Stockholm Archipeligo - Wild anchorages

Astra of Hamble
Jan & Danuta Grieg-Gran
Tue 10 Jul 2012 06:58
59:23.92N  18:39.82E

Mon. Actually sailed (Well wafted really, with engine off) for a for a couple of hours through the flat waters between the islands. Found a lovely wild mooring on a small granite island with stern anchor and the bows tied to trees and L shaped rock pins that we carry to fix into cracks in the rocks.  Our back anchor is a Danforth with 4 metres of chain and then 50 metres of leaded line. Has worked really well so far.  Jan and Lucy in for a dip. 17 degrees, but getting used to it.

Tue. Big suprise! Danuta announces she is having a Morgen Bad. A bit of squealing, but she is in, her first dip in the cool waters of the Baltic. Another lovely sun/cloud day with light winds. Passed a small island store, no pontoon, so anchored and inflated the dinghy. Later found a lovely sheltered lagoon for the evening, big enough to lie swinging on the main anchor, a 20kg Spade with 50 metres chain.  Water temperature an amazing 19 degrees, so sheltered water is the key for swimming.  We had spotted a few ripe blueberries (bilberries) in Sandhand, so Jan and Richard dinghied ashore and found a hillside covered in blueberries. In 40 minutes we picked enough for a couple of suppers.  The lagoon was home to a family of Black-throated Loons (Artic Divers) and a pair of Great Crested Grebes, who were often quite close to the boat. Bird watchers heaven!

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