Sweden Yacht Rally and Siaröfortet

by Maggie Joyce on 9 Aug 2016 The water temperature is 19° and the evening is a balmy 22°. We are completely protected from the breeze by the island, which has also been part of the protection for Sweden from invasion. A fort cleverly disguised as a large rock is left behind on the island here for the visitors to explore. Our group had a very impressive guided tour of the fort, which is now open to the public.

Some of the islands in the archipelago are summer only destinations, so you need to pick your timing carefully when you sail Sweden. Siaröfortet has a conference room, a guest house and small guest marina. We have tied our seven large (by Swedish standards) yachts to the shore here.

The water is like a lake, with the exception of an occasional slight swell caused by the ferries passing along the seaway. Moored as we are, we are using two of the yachts to step ashore onto the ancient rounded boulders that fringe the pine covered island.

Foraging* while helping to secure the yachts reveals some natural treasures growing here. The wild blueberries are tiny but tasty and the bright red, slightly sour lingonberries are irresistible.

Foraging is a wonderful and very foreign concept. We found this slightly amusing video that explains it a little more, well...sort What is Foraging?

Ashore, the path to the guest house is soft with pine needles underfoot and the moss covered hillside beneath the pines is quiet and inviting. We take a torch to walk the 100 metres to dinner at the guesthouse, and find that when we leave the long daylight hours make the use of the torch totally unnecessary!

Replete with the tasty meal Veronica has cooked at her guesthouse, we retire to a peaceful night in this natural haven only a few hours by yacht, but a million light years, from Stockholm! Sitting back in the cockpit of the yacht surprise, surprise, it is still daylight and it is ten o’clock!

And this is only the first day, we still have another 13 to go! Wonderful!