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Åland Archipelago 120714-22 It was clear blue sky when we woke on Thursday morning. In addition, early Marine weather gone out west 2-7 m / s, possibly veer north and decline. That we did not have summer heat in the air did not matter, maybe it nice when you're lying on the beach but it's just tough to paddle then. By now it was perfect for a trip along the northern skärdgårdshavet ..

Breakfast in the sun

In Långören
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But first a little meandering northward between the islands. Heidi took the lead, passing Österbådan, Båtören, up to Horse Cut and then into the sound at Söderklobben. There was some small cottages embedded in greenery, with a Swedish pennant waving. Otherwise, we saw most Aland banners and they seem really fond of his own landscapes.
Here, we decided to go west, as the first stop we saw on Långören. If we could go ashore here, this would fit in time for lunch.

Lunch
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Långören is pretty far out and all the islands before on the way out consisted mostly of low-cut and bare rocks. It was not that big waves but more than enough that it would be difficult to jump ashore without protection. But once arrived, we saw that it was a narrow strait between the southern part of the island and where it worked perfectly. We found traces of what probably has been the landing places for small boats and the remains of a small house, so it has probably been more people out here before.
After dinner we took a walk towards the lighthouse. Maybe not as grand as Uto, which we missed after Kökar. But what at present, it was anyway a lighthouse and it was far out. Would have to do .. At a distance it looked like a stodgy stenfyr, but it was only a flimsy wooden structure, uppstagad of wires. A piece of the old world, with a completely modern collectors, far out on the horizon. Inside, we found only a dead little bird ..

Check the lighthouse
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Westbound
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Back out on the water, we paddled south towards the first outer cutter (which felt a little strange to come in from the lighthouse, now, we were inshore again ..), before we turned off the west again. And the west wind turned slowly towards the north, so we did not get it right at us. Now it was just beautiful sidvågor all the way ..
We were first a bit worried that it would start blowing more in the afternoon, just like the day before. Especially now with the completely clear blue sky could of course be some sea breeze. But it stayed nice and calm, and seemed, in fact, slow down, just as promised.

Will only reply ..

Pretty Creek

In Buskhäran and then on to the Black Stones, where it was coffee break. Still completely blue out there with us but now it had begun to build up substantial cloud south, over land. We were not quite sure which direction it was moving about and wanted to have a hint of the morrow before we were looking tältö. Ideally, we would stay as far out as possible but it required a decent forecast ..

Black Coffee blocks
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Rain south
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Listen to the Marine weather West Camp
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It was just four yet, so we paddled on towards the West camp, and corrected in 16:55, the weather there. There was continued finväder, so we could begin to scout around. Here on the island, it was a little too skröfsligt, although we are by this time had a fairly low minimum level of flatness and structure ..

Low cutting ..
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Near the water ..
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A small jump to Hötarbådan, which looked really smooth and nice. Oh yes, quite flat, it was, and no shrubs at all .. I think the highest point was below two meters and you had to go all the way to the other side of the toilet. And then still squatting, if you wanted to get out of sight. If it had blown up against the gale would probably wash over the island ..
But where we landed on the south side it was very nice, perfectly flat rocks down into the water, and spectacular views around the horizon. Giant Beautiful evening! As every right then, because the sun almost went into the sea this time ..

Thursday evening
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Furthermore west
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In Pattungarna

It was the blue when we awoke on Friday morning and luckily was not much wind, either. The first goal of the day was Pattungarna. With that name you just have to paddle past ..
As we approached it began to fill the air of razorbills. We had seen some before, but here apparently lived an entire colony, and the closer we got, the more they became. Eventually, it was probably hundreds who flew round and round us, like old prop plane around. It is not as fast and they are a little difficult to turn quickly. One can imagine flying penguins, much flapping but small workshop as well. Indeed in sharp contrast to the graceful terns ..
Luckily they do not seem so afraid of themselves, they behave more like they are just curious. Otherwise, it's always sad when you scare the animals with the kayaks. They are usually more afraid of us than for motor boats, unfortunately ..

Razorbills
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Tough to get in between ..
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.. It works better ..
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Further south to Rödskär, that really did justice to its name. Big, beautiful rocks, and much higher than those we had passed earlier. Väderskär next, where we just passed the north side before we paddled out again. We wanted to see the Low Archipelago, too, as the last stop on the outer archipelago tour ..

Pause schematic Rödskär
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Low Archipelago
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Packed Sound Cutting
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And the islands out here do not stack up much of the sea, even the few houses were quite low. We took lunch at Straits cut in the middle of the archipelago. It had started to pop up a lot of clouds in the sky. No direct cause for concern but it would get into worse weather during the night. For a while they warned even on really strong winds on the Swedish side of the Åland Sea and recommended leisure boats to seek shelter.
Back east, towards Kalskär. Here we paddled along stunning cliffs, enormous and entirely red, and with swell rolling in from the north. Around Knöppelskär, a little surf south and then in behind Västerklobben again.

Around Knöppelskär
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Öpromenad Kalskär
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Here, we decided to camp for the evening. It was certainly not much, but the weather was fine and it would sit comfortably with a free afternoon. In addition, we continue further west, it would be quite a long leg home tomorrow. Get up tents at the entrance to the narrow bay on Kalskärs west side, then swimming, picnic and relax in the sun.
Then it was time for a hearty öpromenad to check out the rocks on the north side of the country this time.

Red rocks
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Waters

The last night
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And it was really a bare rocks. The entire north side is composed of giant, long, flat rocks, which extends several hundred meters inside. Then it starts tiny, small pines sticking up from the crevices, heather, more pines, birch and alder, which ultimately turns into a thick forest on the south of the island. In addition, some large lakes with water lilies. There is a cable out here but we saw few traces of human beings. Scattered remnants of some kind of wooden boat and a safe thirty years old Dingy, tucked in the woods deep in our bay. Otherwise, only the logs, probably dropped from a boat and threw up a hearty storm låångt up among the rocks.
Well, a few sheep, we saw a glimpse of, and a sign that one could imagine, "No dogs ..". Unable to read from our campsite, so Karl-Johan paddled over while I decided to take the land. It took about half an hour, versus 5 minutes ..

Sunset over the Sea of Åland
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Storm about
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American Graffiti is always a bit melancholy. They have been welded together during the week and the time always goes too fast. In the morning it was already time to paddle back again ..
Early in sleeping bags and rain during the night. The big storm did not materialize, however this time ..

Back home
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There were a few showers during the morning and although it held up just when we packed it was a lot of wet stuff. The first kayaks just after ten. A mixture of bad weather and unwillingness to paddle home probably ..
Course south, past Smooth Cut, Stäckan, Hamnö to trato. You wanted to Anders, Heidi, and Karl-Johan take one last swing out to sea, while I prefer continued south. They wanted more waves, I wanted to have some peace before we got back to the campsite.
Stopped at Örarna and picked up the radio. Now the clouds eased up and I listened to "Summer" in P1, slept enough time in the sun in between the too ..

Örarna

Western Simskäla

Simskäla Bay
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Sando Sund

Eventually, it was only home left .. Around the West Simskäla and then straight south down towards Sando Sund. Fairly strong winds out on Sims Kala bay meant that there were some tricky lake at the end.
Arriving at the camp after five, up to the tent, shower and then shared food up before serving. Great to see everyone again and hear what they have experienced. Unfortunately, early night because we were on the ferry from Eckerö at 8 o'clock the next morning.
Låång trip to Malmö again ..

Sunday morning, against Sweden again ..
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Åland is beautiful and we had a real kanontur last time we were here, there was talk a lot of time on it. So it was with rather overly excited we got back. But of course it was all right with, if possible, even better - if one can compare experiences like that.
Our group had the right number, fairly homogeneous paddlers, and it, along with decent weather, allowed us to paddle around a bit the way we wanted. All of our priorities, and kayaking adventures, more than just holiday o take it easy. Fast iom we were quite effective, it was not so excessively long hours in the kayaks anyway. Fast on all routine stuff to pack, get in and out the kayaks and easier to find places for tents made it a lot of time for öpromenader, lounging in the sun and other things too.
I was at first a bit skeptical about the size of the other two major groups, with as many participants as I thought it's sake be a problem with tent sites and keep track of everyone. But they had apparently gone well and they seemed to the satisfaction of any of those. It is well probably most of the conditions and expectations you have before. We'll see if it comes out sometime turberättelse on Coaches Blog eventually ..

A lot of paddling, a fairly decent pace: 33.5 +37.6 +36.6 +33 +34.3 +26.4 +25 = 22.6 km. Anders, Heidi, and Karl-Johan others were probably assembled a button mil to ..

Map of the tour ..

/ Ulf

Labels: Aland , Week tour

This entry was posted July 31, 2012 at 17:44 and is saved in 2012 , MKK , Experienced .