dutc Mways were much better with less standing water and fewer lorries. Again we got to our hotel (Golden Tulip west) exhausted.
We had a snack lunch in the hotel bar, good food but slow service and very noisy Dutch group nearby. We rested till 5 pm. and went off by trqam to the Jordaan finding our supper at a Basque restaurant with pinchos, razor shell clams and tuna and duck liver brochettes - all very nice. Our homeward tram journey led us astray because of a route diversion but we were helped by a very nice local and got home eventually.
12th May today we set off initially to get a tram (not running) then by taxi and passed a hi lift lorry repairing the overhead cable so the lack of tram was explained. We were late at the VanGoch museum so abandoned it for theModern Art Museum with several good exhibitions plus lots of early 20th C art. We returned tired in the tram and continuing wind and rain expecting to sally forth again to the Jordaan which is a lovely neighbourhood.
Monday 5 May 2014
Packing
We are at home, cleaning the house and packing the car. The car, a Mercedes B200, is new to us and we are continuing to find new places to store small items. A long thin aerial is hidden in the bodywork in front of the starboard rear light for example. However even with this help the car will be very full because we are transporting a new liferaft to Sweden. The old raft had been poorly serviced and could have killed us in four different ways if we had used it. It looks like no Belgian beer supplies this year - sob.Once in Nykoping, there is a long list of work awaiting us:- service seacocks and other routine tasks, fit new aerial, rejig exhaust system, modify weather station, reduce pitch of propellor ( all of five minutes for the last item).
Once launched there is a second programme, tune mast, fit boom, sails lazy jacks, get provisions and so on before we can get off to Stockholm for the Early Music Festival starting 4th June.
On the way we are stopping in Amsterdam for five nights to visit Art Galleries. Ironically our choice of hotel is governed by car-parking charges. In central Amsterdam its 60 - 80 Euros/night. On the outskirts a more moderate 15.
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