Passage Report: 87/2013

Kalmar to Visby, Gotland Island

It's either "swing the lead" or replace the malfunctioning depth sounder. Sweden's coast is a myriad of islands, channels and rocks!

Kalmar proves friendly and well equipped to replace a malfunctioning depth sounder, athough Scandinavian expensive.

The tall, spindly, yellow crane lifts Sahula on creaking, seemingly fragile belts. A new, through hull, transducer and digital depth sounder is installed. Sahula is lowered back to her element. Skipper is relieved (of pocket?).

Skipper and Crew each sketch the imposing, Kalmar Stott (castle).

Food, fuel and Sahula departs for northern Oland Island.

Shimmering calm breaking to light SW'ly. Mollie (spinnaker/ MPS) drives Sahula up Oland Sund (channel) to Byxelkrok (small fishing harbour), to anchor (4m). Early start, ruby sunrise, Tanya (motor) drives into the light easterly to Gotland Island.

"Because if its position... (half way into the Baltic) ...Gotland played a central role in Viking age trade with the east..." (Ferguson, "The Hammer and the Cross - New history of the Vikings":126) Vikings substantive impact was between 600 - 900 AD. Island burial treasure revealed Islamic coin and silver frrom around 700 AD. After a third of its population were expelled, its people also colonised the eastern Baltic (Latvia). The early Rus tribes (Rus colonised "Russia") may have come from Gotland and Swede origins.

Sahula's crew (hire car) visited Viking archeological sites - massed stone grave piles (TrullHalsar), forts, stone burial ship (Tjelvars Grav)."

"It was the best..." (Crew) - "Kutens Bensin" - "...it must be the biggest 1950's cult centre in Scandinavia..." An illuminated "Elvis" sign, rusting hulks of heritage cars, Bonny and Clydes last escape car (with bullet holes). An incongruous melange of USA memorabilia AND superb crepes.

Visby was an important Viking port. However, the town formed and flourished in the 12th century. It became a major medieval site and Hanseatic League (Holland, Germany and Baltic states) port. The high city walls, towers surrounding a town of major building, cobbled streets, arches and dramatic Church ruins (ransacked and abandoned in 15th century), evidence its prosperity and strategic position.

In the 13th century, these assets also attracted conflict, civil war (independant farmers - v - Visby Hanseatic League), invasion, Black Death and economic stagnation.

By the 17th century, prosperity returned to the present day. Visby life exudes wealth, fashion, restaurants, spick, well presented.

Cement production is a major industry; benefiting from the Island being an uplifted limestone reef.

Over a million tourists a year visit in the summer three months.

Visby is a cultural World Heritage Site due to the uniqueness of it well preserved town and city wall.

Sahula enjoys a less busy, chilly Gotland in May.

"Pea Soup" fog smothers Visby - "... it was not forecast..."

Time out, Skipper sketches the townscape, cathedral ruins and city wall.

Fuel ("...be careful of eco (suppliment) fuel, we had two boat tanks pumped out last season..." Fuel is not "eco"), food, water, in, Sahula leaves daybreak for the coast "skargard" - islands and channels.

Sun up, a westerly, Sahula leans to all sails, on calm seas. Early start, early arrival, time to find an anchorage.

"Keep to the marked routes... lots of rocks..." - Sahula edges into a likely island cove - anchor rattles across the unseen.

A local yacht at anchor - Sahula slowly enters - anchor digs in - walk ashore - "sundowners" (wine, cheese) to the setting sun to myriad, island, pink, grey, seascape.

Tomorrow, Sahula wends through the Skargard.

Best

David

Sweden

11/5/13