We've been to Tore, Sweden, (65 54.1N, 22 39.1E) to take a photo of the yellow buoy that marks the northern limit of Baltic navigation and to get the certificate.
Although we're within 40 miles of the Arctic Circle it's warm, and the winds has been light and variable and we've motored quite a lot.
We spent a week on the Swedish 'High Coast', a wonderful cruising ground of pretty harbours, wooded islands and fjords with hardly any shallow water or dangerous rocks.
It was our original plan to spend more time there but the weather looked good and so we pressed on north and we are now in the shallow and rock strewn skargard at the northern end of the Bay of Bothnia. It's advisable to stay outside the 10m contour because the winter ice can move large boulders to the wrong place.
Until now most of the harbours have been deserted but the Swedish sailing season has started and in Tore there were Swedish, German, Finnish and Swiss boats as well as us, we think the only British boat for hundreds of miles and an object of curiosity.
The Swedish are very friendly, helpful and looking forward to beating England. The many 'marinas' are usually good value and sometimes free. We've turned south now for the 350 miles or so back to Mariehamn where OJO will spend another winter.
Submitted on 5th July 2018