After a lazy couple of days at the home pier, it was time to set sail again. We stayed for longer than we intended because Lars-Göran had a slight cold and didn’t feel like sailing in the chilly winds and I used the extra couple of days in town to do some laundry and to fill up the boat with provisions for the trip. As we plan on being away for the whole month and I don’t want to spend days searching out shops while we are out, this required some planning and a trip to different supermarkets to make sure I had everything I needed.

We set off in strong winds in mid afternoon, hoping to at least make a few nautical miles and get right away from the town so that we could feel that our holidays were really starting. A short time later, and seven nautical miles from Nynäshamn, we dropped anchor in a little bay called Långnabbaudde on the island of Muskö. The weather is forecast to be chilly with strong, cold north winds straight from the Arctic, so we chose this place as it provided lee from the wind via a high cliff.



In the foreground is a tiny, sandy beach backed by a birch forest with a path leading to a freshwater reservoir topped by water lilies. Lambi had a lovely time on land and we were also happy with the fine view of the main fairway while still being well protected. It is so cold tonight (below 10C) that we briefly contemplated turning on the heating and we were beginning to wonder when summer will be here.

The next day dawned with strong, cold winds just as they had predicted and we put in a full day’s sailing and tacking, covering 32NM and taking us from Muskö across both Mysignen and Jungfrufjärden to the west side of Nämdö. This part of the archipelago proves to be incredibly deep, with the water at some places 95m deep just a couple of feet from land. This, combined with the high, cliffy landscape covered with dark pine forests does not look inviting as an anchoring place . On a chart, you tend to look at the shape of the islands to choose a place to give you protection from the wind and waves as well as room to swing by anchor. But this is only part of the picture as what looks good on paper may look different when you get there. Sure, the shape is the same, but the chart will not tell you if the land is high or low, surrounded by forest, fields, or a marshy ground full of reeds and mozzies. Neither of us were happy with Nämdö, so we pushed on a little further north and found a half decent place to stay at Aspön. There were summer houses lining the shores but we anchored a little out of the way of a small passage between the rocks.



I was surprised that so many motor boats sped through this narrow opening at full speed, creating a lot of backwash that crashed repeatedly into the shore, scaring the wildlife nesting there. As I said, not an ideal spot, but this area of the archipelago seems to lack decent anchoring spots and after all, it was only for one night.

Friday morning dawned sunny and bright and the winds were favourable to take us past Sandhamn and out to the islands of the outer archipelago. There is real warmth in the air (finally!) and the small islets are so pretty at this time of year, covered with lichen and wildflowers.



While it is cosy and warm in the sun if you find a spot in lee, the wind is still fresh and cool and as we are tacking, we are in the wind and so need to rug up well. As we approach Sandhamn, we look across the water on the west of the island towards the long, sandy beach that gives the island its name. Even Lambi wants to be held up for a look – no doubt she can smell the welcome aroma of bbq even from this distance.



As we round the north west tip and turn to the south east down the narrow channel out to sea, the village itself comes into view. I think Sandhamn is a really pretty township. It dates from the seventeenth century and has been used since the eighteenth century as a pilot and customs station as it lies in a strategic place where all ships must pass on their way to Stockholm. Later, in the late nineteenth century with the advent of steamboats, summer guests began arriving on the island from Stockholm and in 1897 the big sailing club KSSS built its clubhouse here, where they arrange summer regattas.

About 120 people live here full time, with many more in the summer and over 200,000 visitors for day excursions and sailing regattas every year. The old village is like something from another age.



The streets are tightly packed together and consist of mostly low, wooden houses. Some of these buildings date back to the seventeenth century. The restaurant you can see to the left is Sandhamns Värdhus was built in 1672 and has been open every day since then! It is a lively and interesting place to walk around. But not today as it is the day before “the weekend”. Which weekend? Well, just peep around the corner to the busy main harbour and you can see the twenty first century well and truly represented!



Yes, it is the big regatta weekend, with the Gotland Runt due to start on Sunday. This is the equivalent of Australia’s Sydney-Hobart race and already the harbour is packed with sleek racing machines of every shape, size and nationality. By tomorrow afternoon, there will be over 500 boats somehow moored here, so we look on with mild amusement at the frenzy and drift on to calmer waters. The Gotland Runt started in 1937 and covers 335NM from Sandhamn, around the island of Gotland and back. The record is just over 24 hours, set by one of these gigantic 60’ trimarans you can see parked here:



While Lars-Göran was taking this picture, I was keeping a lookout as the harbour was packed with boats. I looked up ahead and saw one of them “in action” so to speak, sailing directly towards us at an amazing speed. I estimated that they were travelling at 30 knots, which was somewhat reckless in a tight, congested and busy harbour. I told Lars-Göran to look up and I really wish that I had the camera at that point to capture the shocked look on his face.



They have just passed a large yacht (at least 43’) and they dwarf it with their sheer size – length and breadth, not to mention the enormous sails. And we were right in its path. However, they are very maneuverable and they swept right past us, not missing a beat, screaming up the marked channel and into the main harbour before Lars-Göran had time to close his mouth and react.



Next time we come here, I think we’d better wear the brown undies. Just in case.