Just outside Mariehamn, the capital of the Åland Islands, is a little treasure of a harbour, another of our racing Finn’s top tips.
We managed to squeeze our bow into the pontoon and pick up a stern buoy, then set off for the harbour master’s office to pay our fee.
The aroma of freshly baked cakes and kanellebulle, (cinnamon buns) wafted from the office, and the offer of fresh bread for the boat in the morning was too much to resist.
But it was the sight of the love hut composting toilets that took the biscuit. Here they are
There was a little gallery next to the office, and some really good watercolours on display.
I had fallen in love with this little granite outcrop, and decided to buy a screen print of a pretty harbour painting. (It is in the photo, top left). Anette Gustafsson was not only the artist, but also the harbour master, and the cake baker. She signed my print, and gave me a copy of her book of watercolours of the island, a really charming souvenir of a magical place.
And in the morning, the bread arrived in a a paper bag with the weather forecast written on the bag. Now that is service!