We left from work at 1300 Thursday and after some shopping we were out of the harbour 1500. It was warm and sunny and we had a following wind almost all the time. The water was busy with pleasure boats heading out for midsummer and we also encountered a lot of commercial shipping.
The passage past the city of Waxholm with it's famous castle is always busy and especially so on a holiday like this. I had been prepared to use the motor if the passage would entail too much tacking, but the wind was nice to us and we could sail through without any tacking at all. And I did not forget that I promised pictures of the castle in last summer's cruise report, so here they are.First the seaside view of the city.
And the castle itself.
This time we did not chose the bumpy shortcut through Lindalssundet with all the powerboats, but sailed quietly north of the islands having a good time. About half a mile short of our destination, however, the winds got very fluky and eventually died down completely, so we used the engine for the first time that day. We arrived at Grinda about 2200 and then, it being Sweden it was still full daylight.
Stephen, our English friend was already there. Here is is coming over in his dinghy for a late dinner. Note the light, it is now about 2230.
Midsummer's eve we spent at Grinda and took our dinghies across to the island from the anchorage and had a look at the midsummer's festivities. Unfortunately there weren't any. Only a lot of drunk young people. We had a couple of beers at the marina, which is not a very good one in a westerly wind (the marina, not the beer). Very bumpy, and all the powerboats zooming around don't make it any better.
So we were quite content in our anchorage which also was for free...
Here are some nice cottages on Grinda which are for rent to summer guests.
When we came back to the beach our inflatable dinghy had lost some air and looked a bit sad. It was not considered seaworthy enough to take two people across so I paddled over myself to pump it up again and then come back for my friend while Stephen would use his own dinghy. However, when I reached Discovery I realised that the stern anchor was dragging in the incresing blow and having to reset it in any case I chose to unmoor and take her over to get my friend instead of paddling across one more time.
Here I am advancing in the mildly deflated dinghy.
In the evening we had a traditional Swedish midsummer meal with sill (herring), potatoes and fresh strawberries for desert. Unfortunately I had cought a cold and was so tired I did not even touch the whiskey...
Here is a bonus shot of the boat's bow and the clear water.
The next morning at 1000 we left for home despite a steady drizzle and dark and overcast skies. But the forecast was of north-eastery winds and reasonably strong ones too, so we would take the opportunity of a fast ride home. This was a success. We did get very wet and cold, but did cover the distance to Waxholm castle in record time, making never less than 4.5 and often nearly 6 knots despite we were pointing as high as we could in the beginning.
Later we had a decreasing following wind and thus made it for home at exactly 1600, in record time. The boat did like the rougher, blowier and a bit more "english" chop of the first hours very well. There was some spray over the bow but we would have been quite dry in the cockpit if it had not been raining of course.
We were sailing under jib and full main in the begining in at least 20 knots of wind, and changed to the bigger genoa when the wind was decreasing later. No photos were taken during the trip back though.
(Note: the last four pictures were taken by Mari Höijer).