Our position is 58:34.634N 11:04.143E

Distance covered 15 Nm

Looking for somewhere to start from which would minimize the distance to Norway and allow us to use the favourable winds that were coming in the next day, we settled on an overnight stop at a tiny harbour in the Vaderoarna nature reserve on the island of Stora. There was very little information available as it did not feature in any of our harbour guides, but a mention on Captains Mate (the CA online guide maintained by members) made us think it was worth a try so we set off through the rocks away from Smogen on a grey day with a hint of rain, and were soon close reaching under full sail in a 10kn wind.

  Leaving Smogen

Unfortunately the wind died after a couple of hours and we had to motorsail, but before long we were picking our way through the rocks to the southern entrance of the tiny harbour. A seal was swimming round in the anchorage but we used the buoys (which weren’t marked on our chart) to keep us off the rocks in the harbour entrance as we slipped into the very narrow inlet. A smart wooden dock lined one side of the area and there were three other boats there as we manoeuvred alongside a suitable sized space to the sound of a group of squabbling terns.

  Conspicuous pilot tower and radio mast on Stora

  Approaching the harbour

     Tied up at the wooden dock

The island sports a guesthouse/conference centre, an excellent walk round the nature reserve, and a preserved pilot tower, which is open to the public later in the season. Apart from the other boat owners the only people on the island were a group staying at the guesthouse.  They all seemed to know each other so they were either a conference or a group of nature lovers. They were enjoying a hot tub, interspersed with dips in the sea, which felt like a punishment to me as it was anything but warm.

Enjoying the hot tub

We had arrived early enough to explore the island including a walk up to the pilot tower. The paths were marked with wooden stakes but were mostly just over the rocks, but it was good exercise and the views were excellent  even though it was trying to rain.

   Walking up to the pilot tower

The pilot tower

There was vegetation as well as the bare rock

  These compass roses, allegedly old, were considered worthy of a special mention on the map and trail

This was another mooring option on the other side of the island, although there was no facility there