Havsfidra Curette 2010

Launch is planned to the end of June

2010-06-20

Curette has her summer moorings and  spends the winter on dry land at Trosa Wharf. This winter's heavy snowfall has made the cover to cave in. The result was a couple of tons of snow in the cockpit and when melting through the engine hatch it has filled the hull with hundreds of litres of water. I don't know how long the mahogany flooring has been floating around. Maybe two months?

In the later part of this summer we have decided to move  Curette to another marina closer to where we live.

We started the 41 nautical miles journey in the afternoon a weekday in August.

Almost no wind.

I have been cruising in known waters for so long that I had to buy new charts.
Wonderful charts, printed on cloth, without reflecting plastic film and yet waterproof. But I think they have got smaller, can hardly read the text! ;-)

The island Oaxen.
The old barracks converted to family homes.

The cement production seased in the early seventies. But the silos are still in place.

Forgotten?

Look, an eagle!
Southern Lime Stone Rock.

Käringholmen is occupied by Cormorants.
It's even visible on Google Earth.

Skanssundet.
Car ferry "Karin" has made her journey's back and forth every 20 minutes since 1979.

This is the southwesternmost bus stop in Botkyrka municipality. 
Could be good to know! :-)

We are getting closer to Brandalssund.

Peter, Our friend on this journey, from the British Isles had no excuse for not cruising in our archipelago. A contrast to his usual sailing waters the Solent!
Peter is also responible for several of the photos on this page.
He was for sure responsible for the night navigation later on. With Henrik's finger lamp he was able to read the chart and direct us safely through the narrows in eastern Mälaren.

I think he spotted these nice cottages on the shore at the island Stora Radön.

We had a few beers with us, and I will for sure recommend this summers brew of barbeque brew from Falcon.
You don't even need a barbeque to enjoy it!

One of the south navigation marks in Brandalssund

We are getting closer to the wonderful little paradise island Fläsklösa. It's only the name (Pork Loose) and the climate zone it is placed is that are wrong. ;-))

Henrik in front of Fläsklösa.

The island Fläsklösa.

The lighthouse on Fläsklösa.

Silly us!

A "Green Cargo" train passing the Igelsta bridge.

Closing in on Halls Holme on starboard.

The light Halls Holme.

The Igelsta Bridge was inaugurated in 1994. The navigation span is around 40 metres.

I was standing on the open platform in March 18, 1994, in light snow, on an old wood coach pulled by the first steam locomotive passing the bridge after its inauguration. I found out that I have a fear of heights, but had to overcome it quickly, if I ever should be able to show the video I was making from the train, without feeling ashamed of myself.
I can show the video!

Regional commuter train X40 Heading for Stockholm.

Close encounter.

M/S Sternö
Kalmar (reg. Karlshamn).
Self-discharging bulk carrier.

Igelsta district heating plant.
For around 200.000 people.

The ship beyond the bridge is catching up on us. I wonder if they get priority in the lock later on?

Now the real canal begins. I had to shut down the autopilot because of the currents that made the boat turn in either direction in a strange way.

The brand new railway lift bridge.
Inaugurated sometimes during the summer 2010.

It has for sure a new style, with the greenhouses on top.

The local car and pedestrian bridge in foreground, less than ten years old. The motorway lift bridge, renovated after an annoying incident in the early nineties, when it got stuck in an uplifted position like a cabinette drawer, for several months. The motorway traffic was directed down through town. It was a terrible period for all of us.

S/S Ejdern.
Belongs to Sweden's maritime heritage.

We arrived in time for the lock to open, but I made this turn just to get another photo of Ejdern, because I thought the ship catching up on us erlier under the Igelsta bridge would get priority in the lock. Too late I realized this wasn't the case. The lock master openened the lock but not the bridge for a power boat. We were out of sight for him around the Mayor's Cape.

So we had to wait another hour until the this evenings last opening of the lock and bridge at 9 PM. 

A sculpture depicting an ancient rock carving. A rugged armoured concrete construction, nice to view in a distance.

The guest harbour across the cove Maren.

Soon!

We began entering the lock before the only boat in it even started to get out. The sooner we get this done, the sooner they can close the bridge. I have been waiting in the car in the traffic jams many times for the slowboats down here! :-))

The bridge and lock gate are open.

There is no need for moorings, a firm grip in the key is enough.

Last boat for today!

Sorry! Focus should have been on the gap between the gates, showing the Mälaren water level compared to the Baltic sea level, around 40 cm difference (average 60 cm).

The whirlpools are stunning. It's strange to drive the boat uphill despite you are on calm flat water.

Scandinavia´s biggest lock, 135 m long, 19,6 m wide and 7,8 m deep. 
Link to the Swedish Maritime Administration that takes care of the lock.

Mälarbron, The Mälar Bridge.

It's 13,8 m tall.

Preparations for renovation of some kind on top of the brigde. The scaffold must stay put on the bridge when it is raised. :-)

Our wind vane is just beneath 10,5 m from the waterline. The bridge is 13,8 m, but it's almost impossible to judge from below. :-)

Cleared!

Swedish Coastguard KBV 046 Siwr has her (his?) moorings here on the key below Astra-Ceneca headquarters.

In the mouth of Southern Birch Bay, Södra Björkfjärden.

The last rays.

It's dark now, note the glow from the sun in background. I wasn't prepared for the flash. :-)

 Two weeks later, late August.

Just a short cruise on Rödstensfjärden.

We are moving the boat cradle from Trosa to our new harbour Slagsta Marina.

The "Mud Crawler" is a bit large for our Curette. :-)

On the edge.

We had a long walk, around 325 m in the speed of 5 km/h

Harbour Captain and his hard working guys.

For the first time in many years she is finally leaning backwards. now the cockpit drainage will work! :-)

Sleep tight!

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