There are several main prerequisites that are considered more or less essential for a successful Valborg celebration and I suspect that they have probably remained unchanged for hundreds of years:

• Plenty of alcohol


• Plenty of good food


• A roaring bonfire


• A crowd of friends

Our best laid plan to experience all of this was thwarted by the weather gods and Murphy's law. I had heard the early morning weather that predicted gale force winds from the east in our area. These would be the absolute worst conditions in which to try and anchor in the exposed east facing bay at Lövhagen, but I didn't really take it too seriously because the forecasters are often wrong and we almost never get easterly winds here. Lars-Göran consulted four weather sites and got four different forecasts, ranging from sunny with southerly winds right through to rain with north winds!

Riigghhhttt.......

At the pier, it was sunny with a stiff north wind, so we figured that would be fine for the day and so while I unpacked the food and set up the boat, Lars-Göran rigged up the cutter stay and raised the storm sail so we could gently sail along the waterway headed south. So far, so good.

We passed several homes on the shore with bonfires burning and the enormous Swedish flags raised to celebrate the 60th birthday of King Carl XVI Gustaf. The sun shone, the water glittered and the boat sailed along perfectly.




About half way there, it was officially declared coffee time but the minute the coffee was poured, the wind abruptly swung to the east and both the wind and waves picked up. By the time we reached the bay where the big bonfire would be lit, there was a howling gale and the waves were crashing into the shore - this was no place for us to drop anchor. So we decided to cross over the water and anchor in an inlet of Yttre Gården that faces west. However, the waves were even reaching that bay. Plan three involved back-tracking and tucking in behind an islet which would give us shelter but no view of the fire. Thanks to sod's law, even here was problematic. It was a timely reminder from Mother Nature that she was still in charge and to never take it for granted that a simple trip will go smoothly.

By now it was getting late and a quick scan of the chart showed that there was really no other place to moor safely nearby. We could not afford to travel too far because despite it being a public holiday today, Lars-Göran still had to be at the boat club for the usual Monday night launching. So we decided to go back to the pier and moor there for the night - easier said than done in gale force side winds!

So no, we didn't get to see the bonfire this year. In fact, given the strong winds in that very exposed area, I was very sorry for anyone who had to be there. Well, there's always next year! We still had a really enjoyable time together with a special dinner I prepared, a bottle of good wine, fireworks overhead and the choir from Uppsala on the radio singing the traditional spring songs. We slept on board while the clouds raced across the ever lightening sky and the wind sang through the rigging.




The wind, the sea, the newly blossoming trees and the bird life making the most of the new season, combine to create an atmosphere that truly reinvigorates the soul. This is something that those couch potatoes among us miss out on. We all have a tendency to spend too much time wrapped up in our work, our problems, our selves. When I get a chance like this to experience nature, to be out there and at peace with my own thoughts, I get a much better perspective on life and come home again refreshed.