Sweden Yacht Rally - Part II

by Maggie Joyce on 9 Aug 2016 They tie up to the rocks, take their BBQ ashore in the evening and just stay. There is no sense of urgency and moving on does not seem to be in their plans. So while we are leaving to see the next place on our program, many of these boats just seem to be summer rock limpets, perfectly happy to stay in one place.

Our crews are happy to anchor in nature bays one day and then move to a marina with restaurant and facilities the next. One of the issues we are faced with is power and keeping all the gear charged and ready for use. Many of our rally travellers have businesses to run back home (including us!), so we are conscious of planning a sailing route that keeps us all plugged in when we need to be. It also helps to have a hot shower and Wi-Fi every now and then, so we always factor that in to the program.

The other evening, we arrived quite late into Rodloga, around 9:30PM, which is not an issue here considering the long daylight hours. With the BBQ cooled and stowed, we sat on anchor in the quiet bay, just soaking up the stillness. A little later in the evening another yacht arrived in the bay, we soon made friends with Fredrick and his daughter Johanna who had arrived from Stockholm in a 25 foot Albin. Introductions, greetings and a chat over a nightcap, had Fredrick volunteering to race with us to the Royal Swedish Yacht Club in race three the next day. Great! We retired to bed to get some sleep for race day.

The Albin, is a small yacht but it turns out she is actually very fast. Frederick and Johanna start at the windward end of our start line to give a little advantage. Johanna is at the helm and Frederik does the ‘strings’. The little 'Teddie' finishes with our fleet of seven in very good time.

The finish line was set by the Royal Swedish Yacht Club and we are then welcomed into the marina for drinks at the clubhouse before a delicious and well-earned dinner. We had completed an eighteen nautical mile course into the wind, so the crews slept well and early with the exception of the intrepid ‘stayers’ who joined Fredrik and Johanna for a ‘sink the boat’ party aboard Teddie. We did not manage to sink the little boat but with 14 people aboard it was a cosy party.

Today is bright and sunny and we are staying in the marina in Sandhamn to enjoy the local pubs, cafes, restaurants, shops and nature walks. The hospitality here is heart-warming, and we just love the interaction with the Swedish people we meet along the way.