Navekvarn - June 30th

Had a good journey back here. Stansted way ahead of Hamburg or Stockholm (Skavska) in every way. Security a big smooth operation with no hold ups (or is it just that Pat's finally learnt how to get through?) and there's a massive shopping centre in there .... beats Ipswich hollow.  Hold up today due to a sleep in and a repeat of the diesel leak, fortunately found before the diesel filled the bilges like last time.  It's also a lovely quiet place with friendly Brits who have adopted it as their sailing club. 

Liz and Keya's wedding, Alnwick - June 26th

Had a great few days in this lovely northern market town with family.  Enjoyed a very relaxed and happy wedding in Alnwick gardens.

Nävekvarn via Nykoping _ June 17th and 18 th

Navekarn yacht club and marina

Acting on info that we could get our camping gaz refilled at Nykoping, we sailed/motored inland up miles of very narrow dredged channel to Nykoping only to be told no, wrong gas. So we were very fed up which was a pity because it spoilt our enjoyment of a very pleasant large river side town.  We'll just have to fork out the £55 or so for an exchange bottle when we can find one.
Things have been much happier today.  Had an unexpectedly good sail here to Nävekvarn which is a really nice sleepy and sheltered yacht club.  This is where we're leaving Phun for a week or so.

Through the rocks _ Tuesday 14th and Wednesday 15th

A well sheltered and pretty rock anchorage.  We had our first pre breakfast swim here.

Light winds forecast so we took the opportunity to anchor in the rocks with mixed success.... nudged a rock through our own stupidity, but recovered after an afternoon in the pleasant sun and dinghy trip to explore the surrounding islets.  It was a very sheltered and pretty anchorage.  Celebrated the warmer weather with a cool pre-breakfast swim before continuing on through the rocks to Oxelosund fishing harbour. 

Arkosund - June12th and 13th

Had a long sail/motor the 80 miles or so from Faro to the mainland.  Rather more motoring then we'd like, but at least we were able to enjoy a relaxing reach with Clifford in charge.  With a late arrival after sunset we changed plans to arrive here with its easy lit entry through the rocks of the Skarrguard.  Slept in and chilled out today, enjoying an evening run through the woods and meadows in the sun.  Missed an opportunity to anchor in a rare fine windless evening, but felt like a rest.

The empty marina after all the yachts travelling towards Stockholm have moved on.

Fårösund - June 10th to 11th

On a freezing cold day even the Swedes huddle round an open fire for warmth.  The warm blueberry pie and custard went down a treat.

Inside of the mediaeval farm house.

A woodsawing windmill.  It took a long time to saw a plank by all accounts.

A grain grinding windmill.  More sucessful at its task.

Farosund marina.  Just after we arrived the boats travelling to Estonia have left.  We didn't think we smelt bad!

The mediaeval farmstead.

The ancient wall paintings in Farosund church which are along every wall.

The limestone stacks on the island of Faro. 

Towns are not totally our thing and with the boat full of sawdust from a ship loading and seeds from the town trees we were glad to escape.  We even enjoyed a spell of fast and relatively comfortable off wind sailing into the sound dividing the small island of Farö from Gotland. Cycled the short distance in Arctic temperatures to the museum nearby.  It was excellent. Took free half hourly ferry to the island  and cycled to see the limestone stacks, stranded by rising land levels.

Visby - June 7th to 9th

Entrance to the harbour is dominated by the fast ferries to the mainland

Phun in an empty marina which is packed with 200 yachts in the sailing season.

We liked the painted Viking stones collected in the museum.

View over the old town from its wall.

Did the sights of Visby. The Old Town is within mediaeval walls and stuffed with timber frame houses of varied designs and huge churches. It's a world apart from the busy shopping center with its familiar high Street names just outside the city wall.
Again heldback by the persistant strong N wind so cycled to the cliffs just south of the town for a view of the town.

Visby - June 6 th.

Had a comfortable night at anchor despite the persisting N wind, but no pre breakfast swim as wind far too cold. Had good sail to visby, the capital of Gotland the biggest Swedish island. Visby is said to be an old well preserved town worth a lot history so we plan to do the sights tomorrow.

Grankullavik - June 5th

The very narrow entrance through the reef surrounding this large bay.  We think it was made for a ferry.

A very cold night and morning, 9 degrees in the boat at first, but hot in the sun and windless. So we warmed up like lizards in the sun and didn't leave till about 14:00.  Then the wind came (still a cold N wind) and we ended up having a fast beat the few miles to this anchorage on the N to of the island. It would be good if the wind obliged and dropped till morning but I bet it doesn't.

Byxelkrok - June 4 th

Woodland meadows full of flowers.

Guess what this is.  It was launched whilst we were berthed (on the wall behind)

Loads of photos needed for identification.  This is the shoreside limestone pavement.

Decided to spend an extra day here.... good move as thunder showers in morning and lightish wind.  Cycled to nature reserves. Found 11 different types of orchid in woodland meadows which are carpeted with flowers of all types and smell wonderful.  But haven't found any local honey yet.  Back in the harbour, this hut was launched.  Can you guess what it is?

Sandvik -June 2nd

Cycled to the stone polishing windmill before we left.  They run it occasionally, but we think they choose light wind days!

There was an animal driven stone polishing mill beside it.  There is still a small limestone quarry working here but I think their polishing tools have probably improved.

Escaped Kalmar at last. Left at 7am and had good sail up the West coast of Öland into the freezing cold N wind that seems to be here for the summer.  Enjoyed fish and chips at harbour cafe in Sandvik.

Kalmar - Sunday 29th May to Wednesday 1st June

A top destination of last year was not so good this year as we'd already done the sights and the harbour was restless in the strong NE wind.  This thriving town (once the border fort on the Swedish side of the border) is a contrast to Kristianople, its partner border fort. That's the advantage of being on the winning side. 
First days of school hols were celebrated healthily with running races, orienteering activity, ball games and picnics, but also very noisily by the mass local school leavers out on an organised pub crawl in huge groups (so Swedish teenagers aren't so sensible after all). Very frustrating to be pinned in here by strong NE winds.  The wind and water funnel through the narrow gap between here and the island of Öland.

Kalmar castle

Fine statue of a famous local ship and two of the many lilac trees in flower here.