Sometimes I am lost for words. Okay, those people who know me in real life can just stop laughing right now. I am lost for words that can begin to capture the joy, the happiness, the laughter and the fun that accompanies the first time out sailing for the season.




As you can see, we were blessed with a glorious spring day and even though I had dinner for twelve people to prepare for tomorrow, it was far too nice a day to waste it inside - the sun and the sea beckoned, so we found that it was hard to resist the call of the sea and off we set.

I am astounded that the ice disappeared so quickly. Six days ago, the area around our boat looked like this:




That ice still seemed pretty thick. It was certainly strong enough to support the weight of the swans, who at around 15 kg are a pretty hefty sized bird. They walked around quite confidently and I recall wondering at the time if there was ever going to be a thaw. My hopes brightened a couple of days later when I saw a group of kids standing on the shore opposite where the boat is moored. It was beautiful and sunny and they were watching the swans, who had gathered around hopefully with thoughts of a potential source of a free handout. I noted at the time that the ice was melting slowly in the inner part of the bay, over by the sunny side of the shore. But that was only four days ago - I felt that it would still be a long time before the boat was free from ice.




But in the space of a few days, the scene has changed so completely that now the ice seems like just a bad dream and the blue water lays ahead beckoning us to come out and play. The early morning radio weather forecast was for sunny conditions with light winds and a possible temperature of 14C, which I know sounds cold to most Australians, but it is considerably warmer than the weather we have been having for the last six months so it feels relatively warm to us.

Once outside, we felt that the chill has left the air and conditions would be perfect for our first cruise of the season. It would only be for a few hours - just a chance to glide around locally, find a nice bay, enjoy a coffee break and then glide home again. We spent some time packing away tools, packing up the cockpit tent, trying to remember our usual routines before we set off, leaving the township in our wake.




The joy of a four day weekend is that you can spend your time doing as you please, with no meetings, interruptions, appointments - it's like the real world is on hold for that time. We saw so many people out today enjoying the sunshine. The shore was lined with small groups of fishermen tucked away in every nook and cranny. There were children out on the small private piers lining the island of Trehörningen watching while dad went out to check his nets - the air was full of the sounds of laughter and families out enjoying themselves.




It wasn't only the humans who were out in force today - I noticed that a large variety of birds have made their way here over the last few days. Across from our town, hidden in the reeds and among the rocks of the archipelago we saw the usual gulls, ducks and coots we have been observing for several weeks. But there were also grebes (doppingar), oystercatchers (strandskatar), black-headed gulls (skrattmåsar), terns (tärnor), eider (ejder) and one of my favourites - the very pretty long-tailed duck (alfåglar).




The noise was deafening in places as the birds squabbled among themselves, fighting to secure both a mate and a suitable nesting place to begin breeding. I don't know how they can bear living in such noisy proximity to each other. Another bird has also returned - and this one is loathed by the local fishermen, who complain bitterly about their exploding numbers and the amount of fish they eat. This is the infamous cormorants (skarvar), who were hanging around like ... well, shags on a rock!




We were surprised that the wind out on the water was fresher and stronger than the forecast led us to believe it would be. It was blowing from the south-west which meant "on the nose" in the direction we were taking. This meant that we would go by engine along the fjärd but would be able to hoist the foresail and glide home downwind later on - unless the wind became spiteful and turned northerly.

The water glittered ahead, the people on the shore watched as we went past and we enjoyed the peace and quiet of being the only sailing boat out on the water. Most boats are still on land, with people spending Easter working frantically to be ready to launch them in a couple of weeks. So I felt especially happy that we elect to stay in the water all year, giving us a chance to enjoy days like this. Really it was a perfect day.





We thought we would swing into the main boat club bay and check out the activity at the wharf. As you can see, most boats are still covered, with people busy polishing, scraping, painting under the covers. I think that Swedes must have the best maintained hulls in the world as they take them up every year to paint, sand and polish everything thoroughly.




Heading back out into the main channel, Lambi came up out of her basket to smell the aroma of spring and check out the horizon. This was when we spotted another yacht out on the water. We recognised it as a ketch that has been at the local guest harbour all winter and they too must have taken advantage of the ideal conditions to take out their boat for a spin as well. So we were not alone after all!




A little further down the coastline, we eased our way into a pretty little bay and anchored out in the sunshine while I went inside and put on coffee and tea so we could sit outside and enjoy the fresh air for a while. This bay is part of a nature reserve and the place where we came last year for the bonfire on Valborgsmässoafton last year. We'll be coming here again on April 30th - and it will feel good to be viewing it from the water this time rather than from the land.




As in other parts of Nynäshamn today, there were a lot of people out driving along the coastal road, walking through this part of the nature reserve, sitting on the rocks sunning themselves and fishing off the small headlands and points. We were happy just to sit and relax for a while with a warm drink, enjoying the sunshine and the feeling of peace which one gets out on the water.




That also extends to the non-human member of today's crew. She settled back into her usual onboard routine right away - the usual getting in the way at critical moments, then sleeping in her basket a while, before hogging the thickest, softest cushion in the best spot - after begging for food, of course. And they call it "a dog's life" as though that was a bad thing. I wouldn't mind this dog's life.




After a while, we uncovered the foresail, drew up the anchor and edged out of the shallow bay back into deeper water, where we turned off the engine and savoured the instant silence - I love it! The only sounds were the distant seabird colonies, the occasional flap as the sails filled with wind and the gentle swish-swish as the boat cut effortlessly through the water at a slow and easy 3-4 knots. Even more people on the shore stopped to look and I think a few of them were feeling that the sight of a sailing boat out on the water means that spring was really here. Summer holidays must be really close.....




It was such a fabulous afternoon and evening from start to finish and it was surely the first of many happy times we'll be spending on the water this year.

When we arrived home, we ate a little of our Memma. This is a traditional Finnish Easter treat that I like to have every year. The Finns call it Mämmi and it is a type of dark brown porridge and tastes like a thick, grainy pudding made with treacle (although there isn't any treacle in the recipe). It is something that Lars-Göran remembers fondly from his childhood Easters in Vasa. We served it topped with sugar and thickened cream.



Absolutely deadly on the waistline, but as a once a year treat - delicious. And a perfect end to a perfect spring day.

To all who celebrate it, I wish you a very Happy Easter or Glad Påsk for tomorrow! Enjoy your day wherever you may be.