Tues 20th - Thurs 22nd August - Sandhamn

We had a pleasant sail through the islands to the famous resort of Sandhamn on the island of Sandön (Sand Island).  It has been a sailing centre since the 19^th century and is the Swedish equivalent of Cowes.  The approach is through the narrow channel on the left between the sheer rock and the red stick buoy …

We arrived in the late afternoon and easily found a berth in the marina as it’s now the low season here …

We then had a chance meeting on the pontoon with Anne, Brian, Adrian and Maeve and discovered a mutual acquaintance (PB from the Royal St George Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire).  This led to a few bottles being consumed and great fun swapping Irish stories!

This was the sunset over The Royal Swedish Yacht Club …

The next day was absolutely perfect weather – this is the Royal Swedish Yacht Club by day …

I went for a lovely early morning swim, then sunbathed on these rocks …

The heather seems to grow quite profusely, apparently rooted in nothing but rock …

Here are our Irish friends leaving port on board Oisin Ban …

I went for a cycle ride to the other side of the island, past this quaint little cabin with a grass roof …

… and some rather grander houses with fabulous sea views …

… to a proper beach – with sand rather than rocks.  I swam from this quite sheltered beach …

In the next bay there were also a few hardy souls in the water, but there was quite a fresh wind – it was one of those days when it was warmer in than out!

I cycled back via the town, meandering through the narrow streets with their typical Swedish wooden houses, both large and small.  This one looked as if it only had one room …

The next day we stocked up on delicious bread and cakes from the (very expensive) local bakery – £17 for one loaf of bread and 4 small cakes!

… and had a walk to another lovely beach before setting sail.

Sat 17th August onwards - An 'Indian Summer' in Sweden

What an amazing ‘Indian Summer’ we’ve had during the last couple of weeks of August – it’s been such a lovely and unexpected finale to our trip!  We’ve spent the final 2 weeks cruising around the Stockholm Archipelago, an amazing sailing area of 30,000 islands, islets and rocks!

Sat 17^th– Mon 19^th – Nynäshamn to Gålön and Kymmendö

We sailed from Nynäshamn on a greyish afternoon, goose-winging through the islands …

The cloud as the sun went down was quite beautiful, and gave the impression of snow-covered mountains in the distance …

After some hunting around and with darkness approaching rather too quickly, we found an anchorage in a bay off Gålön, tucked behind the Appelviksud headland, and watched another spectacular sunset – this time the clouds look quite smoky, like a distant forest fire …

Pulling the anchor up the next morning was hard work – and this is why!  You can just see the point of the anchor peeping through the weed.  It needed some effort to get rid of that lot, using a boat hook and hands, and took ages to hose down the decks with clean sea water.

Eventually we were off!  We motored close to Dalarö Skans, an island with a fortress, where Charles spent a fortnight when he was a 16-year-old sea cadet …

… past a typical small settlement of red and white houses …

… and into a little bay on Kymmendö, an island off the larger island of Ornö, where we tied up to a rock, Swedish style …

The next morning was even brighter and sunnier, perfect for a long swim round the bay, and warm enough to put the bimini up …

Then we walked across to the other side of the island, through trees …

… and over rocks, lichen and moss …

… following signs to Strindberg’s writing cabin …

It certainly is a fairly basic cabin, more correctly an 8’ x 6’ shed!

… but it has got an inspiring view …

It’s so quiet here, only rocks, water and trees – the sea is incredibly calm, like a millpond …

Everyone seems to have gone back to work and we’re the only boat here …

Thurs 8th - Fri 16th August - To the UK and back - again!

We went back to the UK for Jamie and Lola’s wedding on a lovely summer’s day at Stansted House …

Here is 'the gang’ of local friends with the newlyweds …

We then spent a couple of days driving the car back to Sweden so we can pack up the boat.  We stopped in Münster in Germany with its attractive old town …

… impressive Cathedral …

… and busy market …

… and at Helsingborg in Sweden, where we had dinner in this surprisingly authentic French restaurant …

… and the following morning a bracing walk up to the fortress tower…

… and a good view of the town, with Denmark beyond …

We then spent 5 hours driving through Sweden, with very little other traffic, seeing hardly anything but trees, mainly pine trees …

… and the occasional lake …

… arriving back in Nynäshamn as the sun was going down …

Astraia was looking nice and safe in her berth tied up to a stern buoy …

The following day, after a cycle ride to this lovely little bathing area in Nynäshamn, where the water temperature was 22°C (positively balmy!) …

… we took the train into Stockholm …

… wandered around Gamla Stan, the old town …

… enjoyed the view over the city …

… and met Allie and Mona for a delicious dinner at Esperia, a Swedish/Greek restaurant on Södermalm …

Wed 7th August - A Day in the Archipelago

What a wonderful day for the last day of our holiday with all the family here!  It dawned a bit grey and drizzly, but we set off from Nynäshamn anyway …

… for one of the islands in the archipelago – Ängsholmen, off Rånö.  By the time we got there, the skies were clearing and the sun beginning to peep through.  As my Granny would have said – there was enough blue sky ‘to make a pair of sailor’s trousers’!  A good sign.

We identified a rock which looked like it went steeply into the water so we could get our bow close.  Gar made a death-defying leap ashore!  Caroline followed and hammered pietons into crevices in the rock for us to tie the bow ropes to …

Meanwhile, Charles let out the stern anchor (which we never use in UK – we only have one at the bow) to hold the back of the boat steady …

Once we were safely tied up, we attached the bow ladder so we could all go ashore (without making a death-defying leap!)

Somehow we had found a perfect spot …

Perfect for walks round the island with all its lovely trees, mosses and lichens …

Perfect to sit and chat and look at the view …

Here’s another nice view …

… and another one – it’s all so empty and unspoilt …

Here you can see the ropes at the bow attached to the rock with pietons, and the anchor line going out at the stern.  This is the normal way to moor in the archipelago where there are many rocks and islands going steeply into the sea …

The weather got better and better – and it was a perfect place for jumping in from the boat …

… and swimming to some nearby rocks …

… a perfect day for lunch in the cockpit …

… and reading and sunbathing on the rocks …

Finally, we had a perfect wind to sail back to Nynäshamn …