Category: Archipelago

There is a fabulous peaceful anchorage hidden away between the rocks on an island wildlife reserve on Biskopson. The entrance is narrow, shallow, surrounded by rocks and the channel twists and swerves for a mile or so before arriving at the far end in a lagoon, with low rolling granite islets all around. There were […]

The last week has been a relaxing (mostly!) introduction to live-aboard life with Patrick and Rachel. We have cruised around the Stockholm islands, anchoring or tying up to jetties. The area is full of boats – little motor yachts zooming past, sailing boats, ferries that are the island commuter service, and huge cruise liners bringing […]

The Swedish really make the most of their island paradise, and in many coves there are little wooden jetties leading to little wooden huts where there are composting toilets and often rubbish bins. On the charts these features are shown as a door with a heart symbol, and indeed many of the real doors do […]

We spent a few days sightseeing in Stockholm before our next guests arrived. The highlight was a trip to the Vasa Museum, where the warship Vasa built in 1628 has been restored. At the time it was the largest warship in the world. And like the Titanic it sank on its maiden voyage, but even […]

It was strange to come into a bay on an Island in Sweden, and have someone call ‘Karen!’ from a nearby boat. In 2014 as a newly qualified ski instructor who knew nothing, I had been put in charge of eight teenagers learning to ski in Courmayeur. My fellow instructors were really helpful, and none […]

We have a fantastic pilot guidebook to the Swedish Archipelago. On a large map of the entire area hundreds of little coves and harbours are marked and numbered. In the guidebook each of these is described in detail, with an aerial photograph, a small chart showing hazards and depths, and information on where to tie […]

It’s crew changeover day today, and we are in Nynashamn. It’s also Midsummer Day, and Sweden’s biggest festival. The whole place closes down, and the Swedes party, before going on a long holiday. Brendan has left and Breidge is arriving later. It is also raining, and we are hiding below decks. We had a wonderful […]