Solovetsky Island to Archangel 13th to 16th July 2011
Minka of Southampton - Cruising Log
Edmund Wigan
Sun 17 Jul 2011 13:02
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Daniel the lead skipper announced that he had
arranged with the Head Monk that we be allowed to visit one of the smaller
islands. We went and had look on Peter the First the lead boat.
 The island had an interesting dwelling which looks
very old but unfortunately I couldn't read the Russian information
notice.
 The building seems to be just a shed. It shows
clearly the construction of the solid walls using lime cement, local boulders
and bricks made on the main island. There is no attempt made to dress the
boulders so they stick out of the walls on the outside and inside.
There was a wooden chapel on the island but it was
not very interesting.
 In the middle of the island there was a massive
collection of stones which appear to have been for some purpose. Noone seems to
know what they were for but we were told they have been there at least 3,000
years.
 At some time several mini mazes had been planted in
the heather. You could walk around them or just rest on the fragrant
vegetation.
 This seemed a popular activity.
At about 1900 we returned to our boats and left for
Archangel after sorting out the anchors which had dragged. The trip was 150nm to
the centre of Archangel.
 We met up at the receiving buoy and a pilot boat
came to put a pilot aboard for the 30 mile trip up the channel. There was a lot
of smoke coming in which reduced the visibility, I think it was caused by forest
fires.
 The channel and first signs of civilisation.
 At about 0500 we were greeted by these very excited
youngsters in an aluminium speedboat. They were very friendly shouting a whole
load of incomprehensible russian. After a while they went straight in front of
Williwaw and stopped dead. If Michael had not swerved sharply to miss them they
would have had very wet clothes to go with their hangovers.
We initially moored up to the wharf in three deep
rafts but were told to move after a few hours as it was a ferry terminal for the
oldest paddle steamer in Archangel.
 We then moved further down the quay and moored to a
floating crane.
 We managed to get our heads down for a few hours
sleep.
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