Wow, wow and thrice wow! Visby, Fifang and Stockholm

After Byxelkrok on Oland we set sail for Visby, the capital of the island of Gotland. 

According to our guidebook, Gotland hasn't always been where it is today. Apparently it used to be by the equator, from where it took 135 million years to move to its present location (huh?!!). It's still moving towards the North Pole at a rate of about 15cm per year so, if you intend to visit, best not leave it too long!

Approach to Visby

Visby was at its most prosperous from 1150 to 1350. Crusaders, monks, nuns, merchants and artisans moved to Gotland - primarily from Germany. The nearly 3.5km city wall was completed in the mid 13th century - built not only as a defence against foreign intruders, but also as protection against local farmers (a bloody civil war broke out in 1288, which the farmers lost).

No less than 15 churches were built inside the city walls and, whilst St Mary's cathedral is the only active one now, the ruins of several others remain.

The wall is the best preserved in northern Europe and, as a result, Visby made it to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1995.

Roses growing in the narrow streets of the old fishing quarter of Visby

Sculpture - spot the family resemblance?

The Almedalen - This used to be the harbour before it was filled in

Another Visby street

Part of Visby's medieval wall

Market in Stora Torget - the main square

A view over Visby and out to sea

Yet another Visby street - they're all so attractive!

Botaniska tradgarden

S;ta Katarina ruin

Cyclone in Visby harbour - right next to the town

We stayed 3 nights in Visby before setting off for the Swedish mainland once again. We had 2 possible destinations in mind - Trosa (a small but attractive town with a marina) or Fifang (an island with nowt).

The distance was about 80 miles and we didn't want to arrive after dark because the last part of the trip involved narrow channels between large numbers of rocks and small islands. So at 0330 (yes, really!) we awoke to the dulcet tones of my watch alarm and set off about half an hour later.

There was plenty of wind for the first couple of hours but after that it deserted us and we had to motor for some 7 or 8 hours. I hate motoring, but we couldn't really complain as up until Byxelkrok we've hardly had to use the engine on passage at all.

Finally the wind set in again and we managed to sail for another couple of hours before dropping / furling the sails and heading for our chosen destination of Fifang.

Now if Visby was a wow (and it really was attractive) Fifang was a WOW! Just look at the pictures below which were all taken from our deck. Absolutely beautiful!

Obviously there were no man made facilities available, but who needs them when you have the place to yourselves and all that water to bathe in? Those of a nervous disposition should look away now!

And yes, Jo did go in too! 

We spent 2 nights at anchor just drinking in the scenery (well, and some wine too...) before making our final dash to Stockholm. Our route took us past many, many picturesque islands and rocks - some inhabited but many not - and into the Malaren lake via the Sodertalje canal (one lock and 2 lifting bridges). We exited the lake via the Hammarby canal (one lock and 3 lifting bridges) to arrive slap bang in the centre of Stockholm.

The Sodertalje lock and lifting bridge

A view from the Malaren lake...

... and another. Sea views for all!

Entry to the Hammarby lock

Once again, this was a motoring trip as there wasn't a breath of wind for most of it and, when it did arrive, it was right on the nose.

Unfortunately whilst motoring into the wind at slightly higher engine speed (to maintain 5 knots through the water) the engine overheat alarm started to sound. We stopped the engine and checked the impeller and coolant level, but nothing appeared amiss. I can only conclude that the warmer "sea" water showed up the weakness of our repaired heat exchanger. This now has 7 less water tubes in its core than it should have (they were leaking), so its efficiency is reduced in the same way as a car's cooling system would be compromised by covering up part of the radiator. We'll just have to hope for favourable winds so we can sail and, if not, motor at reduce speed until the water gets colder!

Anyway, our berth in Stockholm is at Wasahamnen, which is a marina sandwiched between the funfair and the Vasa museum. It's right in the middle of Stockholm with all major sites in walking distance, so it's ideal - if expensive by Baltic standards.

And now for the third wow. If Visby was a "wow", Fifang a "WOW!" then the Vasa was a "WOW!!!" 

The Vasa museum is highly recommended in the guide books and frankly if you have any interest in history, ships or archealology, then you need to get yourself over here! Jo and I were gobsmacked. The Vasa is stunning. Absolutely, totally, stunning.

You walk through the museum doors and there it is. The Vasa. A ship launched in 1628 which made it about 1000m before capsizing and sinking. It lay on the bottom for 333 years before being raised in 1961 and put on display (OK, that oversimplifies it a bit, but you get the picture!).

Thinking "Yeh yeh, heard it. We've got the Mary Rose"? Well think again! The Mary Rose is a pile of firewood compared to the Vasa. The Vasa is 95% (or 98% - it depends what you read) original and, apart from the paint which is long gone, virtually as good as new. It really is! The pictures below don't do it justice, but you'll get the idea:

Jo and I decided that, for us, this beat the pyramids hands down. Incredible.

In the same area as the Vasa museum, you have the, er, Abba museum!

We didn't go in, but we did have a good laugh outside. I don't know what you think, but the blonde doesn't seem quite as good looking as I remember her:

Abba - or is it?

The following day we took a stroll around Stockholm - an attractive capital spread over a number of islands. All kultured out by the Vasa museum, we didn't visit anywhere else, although we did stumble across the changing of the guards at the Royal Palace.

The Royal Palace

Stockholm

The funfair next to our marina. Scary!

A square in Stockholm's old town, Gamla Stan

Street in Gamla Stan

Another street in Gamla Stan

In a day or so we'll make our way out to the archipelago where we expect to spend a couple of weeks in beautiful surroundings before heading for the Gota canal - the start of our journey home.

Just in case you've forgotten what we look like (you should be so lucky!) here's a couple of selfies to be going on with:

Ahhhhhh........