A final season in the Baltic
Timeline posts
The saga of the Selden shackle for our Code 0 sail continues. Kirk’s shackle from Comber was a different brand and just a little bit too small to fit, despite being an equivalent. Plan B was rolled out. We have catalogues from two different chandlery chains, and both of them list the elusive Selden ‘Golden […]
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We have been having trouble with the wind sensor on Melodrama since she was first commissioned. Initially it was an intermittent problem, but it was changed under warranty in Kalmar a few weeks ago. Then about 10 days later the replacement ‘disappeared’ from our display almost with an audible bang. Inspiration Marine have been terrific, […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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There are chandleries to buy boat bits in nearly every port and harbour here, and I love exploring them to see what they have that might be useful. But despite having well ordered aisles, and huge catalogues to take away, they just seem to have a random selection of parts in stock. But no shackle […]
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After an early start for a long day, we found a sheltered anchorage, tucked behind some rocks and islands, and spent a peaceful night, shared with two German boats tied to the shore. In the morning ,we headed north, as we do not want to be far from our crew changeover port, Nynashamn, when the […]
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Today, Gotland Island sits in the Baltic Sea, a good long day sail from the mainland. We broke the passage with a stop at Byxelkrok on Oland, a quaint ferry town, with cute red huts selling souvenirs and ice cream, and a giant sauna barrel with giant chess. Gotland’s capital Visby is a UNESCO World […]
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There is a saying in Sweden that there are those who have hit rocks and those who will hit rocks. We have had a lovely week, exploring Kalmarsund. We visited Kalmar Slott, a wonderful medieval castle, beautifully preserved, with original walls decorated with marquetry, and a moat. Some days we stopped at small harbours, cycled […]
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The sun was shining and a gentle breeze from behind was taking us slowly north to Borgholm on Oland island. We even had lunch in the cockpit with a table set! What luxury. I couldn’t stop grinning. On Drama Queen we passed round squashed sarnies from a plastic box. This is the life. After lunch […]
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We had an unmissable appointment in Portugal, so Melodrama was left tied up in Karlskrona and we set off by train to Trelleborg, for a ferry to Rostock in Germany, then a train the next day back to Greifswald where we had left our car. From there we traveled to Hook of Holland for the […]
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Karlskrona has been Sweden’s main naval base since 1680, and until recently was off limits to passing sailors. Now it has a large marina, with smart glazed buildings and lots of glossy brochures, a fabulous maritime museum, and is working hard to build a tourism industry. But it is all run on a shoestring by […]
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