Near Saltsjö-Duvnas

On Sunday, June 12, we pulled up anchor at 11:20 a.m. in Varnöfladen. The weather was lovely but the wind was only briefly above 10 knots, so we only sailed a short distance before resorting to the engine. 

Our next destination was Napoleonviken. Surprise! We discovered that it was the destination of dozens of other boats when we steered into the long entrance to the well-protected harbor. We had already determined that the Scandinavian way of dropping a stern anchor and then maneuvering up to the rocks and taking a line to shore would not work for us since we have a plumb bow and a bowsprit. Without really going into the large anchorage area (which, as we found out later while on the paddle board, had lots of space), Peter decided to stop and try Med mooring with modifications. We dropped the bow anchor, then Peter hauled the stern anchor, chain and rode up from the forepeak and back to the swim platform. He attached the line at the beam of the boat and dropped the anchor of the starboard side of the stern. Then he took his paddle board and carried a line to shore and tied it to a tree. The whole process took an hour; just dropping the main anchor would have taken less than 10 minutes!

Although the sun was shining brightly, he had chosen to place us to the east of a tree-covered ridge, so we were in the shade, and I missed the warmth of the sun. He went out to explore on his paddle board while I chose to read a book. When he returned, he suggested we both go on land. I sat on the front of the paddle board while he took us to a tiny cove. We were able to get out on the weed-choked shore and climb up a short distance to see Mantra in her shadowed spot. 

Peter off on his paddle board

Mantra backed into the rocky shore

Sunset glow on the ridge on the opposite shore

This morning, Peter continued splicing a loop into a long line and I cleaned all the fenders. Around noon, we started to free ourselves from out three-point anchoring system. Untying the line to the shore was simple. The stern anchor, which was actually off the starboard side, was more of a challenge. While Peter let out chain on the bow anchor to created slack in the stern anchor line, I labored to pull the line in and free the anchor. A couple times, Peter came to the cockpit and used the winch handle while I tailed the line; finally, the tension eased and he returned to the bow. Still, the anchor would not budge. Peter returned and we struggled together until we could see the anchor--embedded in a 15-20 meter decaying tree trunk! Well, that explained the difficulty we were having. Finally, with me at the wheel, Peter raised the bow anchor and we were off. It only took 45 minutes!

Peter going to the bow to raise the anchor

We then headed north, meandering around the numerous islands and rocks to get to Saltsjö-Duvnas, where I had arranged to leave the boat for four weeks while we make a few journeys by air and car. However, the yacht haven by that name where we stopped was a private marina. We were in the wrong place! And the man with whom I had spoken just the previous day was not answering his phone! And I had not eaten a meal for about 7 hours. It was a desperate situation. Peter remained calm as we cast off and turned back to a small marina we had passed while I made myself a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. 

We were surveying it and wondering where we might berth if this was the correct place when the owner, Pers, returned my anxious calls and directed us into the marina. Peter steered us in and we tied up to a beautiful, brand-new dock at a marina in a relatively remote place. Pers, a very friendly and helpful man, arrived about a half hour later, welcomed us and told us we were on the wrong dock! (Once again, a private dock) But we were in the right marina at least. The wind was up, and we agreed that it would be best to wait for it to diminish before moving to our designated place.

I was starting to lay out clothes and gifts to pack when Peter called down to tell me a man to whom we had been referred by an English expat living along the Göta Canal was coming to visit. He had waved to us as they passed us at the last anchorage. Only a short time later, Johan and his wife Elizabeth arrived. They live nearby and have a large powerboat. They brought us rhubarb pie and we chatted. With their help, and that of Pers, who happened to return to the marina at that time, we brought the bow of Mantra into a Y-dock and tied up alongside a pier. Peter is now working to secure her for four weeks. Pers will return in the morning to review the weekly checks we have requested.

So, we are almost set to fly to the U.S. on July 15. We are staying at a hotel at the Stockholm airport tomorrow night because our flight is at 7:30 a.m. First we will go to Rochester, New York, where our daughter Katya is now living. After a couple days there, the three of us will drive to Ocean City, Maryland, for the annual Rodgers family beach vacation. Matthew is flying on Friday from London to Washington, D.C., and he and our good friend Lori will drive to the beach on Saturday. 

Matthew, Katya, Peter and I will stay at Lori's house in Washington for a couple days after the week's holiday at the beach. Peter and I return to Europe on August 2 and will go to Lìege to see Sam and Emi and their new baby boy Marius as well as there families. Then, we fly to London to meet up with Liz and all fly to Gibraltar for the wedding of our niece Immie (Liz's god-daughter) and her fiancé Miguel. 

On August 11, we return to Mantra, and the blog posts will resume then.