For one hundred thousand years, the last ice age ruled northern Europe with a heavy hand. An enormous glacier armour the height of a mountain range not only covered Scandinavia, its icy grip reached as far as present-day Germany.
Around ten thousand years ago, the climate changed again: it slowly began to get warmer again. The shrinking glaciers retreated to more northerly latitudes and the Baltic Sea was created from their meltwater. But the land, freed from the weight of the ice masses, was also able to breathe a sigh of relief in the truest sense of the word.
Islands and land bridges rose out of the sea, and the coastlines formed into the image we recognise from the maps of the Baltic Sea. Deeper basins remained covered by water, but where it was shallower, the sea bed, carved by the glaciers, became visible again and created a fascinating type of landscape: the archipelago.
Its alternating pattern of water and rock, with its ascetic barrenness, has long been one of Scandinavia's classic postcard motifs. The rugged archipelago areas (the term possibly once actually meant "sharply cut off" in Nordic) are correspondingly popular as a holiday region - and their special charm is best discovered on your own keel.
Turku, Finland
Turku, early August: We arrived in south-west Finland by plane yesterday. After a night in the hotel, our boat is now waiting for us: the motor yacht "Rolling Swiss 2" from the Cruising Club of Switzerland. On the
13.30 metre Trader 42, the club offers training and cruising trips for members. This year, the Baltic Sea as far as St. Petersburg was on the programme - stage by stage.
However, we are on board as guests for another, particularly attractive part of the journey: from Turku we will first sail through the archipelago to the Åland Islands and from there, after a short hop across the open sea, we will continue through the Stockholm archipelago to the Swedish capital, which we want to reach at the end of the week.
With our bags over our backs, we walk along the banks of the Aurajoki, which flows right through Turku, looking for our boat downstream towards the ferry harbour: there, a fluttering Swiss cross on the flagpole - that stands out in Finland! The "Rolling Swiss 2" is well moored in a box in the harbour. "Vierasvenesatama" - of the guest harbour.
All around us there is a mix of hustle and bustle and a relaxed holiday atmosphere. No wonder! The weather is midsummer (and every Scandinavian appreciates that), the weekend has begun and the short season up here will soon be over again anyway. Flip-flops, shorts and sunglasses dominate the scene, while day cruisers and dinghy cruisers are loaded up with barbecues and chilled drinks for a short holiday in the archipelago.
We don't want to be left behind! After our boat has been taken over by the old crew and the inventory lists have been synchronised, we also have to go shopping. We take the cable ferry to the supermarket on the other bank and push two shopping trolleys staggering under their heavy loads back to the guest harbour.
So we share the wide main fairway with a whole armada of day trippers, but also with large ferries, as we steer a south-westerly course and later a little further south into the island world of Turku's archipelago. The term couldn't be more fitting at first: On the shores of its wooded coasts, jetties with boats and weekend houses behind them appear again and again - marvellous corners for relaxing in the garden of the "big city" of Turku.
Speaking of Finland: in the south and west of the country, Swedes make up the majority of the population in many communities, and the language and traditions are cultivated accordingly. As a result, many islands and places have two names, such as our first destination for the day, the well-equipped marina of the municipality of Nagu, as it is called in Swedish, or Nauvo in Finnish.
Nagu (Nauvo), Turkush bears
Around 21 nautical miles from Turku lies Nagu on the island of Storlandet, one of the larger islands in the archipelago and a popular destination for summer holidaymakers - on land and at sea. This is evidenced not only by the two pretty wooden hotels or the colourful stalls on the Harbour but also the 120 available berths, which are particularly popular in July. If you want to be on the safe side, book by telephone (tel. 00358 (0)45 321 34 00).
An integral part of evening life in Nagu is "Najaden", an old archipelago steamer that has been converted into a rustic "sail-in pizzeria". What comes out of the oven here is something to be proud of! There's also Lapin Kulta on tap and - later in the evening - "Horna", which is made from vodka, liquorice and salmiak pastilles. Incidentally, the name is said to mean hell - quite fitting ...
We continue on a westerly course the next morning, into the open archipelago. The traffic quickly decreases and holiday homes are also becoming increasingly rare. Instead, the islands become smaller, more barren - and more numerous. The fairway leads past dozens, hundreds of rocky humps, jagging in one direction and then the other. Beacons and plastic buoys mark the critical points, which often seem deceptively safe - until the excellent nautical chart reminds you how shallow the sea is here in many places.
After just under forty nautical miles, the wake of the "Rolling Swiss 2" crosses the invisible border to the Åland Islands.
The archipelago - where only Swedish is spoken - belongs to Finland, but enjoys extensive autonomy. That's why it's good form to swap the Finnish flag for the blue, yellow and red guest flag of Åland on the starboard side.
Lappo, Åland Islands
In the warm evening light, we make our way to the cosy Guest harbour in the east of the island of Lappo fixed. Red facades glow in the sun, children bathe in front of the jetties - pure archipelago idyll! Then it's off to the sauna (called "bastu" in Swedish), which is part of the standard equipment of every marina in the area, no matter how small. And if you dare, you can cool off with a quick dip in the sea (tel. 00358 (0)18-567 13).
Anyone interested in the history of the archipelago should pay a visit to the "Skärgårdsmuseet": On the creaking floorboards of old storage sheds, everything from workboats to cargo boats has been brought together here that characterised life on the islands in earlier times.
The next morning we set off in a fresh breeze on a westerly course towards the main island of Åland. We pass the narrows between the two islands of Kumlinge and Enklinge and then tackle the longest stretch of open sea. The water becomes bluer and rougher, and the Baltic Sea shows that it can be a real sea here too.
Kastelholm, Åland
However, we soon find ourselves back in the shelter of the land and cross the archipelago fairway into Lumparn, which is surrounded by large islands and almost looks like a lake. In the north-west, the Kastelholmsund leads deeper into the land between wooded ridges, and then suddenly thick walls and defiant towers rise up on the shore: they belong to Kastelholm Castle, the only preserved castle complex on the Åland Islands.
From the Guest harbour with its three long jetties and stern buoys, you can reach the castle in five minutes. It is worth a visit not only for the vivid insight into the 16th century (at that time Kastelholm was even considered the "key" to Sweden), but also for the beautiful view from the reconstructed battlements over the sound.
From Kastelholm, our course now leads to the "capital" of the Åland Islands: Mariehamn. It's not far; in a southerly direction back across the Lumparn, then westwards through the Lemströms Canal, which is only a few hundred metres long (but saves a long diversions) and along the buoy line to the western side of the elongated peninsula on which the town is spread out.
Mariehamn, Åland
In Korsöfjärden we meet the incoming and outgoing large ferries from Sweden and Finland, pass their terminal and shortly afterwards the towering masts of the four-masted barque "Pommern", today a floating museum - and the last witness to the golden age of Mariehamn, when its fleet of sailing ships still sailed all seven seas (museum: www.sjofartsmuseum.ax). Our berth is in Västerhamn on the Guest jetty of the "Åländska Segelsällskapet" with its rather striking, widely curved carved gable (guest harbour tel. 00358 (0)18-136 10).
We stroll along sleepy summer side streets to Esplanadgatan, which runs right across the peninsula and connects both banks of Mariehamn. Magnificent old wooden captain's mansions line its sides, slumbering in the shade of rustling leafy canopies. Strand-gatan near the eastern shore is busier: this is where day trippers who have come over from the mainland on the Viking and Silja Line ferries stretch their legs.
It's also time for us to say goodbye to Åland: We want to cross over to Sweden, and that means the open sea: it's around 25 nautical miles from the red and black Marhällan lighthouse, which marks the approach to Mariehamn, to its counterpart Tjärven, where we enter the archipelago again on the Swedish side. The wind comes from abeam at 4 Beaufort - and the "Rolling Swiss 2" really gets rolling; but it doesn't get so bad that it's unbearable ...
The Stockholm archipelago
On the overview map of the northern Stockholm archipelago, large areas are coloured purple - they are so dotted with rocks and islands of all kinds that the depth information is incomplete. In between, there is a network of buoyed channels with specified minimum depths; if you stick to them, you are always on the safe side.
Between the beacons of Marö and Ålandetsgrund, we leave the main traffic route and choose the quieter side channel of Norrfjärden. After a total of 47 nautical miles (and the longest leg of this journey), our anchor drops into the glassy waters of a secluded, wooded bay to the south of the small island of Stora Stensholmen, which the cruising guide recommends. A good tip: the Nordic night descends only slowly, and every now and then there is a rustle in the wide belt of reeds, otherwise idyllic tranquillity prevails.
Back in the fairway, the traffic picks up quickly. Our general course is south, as we want to spend another night in a natural archipelago harbour before heading for the metropolis - but this time directly on the rocks. Once again we cross the main fairway, then the carefully entered track on our plotter leads us past the islands of Yxlan, Blidö and Lagnö, waypoint by waypoint, and into a veritable labyrinth of skerries. Yachts are neatly lined up along the buoy line.
Our destination lies in the middle of this tangle; two white-painted beacons mark the narrow entrance, which leads into a sheltered sound around 300 metres in diameter between the small islands of Säck and Krokholm. There is actually only one island left, the other entrance has silted up.
The natural harbour, one of the best in the area, is almost completely surrounded by rocks, in which there are also some hooks for mooring. Although it is only midday, the best places are already taken. No problem: we motor slowly towards the rock, drop the stern anchor in front of a suitable spot and lower a man from the bow with lines. Two sturdy pine trees serve as a shore anchor, and after a quarter of an hour our Trader is as safe as in any marina - only more atmospheric.
Of course, Stockholm is still waiting for us the next evening, our berth at the Wasa harbour, right next to the museum with the famous sailing ship of the same name on display there, and of course a walk through the lively old town of Gamla Stan to the royal palace.
But the great arc we have travelled, from Turku via the Åland Islands to here, was an archipelago cruise - and we prefer to end it here, on warm stone high above the bay. "Trevligt Resa!" is what you actually wish for at the beginning of a trip in Sweden. For us, it's the perfect conclusion.
TERRITORY INFORMATION
Precinct The area stretches from the Stockholm archipelago in the west across the Åland Islands to the Turku archipelago in the east. It separates the central Baltic Sea in the south from the Bothnian Sea in the north over a width of around 250 km (135 nm). Nautically and geographically, it is divided into three parts:
- Turku archipelago (Finnish: Turunmaan saaristo, Swedish: Åbolands skärgard);
- Archipelago of Åland (Finnish: Ahvenanmaa, Swedish: Åland) and
- Stockholm archipelago (Swedish: Stockholms skärgard).
The borderline within the Finnish part runs in a north-south direction east of the islands of Kumlinge and Kökar, which already belong to the largely autonomous Åland. Åland and Sweden are separated by the largely archipelago-free Åland Sea. The distance is 20 to 25 nautical miles.
Navigation All archipelago areas are crossed by defined fairways. They are clearly recognisable on the charts and are marked with a depth indication, as well as being adequately buoyed. Important fairways (which are also used by ferries, for example) are also lighted. Away from these fairways, those unfamiliar with the area should exercise extreme caution due to the countless shallows!
Harbours and berths There is a wide range of mooring options in the archipelago, from fully equipped marinas to small island harbours (the majority) and natural harbours. The nautical literature provides important information on facilities and approaches; precise trip planning is highly recommended; if possible, important questions (e.g. about available berths) can also be clarified in advance by telephone. Network coverage was always sufficient in the area we travelled. Most moorings are equipped with stern buoys. The mooring fees per night for a boat of our size (13.30 metres) were between 20 and 30 euros.
Boat and club We travelled on the "Rolling Swiss 2", the Cruising Club of Switzerland's (CCS) own motor yacht. The 13.30 metre-long Trader 42 is a semi-glider that offers space for six people in three double cabins. With more than 6500 members, the Cruising Club of Switzerland is one of the largest in the country. An important component is its own motorboat department, which covers all areas of motorboat sport and offers training, mileage and cruising trips with the "Rolling Swiss 2".
Charter in the district Midnight Sun Sailing, with bases in Taalintehdas near Turku, Mariehamn on Åland and Stockholm, offers a Bénéteau Antares 9.8 for cruises in the archipelago. Weekly prices for the 9.90 metre long flybridge yacht with 4+1 berths range from 1600 to 2700 euros. Midnight Sun Sailing, Masugnsvägen 5, FIN-25900 Taalintehdas, tel. 00358-2-42 81 00. www.midnightsunsailing.fi
Cruise literature
- Harbour Handbook Baltic Sea 2. DSV-Verlag, 45 euros. ISBN 978-3-8841-23 26-3, www.dsv-verlag.com
- G. and H. Claußen: Sweden 2: South Coast, East Coast, Öland, Gotland, Delius Klasing Verlag, 29,90 Euro. ISBN 978-3-7688-07 28-9, www.delius-klasing.de
- Finnish pleasure craft chart set D: Turku Archipelago, 79 euros.
- Finnish Recreational Boating Chart Set C: Åland Islands, 79 euros.
- Swedish pleasure craft chart set Stockholm-N., 67,50 Euro.
Purchase of all nautical charts via: www.hansenautic.de
Cruise stages
- Turku - Nagu: 21 nm
- Nagu - Lappo: 42 nm
- Lappo - Kastelholm: 40 nm
- Kastelholm - Mariehamn: 18 nm
- Mariehamn - Stora Stensholmen: 47 nm
- St Stensholmen - Säck: 22 nm
- Säck - Stockholm: 27 nm
Total: 217 nm
