We had a long way to go today, some 60 miles, so we were on our way at 06:30. The wind had more or less gone and what there was, was blowing from the NNE so we could sail, at least initially. At last! However, my brief euphoria was soon squashed as the wind died and we had to use the engine. Our route was initially eastwards away from Karlskrona and then we were to turn northwards entering the channel between the island of Öland and the mainland, with our destination being the town of Kalmar. It was here that our friends from Manchester, Jeff & Greta Leyton, would be joining us late on Friday night, having driven down from Stockholm after their BA Airmiles flight over.

The north and easterly winds that have been blowing pretty much all of May, were due to metamorphose into lighter, southerly winds over the next couple of days and indeed, it started to happen . Initially and for the majority of the day, they were light to non-existent, picking up a little, from the south, as we approached Kalmar. This lack of wind and blue skies enabled me to don my favourite sailing attire, my birthday suit. Julie, who is far more 'nesh', was still wearing thermals! The temperature was a pleasant 25° so I don’t think I was being particularly tough in braving the elements.

Apart from having to move to one side to allow a freighter past us in the narrow section of the channel just outside Kalmar, the journey was pretty uneventful and we were in the guest marina by 17:45, reversing in and grabbing the single buoy that you tie to in the Swedish mooring system. Coincidentally, the boat we ended up next to was Seren Wib, belonging to Sue & Mike Phillips whom we first met in Fehmarn. We saw them later and agreed that they should come for coffee in the morning. We were pleased to have arrived safely and we could now relax, knowing that Jeff and Greta could get to us and that from now on, we had time on our hands, we have a month to do 200 miles or so to get to Stockholm for our next visitors, Elaine & Rosemary.