I have to confess, despite my worst fears and maybe thanks to the helping hand of Mr Gordon or Mr Beefeater, whatever the reason, I slept well and woke bright and early to the lovely sunshine and frisky breeze. However, as last night was only a warm-up for the main event, midsummer night being tonight, I was determined not to chance our luck and to find a nice quiet anchorage. Julie, looking at the gusty conditions, was not so keen on moving but the skipper prevailed and at 11:00, having bought some nice bread and rolls and after a breakfast of croissants, c/o the new bakery on Utö, (nice but expensive, 150 SEK for 1 loaf, 4 rolls, 2 croissants and one Danish pastry), we started the engine and gingerly reversed/pulled the boat out between our neighbours and attempted to lift the Bruce anchor. It had done its' job, we were well and truly embedded. So much so that it was only by making the warp fast and using the boat’s weight and the engine and the wind (15- 20 knots) blowing us that enabled us to break out. The next challenge was to get the anchor on board, with the boat drifting rapidly downwind, other boats crossing hither and thither and worst of all, a ferry tooting and being impatient. Suffice it to say we managed, we did hook one other boat’s line (temporarily, no harm done – we think) and we got the thing on board. I say thing, it didn’t really resemble an anchor, it had so much mud adhering to it!

Our intention was to sail up to our chosen anchorage but the wind gods thought differently as it was pretty much on the nose and anyway, it was only 5 miles away. It was a bay called Dyviken on the island of Ornö and by 12:30, we were safely anchored, sheltered from the strong NE wind and hence, we had a lovely draft-proof cockpit ( the back of the boat was facing south) in the sun, so an afternoon’s sunbathing was called for. Very nice too.

Later on, I broke out the barbie and we had pork chops and salad whilst around us, in muted fashion, a few Swedish boats, all tied to the shore, celebrated midsummer. MUCH nicer than having umpteen power boats with their inane music blaring out until the early hours. Bah, humbug!