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.