It is a mild, sunny morning with good winds and we see that a lot of boats are sailing today - always a lovely sight in summer.



Our route today takes us south of Sandhamn, past Bullerö where we stayed in June and then slightly south east of there to the outside islands of the archipelago at Långviksskär. This is meant to be a striking island group, but I am a little concerned that our charts for the area are 1:50,000 which don't give enough fine detail in such an area filled with shoals. I wish we had a specialised 1:10,000 scale chart from Hydrographica. I hope Santa is reading this blog!

Anyway, we use the paper chart we have plus the computer navigation and manage to make our way carefully in through the stones to the north of the main island. We try to anchor twice in a bay, but it is too rocky and the anchor doesn't grip. So, with me standing at the fore looking for shoals and yelling instructions, we weave our way into a tiny rock filled lagoon and drop anchor there. It doesn't grip too well, either, but we are protected from wind as long as it doesn't shift too dramatically, so we decide to leave her there for the night.

Our dinghy engine also refuses to start after being so reliable, so we can't explore very far which is a little disappointing as the islands look very inviting. But Lars-Göran does go out for a row, while the patient little puppy watches anxiously at the fore for his return.



As a reward for looking so cute on his return, he loads her basket in the dinghy and takes her out for an evening row. Romantic or what? God only knows what the other boat owners thought when they rowed by. And he accuses ME of spoiling the dog and turning her into a lap dog! Hmmm. I can think of three words. Pot. Kettle. Black. That is one very indulged little poodle I can tell you and most of that comes from her pappa!



During the night the wind does shift and I feel the boat go aground. It's not serious in these winds but the early morning forecast is for increasing winds today, up to gale force with rain. Oh joy! Another rainy day. So we really have to move the boat to a safer place. We study the charts and see that there is a large pond like anchorage on the southern island of Söderö, so after a quick breakfast we spend some time getting Fiona off ground and make our way southwards in the deteriorating weather.

We took a look first at the southern part of the main island but it is hopelessly full of shoals so we really have no choice but to hope that the anchor grips in Söderö. There are a few boats tied up to cliffs, but we choose to anchor in a channel with the huge islet called The Cathederal (Domkyrkan) to give us lee from the increasing north east winds. We put up the cockpit tent and look out as the rain begins.

This wet weather is getting trying. Normally we don't mind too much as we can settle down with a good book and enjoy warm tea and toast while staying warm and dry under shelter. But we have run out of good books, having read the few we brought with us. That was not very organised of us. I am also dying to wash our sheets and quilt covers but have been unable to in this weather, so we feel that really it is time to think about heading home to get more books, enjoy the comforts of home, do the laundry and wait for better weather.

The rain does clear briefly for Lars-Göran to go up to the top of the island and look around. It is very pretty here, even on this wet, dreary day, so imagine how wonderful it looks in the sunshine.



Fiona looks like a little tiny toy boat down there and it is really unusual to see how few boats there are moored here even though it is July. I guess in the wet weather people don't go to nature bays but head to the guest harbours in towns where they can leave the boat and do something different.



Perhaps we are restless because we haven't got good books to read. We are both keen bookworms and feel that reading is such a pleasure that it feels like a punishment when we can't read. I'm sure that is what is making us feel a little down. We are around 32 nautical miles from home, so we can make that in a day or two if we get good conditions. The winds are great for that journey at the moment, but once this low pressure system passes us, the wind will shift south west and that is NOT good. We decide that we have to start early tomorrow and try and get as much mileage under our belt before the wind shift.

That decision made has lifted our spirits somewhat, so we can sleep a little easier tonight.