Rainy day in Nagu - 20 July 2018

Where are we? The map below represents the archipelago sea and its 60,000 islands.We are now in Nauvo/Nagu (all places have different name in Finnish and in Swedish!), a week after having entered the Archipelago sea in Hanko.

The Archipelago sea

 Sailing in the Archipelago sea has proven to be extremely challenging, because of the shallow waters, number of rocks of all sizes, and area poorly documented in the nautical charts. We had to revert in areas where we ended-up with less than two meters of water while we were outside of the six metre line. In the planning process, one should zoom in ++ in oder to be sure not to miss a bridge somewhere, which could result in a very long detour in this labyrinth.

Now, we plan to visit friends in Brändö before heading towards Mariehamn in the most direct way.

Seili/Själö, the lepers' island, 18 July 2018

Leprosy, Hansen disease (named after the Norwegian who discovered the mycobacteria) was endemic in scandinavian countries in the middle ages. Seili island was established in 1619 as a place where to "banish" lepers. At this time, the Finland that we know was part of the Swedish kingdom. Many such lepers colony were established all over Sweden. More than 600 lepers have been buried in Seili, and the last one died in 1785. Among the reasons to select Sail as the lepers island was that it is part of a sandy ridge suitable for burial!

The former hospital, now hosting a research centre from the Turku university

The Hitis archipelago, 15-18 July 2018

Leaving Hanko, we have entered the "Archipelago sea", the largest archipelago in the world, with its more than 50,000 islands and islets. 

Sunset at Öjen, from the drone

As we are experiencing a highly anticyclonic weather, we take advantage of the solar winds for moving around at the time of favourable winds. The alternance of sea breeze and land breeze allows us to move in the morning around 10, and anchor in natural harbour by mid afternoon. Very quiet evenings and nights, the land breeze only starting early morning because of the very short nights at this time of the year.

Visit to Bengtskär lighthouse - 13 July 2018

Bengtskär is a myth in Finland. It is the southern most constructed place in Finland, and remains the highest lighthouse in the Baltic. It has always been a strong symbol of Finland as it was the last "picture" of Finland that the emigrants to the Americas would see in the XIX century. It remains an iconic representation of Finland, which was used in the Parisian subway couple of years ago for an advertisement campaign to promote tourism in Finland.