Our position is 59:45.904N 19:01.805E

Distance covered 21.2 Nm

The following morning we were awoken by a lot of engine noise and when we looked up we could see a crane above the hatch. A working platform, complete with crane, had tied up behind us on the pontoon and two workmen were examining the small, collapsed bridge linking our bit to the next part of the pontoon. Later they used the crane to lift it back into place and fixed it there, before progressing to the next join along away from us.

Awoken by a crane

Repairing the pontoon

   During the morning what was obviously the supply boat came in. Cages were wheeled onto the front loader of a tractor for transportation on land

We were planning to move on in the afternoon, when the wind was forecast to be more favourable, which was just as well as they finished all the repairs they could do from their initial position and turned their attention to the join by our boat just as we were leaving. They said the harbour was reopening the next day, but that still felt unlikely. However as we were moving on we decided not to let it concern us. 

Views from the far end of the newly repaired pontoon

It was a cloudy day and very cold, although not very windy, but the wind was coming from the North – probably straight from the North Pole! The only part of the passage of note was when we had to cross the channel that the ferries to Stockholm use and then just as we were reaching our turn up a more minor passage a ferry came hammering in from seaward. Reckoning he would be going down the channel like the others we made all speed to get clear of him, only for it to become apparent that he was heading for a harbour directly across our bows, so we stopped and waited for him to get clear.

  Not all boats are well cared for

The ferry we had to stop for and his unforeseen destination

There was only one other boat on the pontoon in Graddo when we arrived but its owner helped us tie up quickly, so we could get below and warm up. Graddo is a good jumping off point for the passage to the Aland Islands.

Nice houses along the inlet to Graddo

The harbour when we arrived – it wasn’t like this for the 2 days after!

Strong winds from the North blew for the next two days. We had reasonable shelter so stayed put and restocked the fridge from the handy supermarket. Graddo is not the most exciting town, although not unattractive in its own way, but there it hasn’t anything by way of sights. A small café at the harbour had a board saying it would open on the 11^th, but when the 11^th came it had been changed to the 15^th. The cold, windy weather obviously made them realise they wouldn’t get many customers. By Sunday the wind had died down and the temperature had gone up so a walk around some of the back streets was possible without freezing to death, but it still didn’t reveal anything exciting. However more boats did come into the harbour, which made it a bit less bleak.

We were staying put and these guys went to sea in their shed!

  This was set up for a wedding. I’m not sure why they thought it was a good idea to do it outdoors. We didn’t hang around to see if they all blew away.