Exercise Viking 2018 and a Milk Crisis
We set off early for the Baltic ( early in Baltic time is 0730) and no sooner were we out of the busy harbour all 3 sails were set and with a light north easterly wind we were managing to cruise along at 8 knots. It was the perfect weather for a long passage – calm seas, 12-15 knots of wind from just forward of the beam and blue skies -topped off with bacon butties – it was perfect sailing.
We saw the Swedish Navy in stealth mode as we have been sailing in the middle of their big Exercise Viking 2018. About 4pm we dropped anchor in a delightful bay of Stora Alo.
After breakfast we went for a walk around Island. We tied up the dinghy to a rock and went to investigate the red wooden information hut which even had a library inside. The small island is a nature reserve and still has a working farm with animals – which allows you to see how farms would have been in the archipelago in former times.
Back on board we upped anchor and had the sails up straight away for another cracking sail through rocks, well till the wind died. 
At one point we were shadowed by a minesweeper that was about 200m astern of us and it shadowed our every move and maintained our speed for about 30 mins….. it felt like a slow motion car chase at 5 knots. We then lost them by turning down the equivalent of a pedestrian alley that led to the entrance to our anchorage which was about 10 m wide and 2.9m deep ( we are 4m wide and 1.9m deep). Once into Kupa Klint it deepened and we were nicely sheltered by the 30m cliff ( tall for here) that bounded the anchorage on one side, the other side being a series of small skerries. The anchorage was very still and you could hear and see the fish jumping all around. As evening fell the wind died completely in the distant archipelago and it was as if the islands were sitting on a mirror. With the sun setting the rocks glow pink and it is what makes evenings so special here.
Our normal morning routine of a cup of tea in bed didn’t go well. We had managed to buy a white liquid that wasn’t milk – but turned our tea into the French dish of Isles Flotant – with white blobby bits floating on the surface. So out came the emergency marvel powder. But as avid tea drinkers you can only cope with that for so long. So our planned anchorage was scrapped in favour of a place with a shop that was to be Arkosund. There was more wind today which built as the day progressed so we had a somewhat lively sail. 8.5 knots into a deep narrow gap between rocks was a bit too exciting and so we took the opportunity to reef ( make the sail smaller) the yankee (sail at the front) as soon as we were in the lee of an island. Arriving at Arkosund there was a strong cross wind so we had fun tying up and finally the milk crisis was over and calm was restored on Carra.
With an even stronger wind the next day in the direction we 
wanted to go, it meant that we had decided to stay put for the day. Giving me the chance to try and resolve a problem we had with the heads ( the toilet). So I spent much of the day with marigolds on fixing the pump. Having replaced the valve gasket, I reassembled the pump and performed the banana test. A simulation test – which it passed but the proof is in the pudding or the aftermath of the pudding!
nvited back to Max and Lynnie and had a lovely evening.
We visited the little harbour of Lickersam and saw the Maiden raukar, tall imposing limestone stacks rising from the sea. At the top of the island we took a small car ferry to Faro a small off the north coast. It had a much more open landscape with incredibly neat stone walls and windmills.
We took the coast rod
e back and came across some old fishing huts standing in complete isolation on a beaches miles from any habitation.
around. There is a real trust based culture here which is lovely. After supper we headed south to see the sunset over the beach at Tofta.
We had a lively sail to Figeholm particularly going down wind through a narrow and shallow gap – despite putting most of the sail away we doing 5.5 knots through the gap…… sigh of relief when through. We sailed most of the way til we came to a Nuclear power station and the rocky passages got a bit more tricky. We have sailed here for 3 years now but this was the narrowest rocky passage we have done – it was about an hour of intricate turns mostly marked with red and green posts but at one point the gap between the red and green was only about 7-8m….and we are 4m. But the time we got to “Figeholm’s narrow winding entrance” described in the pilot book it felt like a motorway. By the time we arrive I felt I had earnt my beer!
Figeholm was an immaculate little village with a gasthamn that is run by villagers – who couldn’t do enough for you. The place oozed pride and everything was very well tended. On the Saturday morning there was a works party, flowers were planted, grass cut – none of which needed doing as it was already looking good. Beautiful old wooden building lined the small inlet. We decided to stop here for a second night as it was just such a lovely place.
9th – 17th May – I had been keen to visit Trosa – but with a channel that was too shallow for us and the only anchorage being in the wrong direction, we needed to go bus. A beautiful wooden vil
lage that is built around a fast flowing river.
us time to explore the island. We set off and we were quite content tacking at a leisurely pace to the harbour till Mags spotted that it had about 10 masts in there already – so rather than tack again and take another hour to arrive it was engine on to grab a spot. Which we thankfully managed to get the 3rd last space at 1pm! Despite the rest of the archipelago being empty – Oja was clearly a top destination but given that it was a bank holiday and stunning weather we shouldn’t have surprised. We were able to hire a bike for Jo and cycled the 3.5km south to the village centre through woods that were carpeted with white wood anemones as far as the eye could see. A typical quaint village full of red houses built around the rocks – which still has 20 permanent residents. We cycled up to the Landsort Lighthouse and then back to a café and rewarded ourselves after an arduous passage (not) a beer overlooking the village.
fter lunch so that we can eat it in the peace and quiet. The wind then filled in and we were able to have a cracking sail tacking amongst the rock till we couldn’t quite make it safely past one rock under sail. But by that point we were so close to Arkosund we were going to motor soon anyway. The harbour was empty so we were just getting ready to come alongside when Jo decided to try walking on air only she thought it was solid and fell badly twisting her ankle painfully. So we headed back out to sea. Got the ice pack out of the fridge and had her ankle elevated as Mags and I brought the boat in. Safely tied up we considered amputation but decided it would make too much mess – so applied more ice till Jo was squeaking that it was too cold. Judging by the swelling it was definitely sprained. I strapped it up – later refined my technique with the help of YouTube! She decided a shower was medicinal and so hobbled to the showers.
near the spot that we had anchored there were submerged rocks that are now marked but weren’t before – one of which we had found on leaving so it rather put me off getting to close in. Also the harbour was more exposed than I wanted to that wind direction. So we motored to a much more sheltered harbour with a rather skinny entrance and found a lovely spot.
unity – yes I am afraid another sleeply village but this one was still to wake from its winter slumber.
hooks to small little crevices to tie the ropes to.
wimming was rejected by the mutinous crew. But having 3 onboard makes such a difference and we got Mags off the rocks with plan A and we were soon on our way to Vastervik. We attempted to sail but there really was no wind and so we had a long old motor. We arrived at the Gasthamn and were met by a friendly harbour master – a first this season. Another first was that the facilitiess included a swimming pool but as it wasn’t heated yet – there was no chance of me getting in. Once showered we had a wander round town sussing out where the bus stop was. Jo by this stage was hobbling less but the bruising was beginning to come out.
ankee (the big front sail) was unfurled and we wafted gently away from the Marina. We managed to sail for an hour before needing to motor as we were going directly into the wind plus we had a date with some bridges. Our destination was an inland fresh water lake which is accessed through a canal through the centre of Stockholm but it is crossed by 3 bridges and a lock that need to open to allow us passage through. With the last bridge opening at 15:30, it meant that we had to be at the first bridge at 14:30. We arrived 30 mins early which afforded us enough time to take a spin around Gamla Stad (Old town) which is the heart of Stockholm. This is the first of our 6 Baltic Capitals that we will be visiting on our cruise. Soon we were into the canal system – passing through a city in Carra was a slightly surreal experience. Busy central city life seems at odd with being on a boat. Once through the lock we were into Lake Malaren – which is Sweden’s third largest lake spanning 120km from east to west and the reaches 64m depth in some places.
odd commercial vessel we were the only people out cruising. We arrived at our next anchorage about 30 mins too late as the rain had started. Our anchorage for the night was a sheltered bay is over looked by the Baroque Malsakers Castle. It was still shut for the winter – which is common here until June.
tles. We were met on the quay by a former work colleague of mine Heribert and his 20 month old son Gabriel. We tied up and invited them on board. Later on in the evening Heribert, Inga and Gabriel came onboard for pre dinner drinks. A winch and winch handle being a very good child entertainment centre.
to see their house which stands in the grounds of Ulf and Cynthia’s Castle. We also went to see the Orangery which they are having converted now that Gabriel is on the scene. Ulf and Cynthia invited us for tea on their terrace, which has a beautiful view of the Royal Castle and the Lake as far as the eye can see. Descendi
ng from the terrace are 2 grand stone staircases leading down to the waters edge and a jetty. Cynthia insisted that next time we come we moor Carra there. I was keen to know the depth, though I needn’t worry as she replied “ the King of Sweden used to moor his sailing vessels there”.
We felt that we had got this bridge opening and lock business sorted – so we were expecting a very routine passage. But little did we know this lock out of the lake is the route that all the large commercial vessels use. As required, we contacted the bridge who informed us it was a busy day. En- route there was a yacht that we had passed that was well and truly aground on a rock, we called over a rib and he went and rescued them. We arrived on time for the bridge opening and waited and waited. The bridge then told us as soon as the bridge opened to go throug
h on red as there was another vessel coming that was 18m wide. As the bridge opened, we ended up reversing as a very large vessel appeared much sooner than expected and there definitely wasn’t room for the both of us. As soon as the tanker passed we went under but just as we arrived at the bridge the light went red, and the bridge closing process started. Throttle down and we made a speedy passage under the bridge before it closed. We arrived at the lock and went onto the waiting pontoon as several tankers went through in both directions. Finally ourselves and 3 other leisure boats got passage through the lock and out of the lake.
Carra Tidings 