Baltic Northwards 2010


Vis Western Baltic i et større kart
Cruise Western Baltic 2010 
from Åsgårdstrand, Oslo fjord

June 4th   to Gullholmen    58.10,8N / 11.24,3E
Dist.:75nm   Time:12hrs   Marina fee: kr 200
   ICE download:  2,5 Mb/s 
June 5th.   to Varberg      57.06;5N / 12.14,5E
Dist:75,4nm  Time:12,5hrs   Marina fee:kr 0  
ICE download:  0,7 Mb/s
June 6th.   to Mølle        56.16,98N / 12.29,53E
Dist:55mn    Time:8,5hrs   Marina fee:kr 200
ICE download:  0,23 Mb/s
June 7th.   to Helsingør   56.02,66N / 12.37,0E
Dist:19,6nm  Time:3hrs   Marina fee: kr 140 
ICE download  2,4 Mb/s
June 8th Humlebæk/Espergjærde 55.59,5N /12.33,74E
Dist:5nm      Time: 45min.  Marina fee: kr 0 
  ICE download:  1,73 Mb/s
June
8th on to Falsterbo   55.24,88N / 12.55,75E
Dist:45nm  Time:6hrs   Marina fee: SEK 200   ICE download:  2,2 Mb/s  
June 8. 2010
Arrived at the gateway to the Baltic sea, the Falsterbo channel on the evening of June 8th. after 5 sailing days. Yesterday:visit to Espergerde fishing harbour,with a fantastic little fishmonger selling all sorts of sea food, including home smoked delicacies. The harbour lies some 30 minutes brisk walk from Lousiana Museum of modern art. There we saw the Warhol-Munch exhibition, but we do not understand why Warhol makes strange copies of Munch Maddonna and Shriek. What we liked best at Lousiana was the outdoor park with Moores and Miros bronze statues.

So far we

 
have sailed 280 nm from our home harbour Åsgårdstrand and we are ready for our cruise up the Swedish east coast towards “Høga Kusten”. We plan to sail shorter days now, after this quick transport stretch from home harbour. By now we have gotten Siller Lass movements into our stiff 75 year old bodies and feel extremely comfortable onboard. Down the Swedish west coast, we sailed off-shore most of the way with nice genaker reaches, but as usual, a lot of motoring also. The genaker handling with the “sock” for setting functions well, as do the mainsailmast-roller  reefing with vertical battons. In the heavy traffic zones of Øresund, we have had great use of our Raymarine C120 plotter with AIS  and radar.

June 9th.
Communication and weather services
Siller Lass has an ICE D35 receiver for internet broadband with WiFi. Thus we can move our PCs around the boat. We also have good offshore coverage. We test download speed in all harbours/anchorages and give reports on our Google route map. The download speed has, so far, varied between0,5 and 2,5 Mb/s, sufficient for most of our appliances.
We download weather charts –ie pressure, wind speed and fronts, from U-Grib and Met. Office. Correlated with local sea forecasts SMHI and DMI. we get a fairly accurate 2 day weather  forecast.

We read and send e-mail via ICE, and we read our favorite newspapers like our local Laagendalsposten, Aftenposten and New York Times.  Perhaps the most intriguing use of ICE  broadband is IP telephone using SKYPE out at 0,13kr /min. or no cost at all  PC-PC to relatives and friends in USA, Australia and Europe.
In short, we are connected  -  just like home in Kongsberg.
June 9tih.   to  Ystad   55.25,5N / 13.48,9E
Dst:38nm   Time: 5hr   Marina fee: SEK 260  
ICE download:  1,8 Mb/s
June 11th, to  Karlskrona  56.10,0N / 15.35,5E
 
Dist: 89,4nm  Time: 12 hrs  Marina fee: kr 180  ICE download  2,9 Mb/s
June 13th.   to Kristianopel   56.15,42N / 16.02,7E
Dist:34,6nm   Time:5,5hrs   Marina fee kr 180  
ICE download  0,0 Mb/s
June 14th.   to Kalmar   56.33,2N / 16.18,9E
Dist: 30nm   Time: 5,5hrs   Marina fee kr 180  
ICE download 2,7
Spent a day June 10th.in Ystad, replenishing stocks and equipment.  Visited the Ystad Monastry and invite you to read about it and Ystads history, from being Danish then Swedish.   http://www.ystad.se/ystadweb.nsf/AllDocuments/A84A3B6C752E3CFCC12573090050C9C1
The Shipshandler was fascinating, selling everything imagineable both new and antique.
We left Ystad at 6 am for Karlskrona. Our plan to go to Bornholm was altered due to the weather situation expected.  We motored for 12 hours, rounding Sandhammeren, across the wide Hanø bay in heavy fog.  Our eyes were glued to the screen showing radar and AIS signals  and our ears listened for approaching vessels. Most interesting at Karlskrona is the well known Maritme museum. www.marinmuseum.se  So much could be written about it and so many fotos shown, too much for this restricted website. 
Next morning in westerly 12-15 m/s (gale force) wind, a terrific sail in heavy seas all the way to Krisitanopel in the Kalmar sound, using genoa only and averaging 7,5 knots.  In Kristianopel we visited the church built in 1624 by king Christian IV of Denmark and Norway. The very same year1624, the very same king established our home town Kongsberg, which was founded on silver mining, hence the name of our boat Siller Lass (siller is the Scottish word for silver).
June 14th, a fine genaker sail all the way to Kalmar, with an obligatory visit to the picturesque and historic castle,  following up nordic history the following day with a visit to with its unique castle., see www.kalmarslottkalmar.se  Click on the fotos for enøargement, 

 
 

June 15th   to Borgholm   56.52,18N / 16.38,8E
Dist: 18,3nm   Time:3 hrs   Marina fee: kr 150   ICE download:1,0 Mb/s
June 16th.  to Gränsö slott   57.45,62N / 16.40,8E
Dist: 58,4 nm   Time 7,5hrs   Marina kr 120   ICE download  1,5 Mb/s
Top of page
June 15 th-16th . Sailed on to Borgholm, a large, pleasant marina with all facilities.  All the marinas we have visited so far, apart from the small fishing harbour at Espergjærde,  have had a high standard, though some are only partly in use so early in the season. We have been surprised by the lack of people ashore too. On Gullholmen for example, only a few houses were occupied, even at a weekend.  One big difference here in Sweden is the fact that there are far more sailing boats than motor boats .  As regards nationality, German boats are by far in the majority, more than the sum of Norwegian, British, Dutch and Danish boats together!
Borgholm has a historically interesting  ruin fron 1100 ad, rebuilt by Karl X Gustav atround 1600 and  which is being renovated to a certain extent. The museum with its arts and crafts exhibition was most creative.  More useful info www.borgholmsslott.se  From Borgholm we continued over the Kalmar sound to Gränsö castle, in the vicinity of Vestervik, sailing our genaker most of the 55nm.   The castle has a new building in addition to the older one and functions well as a spa, seminar and tourist hotel. We celebrated the co-skippers 75th. birthday in style there with a gourmet dinner that teased our taste buds.
 

. Visiting boats aren’t the main interest, partly because og the shallow waters around. Keep well north of the little island before heading for the pier!
Look at the website for more info. www.granso.se
 
  

June 17th.  to  Store Älö SKK bøye, Stugvik  58.07N / 16.49E
Dist:30nm    Time:  4,5hrs   Marina kr 0    ICE download  0,6 Mb/s
June 18th.    to  Arkøsund   58.29,3N / 16.56,6E
 
Dist:  25,6nm   Time: 3,5 hrs   Marina kr 100 
ICE download 0,6Mb/s
June 19th.    to  Nynäshamn   53.96,0N / 17.57,2E
Dist:43,4nm Time: 8,5hrs  Marina kr,150 +50el   
ICE download  1,5Mb/s
June 20th.   to Malma Kvarn   59.15,4N / 128.36,9E
Dist:31,2nm Time 5,5hrs  Marina member kr 110+30
ICE down. 1,5Mb/s
June 17th to 20th
Fine sailing weather from Gränsö castle to a good, sheltered natural harbour where the Swedish Kryssarklubb- SKK- has a clubhouse and moorings for visitors.  Four boats there, one of each natioality, German, Danish, Swedish and Norwegian.  From there we continued on to Arkøsund Nykjøping Segel  Selskap marina, the best place in Arkøsund for larger boats but not very well organized so early in the season.  Arkøsund is just outside Mem, the Baltic entrance to the Gøta Canal. Offshore sailing to Landsort, then to Nynäshavn with its huge marina. Here we met friends in HR 34 Yoo Mee, also on their way north to Botniske viken.  Arrived at SKK Malma Kvarn after a varied sailing day starting with genaker in 5-7 m/s , then galeforce wind on our tail meeting the whole Swedish Navy on their way home to Karlskrona after the wedding of Princess Victoria and Daniel. In Malma Kvarn we observed the first day of Kryssarklubbens sailing course for 10-12 year olds,  in time to see the activity of youngsters on  impressive weeks' sailing camp.  Almost wish we were young again!
an

 

June 21st. to Träskö Store 57.26,7N / 18.46,7E
Dist: 20nm Time 3 hrs    Anchorage kr 0 
ICE download 2,0 Mb/s
June
22nd. to Gräddö  59.17n / 19.01.9E 
Dist:29,7nm   Time 3,5 hrs  Marina kr 180 eks el. ICE download 0,82 Mb/s
June 23rd.  to Øregrund  60.24,4N / 18,26,5E
Dist:46,5nm   Time 7 hrs Marina kr 200 
ICE download 0,4Mb/s
 
 Click on the fotos for enlargement
June 21st. Träskö Storö, a lovely anchorage, recommended to us by Pat and Christine in Victrix, our friends from last summer in N. Norway.  A huge area in the outer Stockholm seascape is managed by Skjærgårds Stiftelsen (Coastal trust), a unique organisation established in the 1950’s by the Swedish government and Stockholm city. Thousands of islands, old farms and fishing villages were bought up by this trust, in order to establish national parks and recreational areas for “ the small people” See www.skargardsstiftelsen.se.
Träskö Storö and some 50 other natural harbours are described with arial fotos in Svenska Kryssarklubbens “Natural harbours and routes” by Lundin and Nilsson.
June 22nd. We had an interseting journey in calm weather, noticing seals and different sea birds on the way. We crossed the main channel for ferry boats going inn to Stockholm from Åland, Estonia and Finland. Arrived in Gräddö to celebrate 10 000 nm sailing in Siller Lass.  OK marina.
June 23rd. Sailed northwards to Øregrund - we have now reached the Bay of Bothnia - our goal this summer. How much further north we sail depends on the weather, whereas many German sailors have to round a buoy at Haparanda to pass their "endurance test". The marina here is well organized with a helpful, cheery harbourmaster. Good faciltiies and washing machines. Øregrund is historically interesting, havind been proclaimed a town in 1491. It is a small and peaceful town today, but in the 500 years of her existencelay many dramatic events and hardships. It is a story about war, fire and plague - but also of enterprising and a stubborn will to survive in spite of all trials. In 1719 the Russian fleet sailed into the port and turned the town into ruins. The event has stayed in the memory of Øregrunds citizens as the most terrible of them all, and even to this day you might here a parent say to a naughty child "Watch out! Or else the Russians will come and get you!"www.turism.oregrund@roslagen.se
June 24th.   To Gävle, Huselliharen 60,43,6/17.17,1
Dist: 44,5nm   Time:8,5 hrs  Marina  kr 100     
ICE download  09, Mb/s
June 26th. To Kusökalv, Norrahavn 61.03,93N / 17.16,2E
Dist.24,5nm   Time 3+hrs   SXK buoy kr.0   ICE download 1,0 Mb/s 
After a leasurely forenoon bunkering food, wine and water, we sailed off for Gävle, Huselliiharen.
Fine sail most of the journey in warm sunshine, and favourable wind.
 
  
Huseliiharen is Gävle sailing clubs' harbour. We arrived on the 24th. in time to celebrate the Swedish Midsummer Eve 25th. June. Were surprised that eveing to see a couple of young girls' spendng hours fishing for pike, just for fun. Jon Erik taught them how to fillet the fish - and we enjoyed crisply fried pike for lunch next day. Our evening meal was a casserole with sliced fennel, cooked for a few minutes in white wine then topped by cod fillets and seasoned with garlic pepper and salt and cooked gently until the fish was just ready. A few sprigs of dill made a delicate finnish to a really tasty dish.  
Midsummer is a great event in Sweden, just as big as Christmas and even bigger than Swedish, national day, with a Maypole ( a garlanded pole with flowers and birch branches twined around). Most of the people had garlands of flowers on their heads as well, and all sang and danced round the pole as a start to the celebrations.
We had guests aboard for a glass of wine, Ulf and Violet from S/Y Sjø Qvist, before motoring northwards to one of the fantastic natural moorings with a SXK buoy in Kusøkalven. Here out in the wilderness, the skipper is reminded of a bay in one of the larger lakes in Nordmarka north of Oslo. Almost no salt in the water, fishing pike for breakfast. The bay is so remote and quiet, no people, no other boats, no houses, just forrest all around. SXK, Svenske Kryssarklubb gives fantastic service to its members by, among other things, placing buoys in suitable bays around the coast,marking positions with leading lines and publishing books with information on harbours and moorings.
June 27th.   To Kräskär, 61.34,0N / 17.19,6E
Dist: 34,1nm   Time 6hrs,  hatbour fee kr 20 no water, el.
ICE download 0,5Mb/s
June 28th.   To Mellanfjården  61.57,41N / 17.20,57E
Dist: 28,6nm   Time 6hrs   Marina fee kr 100  
ICE download 0,3Mb/s
June 29th.   To Sundsvall  62.23,38N / 17.19,23E
Dist. 35,4nm   Time:5,25 hrs  Marina kr 150 
ICE download 2,24 Mb/s
To Sundsvall 
An eventful three days with sunshine, warmer weather and mild wind. More sailing than normal, with challenges using a variation of sails. Kräkskär entrance was rather tricky, both shallow and narrow. We found the small communal pier vacant  in this old fishing village. Most of the houses and boat sheds are today used as family holiday homes.  This historically interesting fishing community was alive in the summer months but abandoned in the winter when the Bay of Bothnia was frozen and no fishing possible.The simple chapel was built in 1736 and the key hangs outside the door so anyone can pay a visit. As usual for churches along the coast, several models of ships hung from the ceiling. We found a stone sundial outside – quite ancient and unusual.
Next day we had a good sail to Mellanfjärd. The seascape is quite different from Norway’s coastal waters. The are many flat, forest clad islands with shallow sea between. No fishing gear to be seen. We are becoming  accustomed to depths of  10 meters far out to sea, and 2 m. in bays and harbours – our keel draught is 1.8 m!
Mellanfjärd has been an active fishing village but now converted to a holiday resort with a  theatre, handcraft centre and art gallery.  The fish restaurant has a renomé for good service and local specialities. We were most impressed by the cheese cake dessert served with warm cloudberry sauce.  For more info on the place see www.mellanfjarden.se

Sundsvall  - a complete contrast to the offshore islands. The coastline in to Sundsvall  has many summer homes. Sundsvall is an important industrial town with large pulp and paper factories , aluminium and bioethanol.
The marina is the best we have visited so far, built in the old ferry terminal, grandly paved in granite and timber, steps at different levels down to the water, immaculate facilities including laundry room and kitchen – all for kr 150 per night.
We feel so privileged sailing northwards up Sweden’s coast, choosing solitude and enjoying natural harbours or busy civilisation, just as we please.  There are so many harbours, moorings and marinas and so few boats in comparison to Kattegat where boats raft 7 aside in the summer holiday time!
 

June 30th. To Kattskär  62.26,34N / 17.38,45E
Dist:13,7nm   Time:3,4hrs   Fee: kr40 for member
ICE download 0,55Mb/s
!
 

Kattskär SXK Bay of Bothnia is described as a wildeness harbour. It has 2 saunas, a shelter, barbeque and playground for sailing children. A beautiful, sirene little island in the middle of a very sheltered bay. Entrance through a very narrow channel 10-15 m. wide and 2 m. deep. Semicircular rings of buoys round the two tiny pontoons. A perfect layout for big sailing, sauna parties!  The club sauna was padlocked and you had to bring your own firewood, which we actually did. We had a sack of firewood from Kongsberg in our locker!  Svenska kryssarklubb, SXK, does a fantastic job for us sailors with buoys in sheltered bays and information publications. On this expedition we have had great use of SXK's latest publication "Norlandskust - harbours from Øregrund to Haparanda".  The monthly magazine "På Kryss" has been greatly improved with a new editor. The 04/2010 issue has a useful article on the natural habitate of the Baltic and Bay of Bothnia. The whole Baltic Sea is very vulnerable because of algae production, fed by phosphates from agriculture.
July 1st.  To Härnösund 62.37,6N / 17.56,4E
Dist. 22,8nm Time; 4 hrs  Fee kr 100  ICE download 2,1 Mb/s
A low pressure area is passing us giving thunder and rain. Forecast for clearing up and 6-8 m/s from NW but we had up to gale force wind NW 12 today - challenging! Härnösand is an old town with 3 harbours separated by two bridgeswhich open on request at special hours each day.  Station for the sea rescue activity in the area.  Well known as a centre with many fine buildings.   Difficiult to fill enough diesel. The pumps using cards cut out at kr 400. 20litrs doesn't take us far! Härnösand is the opening to  the " High coast" area of many islands.
 

July 2nd.  To Häggvik 67.54,6N / 18.17,5E
Dist:22,1nm
   Time 4hrs Fee:kr 100+30el  ICE download 1,6Mb/s
July 3rd.  To Ulvöysund N 63.01,3N / 18.39,5E
Dist: 22,4nm  Time: 3,5 hrs   Fee kr 0 ICE download 0,43Mb/s
July 4th.  To Trysunda 63.08,4N / 18.47,2E
Dist:11nm  Time: 3hrs  Wind S. 6-12 m/s  Fee kr 120 ICE download 1,7MB/s
Three days worth remembering., no sailing wind first day then southerly wind yesterday and today, 3-7m/s. We have chosen to visit as many of the harbours in Høga Küsten as possible so sail only short distances. The weather is warm and sunny, there are less midges than we had expected and no jelly fish or algae in the sea which is clear and gradually warming up - around 15 deg. C now.
 

Trysunda: We have reached the most northerly harbour and turning point at 63.08,4 North. We are in the picturesque "Höga Kusten ". The high coast islands can be as high as 250 meters  and the shorelines often steep. The island of Trysunda (three sounds?) is said to be the most beautiful of all the Swedish islands with steep, red granite shore cliffs, pebble beaches on the north side and golden sandy beaches in more shelterd bays. The fishing village with friendly guest harbour  has a kitchen and other facilities including a shop and a sauna.  From the local fisherman we bought fresh wild salmon and smoked sik (Baltic whitefish) at very reasonable prices.
We ahd a walk around the island and enjoyed this last day in Trysunda before startting our homeword journey.
So far we have saile almost 1100 nm and we have visited  30 differnet harbours. We have met and made many new sailing friends, and we understand a bit more of Sweden's past and present times.
Ulvösund channel separates the the two islands in a NE to SW direction and is prone to certain winds.  We had hoped to use the SXK buoy at the northern bay but it had been taken by the winter ice and storms.  Ulvösund is an "in" area now and the old hotel has a new owner who is extending it and building a new marina. Not quite ready yet so no fee.  See www.ulvohotell.se .Ulvösund was one of the centres for fishing and curing strømning (Baltic white fish) to make "sur strømning". The process of fermenting the fish as a method of conservation was taken into use several hundred years ago when salt, normally used for preserving, was scarce. 
Häggvik is a " must" harbour according to the SXK Guidebook.  Narrow passage in to a well equiped guest harbour with  all facilities, including a library and the loan of bikes free!  Häggvik has a unique folk museum created by Barbro and Anders Åberg. A village of some 70 houses describing history and life of many nations, including Norway. The museum is full of strange artwork. tools and even a full scale Saab jet fighter. Have a look at www.mannaminne.se We happened to arrive at the start of the Swedish Accordian Festival. However the skipper chose to leave his accordian onboard! We met new friends from the district who came on board with a bottle of wine and told us about their life : Irene, chief accountant from the wood industry and Bosse, pilot on a rescue helicopter.
 

Go to Baltic SAIL 2010,  SOUTHWARDS to continue this description of our cruise back to Åsgårdstrand. 
Top of page             Home