A WEEK AFLOAT STOCKHOLM ARCHIPELAGO All within a day’s sail of mainland Sweden, these islands offer stunning scenery and the chance to escape the crowds, as Nigel Wollen discovers

Words Nigel Wollen o t o h P k c o t S y m a l A / n i l l e S s r e d n A A WEEK AFLOAT y a r m I

y t t e G

DO YOU ONLY HAVE The Stockholm archipelago or Skärgård (pronounced shair-gord) is a fabulous cruising ground. It consists A WEEK TO SPARE? of no fewer than 30,000 islands scattered along For those of us who are time poor but who nearly 100 miles of coastline, and all within a day’s want to seize the moment, either on our sail of the mainland. The inner islands are heavily wooded and are dotted with many small gästhamnen, own boat or on a charter, it is reassuring to ‘guest harbours’, ideal for visitors, as well as know that there are plenty of cruising hubs numerous sheltered ‘nature harbours’ where you can from where we can enjoy some of the best of swing to your anchor or moor to the rocks. The outer ABOVE: islands offer a bit more of a pilotage challenge but Most charter the region in only a few days. This series, have their own wild beauty. companies are The great luxuries of the Baltic are the absence of based in or around A Week Afloat, commissioned by Yachting Saltsjöbaden any appreciable tide and long daylight hours in Monthly and Imray, visits some ideal summer. Summer winds don’t normally exceed Force LEFT: destinations and suggests a one-week 5, and within the archipelago the water is flat and Bullerö, like many there is always somewhere to find a sheltered spot. of the islands in the itinerary. Each article, complete with The summer weather is surprisingly warm, with outer Skärgård has expanded information about cruising each a more exposed swimming and barbecues very much the order of the and rugged feel, area, will be available as a PDF download day. Everywhere you go you will find a sauna, some although there are via Imray’s website or Google Play Books. just a little hut on the edge of the water. plenty of protected The area is well charted, and navigation is relatively anchorages straightforward, but you do need to keep a constant track of your position as you will often be sailing Nigel Wollen has owned his Bowman 40 much closer to rocks than you are used to. You also Wish Hound since 1990 and has cruised need to keep a close eye open for the huge ferries, extensively from the Azores to Iceland. which can appear very unexpectedly around an island He is a past Commodore of the Royal and always have right of way! Cruising Club and is the chairman of the Several charter companies are dotted around Royal Cruising Club Pilotage Foundation. the outskirts of Stockholm, but most are based in

www.yachtingmonthly.com 65 A WEEK AFLOAT

RIGHT: Cruisers here need a bag of bergskils, iron pegs that you can hammer into crevices to create mooring points when mooring to the rocks BELOW: Björkskär offers many picturesque anchorages o t o h P k c o t S y m a l A

y l /

h s t e n g o a M m I g r n i e THE t n h h c a o

J LOCAL Y PILOT The Stockholm archipelago

The Skärgård is made up of 30,000 islands y a r m I

66 www.yachtingmonthly.com A WEEK AFLOAT

Summer weather is surprisingly warm, with swimming and barbecues very much the order of the day or near to Saltsjöbaden, about half an hour’s train DAY 2: BELOW INSET: The ride from the city centre. Saltsjöbaden has long been GRÖNSKÄRSFLADEN TO SANDHAMN (16 MILES) red clapboard an elegant spa and summer resort and the harbour is Another day of contrasts. Leave the anchorage and houses on Grönskär are dominated by the palatial Grand Hotel. head southwest for 1.5 miles, then through the typical of narrow passage south of Gillinge, before turning into this region DAY 1: the Biskopsfjärden. Careful pilotage is called for as SALTSJÖBADEN TO GRÖNSKÄRSFLADEN, JUNGFRUSKÄR you head northeast, leaving Långviksskär and BELOW LEFT: Sandhamn is the (15 MILES) Hallskär to starboard. Stop for lunch and perhaps a main yachting It is an easy day’s sail from the relative bustle of swim at one of the anchorages on the beautiful island centre in the Saltsjöbaden to one of the beautiful ‘nature harbours’ of Bullerö. If time allows, enjoy a walk across the archipelago in the heart of the Skärgård - first recommended to island with its wonderful views, or maybe try your us by a local sailor and now a firm favourite. first authentic sauna. Sail southeast down the Baggensfjärden, one of A seven-mile sail north takes you to the island of several ‘fjärdens’, or channels, which are often named Sandön and, on its north coast, Sandhamn, the after the adjoining islands. The channel will take you ‘Cowes of Sweden’, which has around 200 visitors’ north of the islands of Älgö and Ägnö and into the berths, with all facilities, run by the Royal Swedish Ingaröfjärden. The steep wooded shores are dotted Yacht Club (KSSS). It is very picturesque, with with fine summerhouses, complete with private clapboard houses set along sandy roads, and there docks and saunas. are good beaches around the island. The famous Continue across the main channel, the Sandhamns Värdshus restaurant, dating from 1672, Nämdöfjärden, towards the conspicuous islet of is a must for an evening drink or meal. The helpful Mörtöklubb, and then head towards the anchorage of harbour staff will always try to find you a berth, but if Grönskärsfladen which is an almost landlocked it is too busy head for the additional KSSS visitors’ lagoon between the islands of Grönskär and berths just to the north, on Löckholmen. Jungfruskär. The narrow dog-legged entrance takes you very close to the rocks, but all will be well if you DAY 3: take it slowly and stick to the well-marked transits. SANDHAMN TO LÖKAÖ o t

There is good holding, or you can tie up to the rocks. ÖSTERVIK (14 MILES) o h P

There are no facilities except two self-composting Leaving Sandhamn via k c o toilets ashore, but the surroundings are stunning. the narrow but well t S

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www.yachtingmonthly.com 67 The islands are dotted with many small If you moor at Vaxholm be aware ‘guest harbours’, ideal for visitors of the wash from the ferries

buoyed passage north of Korsö, head up the From the north end of the Möjaström, head north LEFT: Close to Björkskärsfjärden which is relatively clear of hazards. across the main channel, the Möja Västerfjärd, and Stora Jolpan is the The attractive island group of Björkskär is only about into the well buoyed channel which leads into the nature reserve of Finnhamn eight miles away and provides several possible Finnhamn island group. Here you can choose anchorages for a lunch stop. There is a good public between the guest harbour at Söder Långholm and BELOW: Vasa sauna on the Kråkvilan peninsula, which you pay for the beautiful Paradiset anchorage on the west side of Museet in via an honesty box. From Björskär, turn Stora Jolpan. They are both very popular, so if you Stockholm is built around the northwestwards and head between the islands of prefer a quieter spot head to the nearby islands of salvaged Tvikobb and Roskär. Give a wide berth to the rocks Kålö or Storskäret. shipwreck of the north of Tvikobb and Vidbusken 17th century before turning southwestwards DAY 5: warship, Vasa, which sank in for the entrance to the Östervik FINNHAMN TO VAXHOLM (18 MILES) Stockholm in 1628 anchorage on Lökaö. This is No visit would be complete without a another classic nature harbour, visit to historic Vaxholm, often called well sheltered except in strong the ‘Capital of the Skärgård’. From easterlies (in which case head for the Kåksna-Lökaholmarna anchorage just a mile south).

DAY 4: o t o LÖKAÖ TO FINNHAMN (12 MILES) h P

k You are likely to need the engine as you head north in c o t quick succession through two narrow, spectacular S y passages. After the Bockösundet between Lökaö and m a l Bockö, you then turn southwestwards down the A

/ Norrfjärden for little more than a mile before turning d o o to starboard into the even narrower Möjaström w e l t between Möja and Södermöja. Both provide close-up t i L views of the delightful clapboard boathouses and y m

e bothies which stand out along the shore in their r e

J matching rust red livery.

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