can we help
+44(0)1983 296060
+1 757-788-8872
tell me moreJoin a rally

Menu

Jumbuck - Baltic Rally Leg 7 - Helsinki Finland to Arland, Finland



We really enjoyed our few day in Helsinki, wandering off to check out design museums along with some furniture shops. One can't help but be impressed with the volume of great styling that comes from this relatively lowly populated country. I thought it was all wonderful stuff.

Not cheap, but them most things here appear built to last, and as the locals tell you in faultless English, quality has a cost.

We then had a beautiful few days cruising our way westward through the thousands of islands, with the fleet dissipating as we all made differing choices on the anchorages chosen each night. Sailing or motoring after dark would not be recommended as very few of the channel marks are lit. It's hard enough keeping track of where you are and where your going during daylight hours, and you can't afford to make any mistakes with so many hidden boulders lurking just below the surface.

Our French pals on Boisbarbu learnt the hard way trying to sneak into an anchorage that looked perfect. It scared all of them when they clunked some rocks, and the boats momentum slid them over into a boulder surrounded hole. They had no choice but to get back out the same way, with more bashing and crashing. Lucky for them, nothing but cosmetic damage to the keel.

The local charts are crisscrossed with track lines of surveyed know depths, and one tends to plan your route dependant on the draft of you boat. The closer you get to the Finnish coastline, generally the shallower the route. The islands stretch out maybe 25 miles into the Gulf of Finland and we tended to plan routes between the coast and about 5 miles off. It gave us a good blend of sailable open waters, interspersed with narrow channels or passages twix the islets and rocks. Most of the islands have small wooden family cabins, with adjoining boat decks, and a seemingly obligatory flagpole. They raise the national flag on arrival to let near neighbours know they are home.

We cross tracks with Norwegian pals on the Sweden 45 'Capraia' for one 15 mile windward bash. Couldn't quite beat them, but guess that's the difference between spending 100 as opposed to 600 grand! But they did get a great video clip of us thrashing to windward in 20+ knots of breeze, and I will post it once they've emailed it to me. Anyway, all stunning stuff, all day.

First night out we ended up in an old Viking anchorage called Gropen, where we were later joined by Paul and Elaine from their Island Packet 'Jennie B'. He's a carbon copy of Lee Mack, both visually and in humour. Nice company.

We covered maybe 60 miles that first day, and arose early to do another 80 from Gropen to the somewhat larger island of Kokar. I mean it's not huge, about 250 residents, but it's popular with campers and has small community of shop, bar and fuel pumps, in another well protected natural harbour.

Good sailing getting there. The wind, although not strong, had swung to the south so most of the passage was reaching interspersed with some spinnaker work when the track turned northward, and some engine work when the track turned south.

In fact we ended the afternoon with a 20 mile spinnaker run up to Kokar and not surprisingly, found another ten rally boats already in the recommended anchorage. Nice evening social ashore sitting on the sun warmed rock, sippin beer from very rustic outdoor bar, with great music sung by a couple of young Finnish girls, Ellie Golding with harmonics style helping to make it a night to remember. Kokars surface is like one huge flat boulder, smoothed off in glacial times, with little dips that in the centuries since have filled with dirt and vegetation. No beaches, just gentle sloping smooth stone looking like man made landing ramps. Awesome.

Day three saw us setting sail and running before a blustery south easterly, covering the 50 miles from Kokar to our current location, Mariehamn on Åland. Fabulous sail. Winds went up (max 25 knots) and down (5 knots) but the course, again winding up down and everywhichway, was basically north west. Topped 10 knots several times just broad reaching under plain sail. Dodgy piloting at times, as some huge ferries share some of the passages - and they don't take any prisoners!

We are now moored in the ASS Marina on Åland, a lively pretty conference island owned by the Finns, but with special tax free status that leads to lots of visitors. Swedish is the main language spoken, but of course they all speak perfect English also. Our weathers still baking ho, and without a Bimini the cockpits a sun trap. The parties are still happening every night on differing boats, and Headaches still arrive most mornings. Restaurants ashore here are nice but a bit pricy - last night about 100€ for a couple with one bottle of wine.

How do I rate this place? 10/10. Pretty. Great showers / sauna. Free strong wifi. Free laundry. Great posh restaurant and another super pizza pub.

Tonight's a crew sundowner on the dock, before an early night, as tomorrow we head onwards towards Stockholm. We aim to do maybe 60 miles and anchor in the Swedish Archipeligo, then sail on into Stockholm the next day. With a zero alcohol limit when driving or in charge of a boat, the only place one can get drunk in Sweden is when you are firmly ashore!

Previous | Next