We set off in overcast conditions and as we passed Oxelösund, it looked so depressing that we decided not to stop. Maybe it was the weather, but the place looked like those Dickensian views of a 19th century factory that I had no desire to go there. Luckily the weather improved in late afternoon and we made our way across the water towards the large island of Arkö where we intended to find a bay to anchor in for the night.

Along the way, I spotted a strange object in the water. I peered through my binoculars and was so surprised to see it was a seal! My first sighting of a seal here in Sweden. It was the Baltic Grey Seal. I was really excited. It was so quiet, calm and graceful.



Lars-Göran had also seen it and was reaching for the binoculars when I said “It’s a seal!� He said he thought it might be a corpse! I think he’s been watching too many episodes of “Forensic Detectives� and probably imagines himself appearing on it with the voiceover “A Swedish couple out sailing in Bråviken this summer made a gruesome discocery....�

The sighting of the seal really lifted our spirits. We watched it swim leisurely through the water between the rocks and then disappear. It was quite large, so I guessed it may be a fully grown male. There are a lot of areas around here that are designated “Seal Protection Areas� and you are forbidden to go there at all. I believe that their numbers in the Baltic are declining, which is sad. Later on in the early evening, we saw a smaller seal swimming close to the boat – again the picture of elegance and charm. What delightful animals they are.

We moored in a small bay on the north of the island and all night we heard the calls of seals in the area. What plaintive voices they have. In the morning, we sat out in the cockpit in glorious sunshine, with this view:



Tough life, isn’t it? But some of us just HAVE to do it. Even the white swan in the picture is just getting ready for the day. It is beautiful and sunny and as we look towards the horizon we see that some keen people have made an early start.



But not us! We are after all on vacation. What is it with people supposedly “on holidays� who feel they must start off at 7am and rush to the next stop? So we decided to take out the dinghy again and have a look at the skerries nearby. Even Lambi (complete with her dog life jacket) joins us for these excursions.



On the way, we passed a lovely lighthouse with lighthouse keeper’s cottage attached at Viskär. It looked so charming and had a great outlook across the water. Today, the lighthouse no longer is manned, but it is rented out as a summer cottage.



We stopped at Brändskär – one of the outer skerries that dot the coatline. These skerries (or “skär� as they are called in Swedish) are solid rock that have been worn smooth by glacial action during the last ice age. They contain little rockpools of fresh water (which is why many of them are favoured by birds and designated as bird protection areas), a myriad of plants and all in the setting of the glittering blue sea. They are quite a sight on a warm summer day.



Lambi and I took a break from climbing the rocks to rest by a fresh rainwater pool and admire the view – well, actually I admired the view, Lambi was more interested in finding something revolting to roll in.



From the skerry you can see the lighthouse on shore, framed by the stunning clouds. I really love the clouds here in Sweden. I think I’d never really noticed them that much in Adelaide, but here they seem to mass up in huge banks and fill the sky in great rolling processions. It can be quite a majestic sight.



I marvelled at the profusion of wildflowers on this bare outcrop. What an inhospitable, hostile environment for them to cling on to. But every summer, despite the stark, barren environment they manage to flower and grow.



We watched boats glide by along this section of the Sjö-Fyra, including this OE-36, which is identical to our boat. It was nice to see what she looks like under sail.



By now, it was late morning and glancing at the water, we saw a sea of white sails billowing in the distance, beckoning us to raise the anchor and join in with them. It’s a lovely typically Swedish summery sight.



We took one last look around the fascinating rocks and flowers of the skerry and headed back to the boat.



We then set off for Arkösund. Along the way, we passed many houses and cottages along the shore and lighthoses glittering in the sunshine.



Now, this is living!