Gävle - Stockholm, with a Sunday at the stuga... 6 & 7 August

Last weekend, we left the boat in Gävle, coming back from Sundsval and our way back to Stockholm. With favourable winds on Friday evening, after two hours of train to Gävle, we left the harbour directly, for a nigh of sailing under spinnaker. 

Light breeze, 4 m/s, 6 knots average speed with the spinnaker, by early morning we turn Öregrund, then Lidö, heading south west towards Stockholm. 

Entering Öregrund sound just before sun rise.

And we arrived by mid-afternoon at the stuga...

Sundsvall - Gävle, 30/31 July 2016

The last weekend of July, as the next two ones are devoted to bringing back Belisama from Sundsvall where we left her at the end of last week, to Stockholm, where she should be by mid-August to welcome the next crew.

No wind on Friday evening, we sleep in Sundsvall. After tacking the whole day, we finally make it to Kuggören, one of the most beautiful Lilliput village that we came across along the east coast.

A ride to Storholmen, 23 July 2016 - 62°20.537'N 17°33.101'E

Gérard and Marion, having embarked in Umeå a week ago, are flying back on 24 July from Arlanda. Therefore, we need a good 57 miles night ride using the land brise in the spinnaker to reach Sundsvall in due time. With 2 to 7 m/s wind over the night, it will take us 10 hours to reach Storholmen, where we make a pause before entering the Sundsvall marina.

Picture by Gérard

Ulvön, 22 & 23 July 2016 - 63°1.287'N 18°39.179'E

Ulvön is one of the most touristic island in the Högakusten world heritage park. It is absolutely worth the trip! There are three marinas that were fully occupied when we arrived. This gave us the opportunity to test for the first time our "Swedish mooring" to the rocks. More impressive than difficult!

Ulvöhamn kapell - 22 July 2016

The chapel in the island of Ulvö is the best decorated that I have seen so far in many years in Sweden. It was built in 1622, was moved there in the 18th century, was almost demolished in the 19th century, but survived until today. 

Trysunda kapell - 20 July 2016

The Trysunda chapel was built in the 1600's by the fishermen from Gävle.

We went there following the posting by Cybele 17 indicating a "coup de coeur". And indeed, it is a "coup de coeur"...

A ride to the top of the mast, 19 July - Köpmanholmen, 63°10.400'N 18°35.314'E

Köpmanholmen is a very small dock where one can moor for the night for 100 SEK, all inclusive. We arrived there tired of tacking our way southward. The place is best known for its surströmming, sort of macerated herrings. What the costal pilot book does not tell you is the smell of the thing...