We were up early today as it was washing day. The one machine had a booking system and we'd booked the first slot, 07:30 – 09:00 but by getting the washing in before 07:30, we could squeeze two loads and two dries into the timeslot, crafty eh?

Once the washing was done, there was nothing to keep us here, so soon after 10:00, we were off, destination somewhere to stop for the night en route to Mariehamn, preferably an anchorage but failing that, a harbour such as on the island of Sottunga, about 30 miles away .

It was a mixed sort of day, both weather and wind-wise. The wind, to be fair, was quite consistent, blowing at a steady Force 4 from the SSW but the trouble is, wending your way through the islands, your course changes and as such, inevitably, there are times that the direction you’re going in is not condusive to sailing, so the engine has to be used. However, in the non-engine periods, the sailing was great, we regularly hit 7 knots which is good for us. The weather was a mixture of cloud and sun, again never hot when the sun was out, but pleasant nevertheless.

As 16:00 was approaching and we were nearing Sottunga, decisions had to be made. I was desperate to have a night on the anchor, not that I have a rabid dislike of these Baltic harbours, it’s just not sailing, if you see what I mean. Consequently, I was pleased to spot a likely anchorage on the charts and one that, when we got there, seemed ideal, a north-facing bay on the island of Ljungö. Now I must confess to a slight bit if nervousness entering a small bay in this part of the world, Lord alone knows what is under the keel. Anyway, we gingerly went in, we dropped the anchor and it took well, and we settled down for the evening, the only boat in the bay, with the occasional brief company of huge ferries going past the mouth, it is a strange sight.

Julie cooked an excellent lasagne that night and we watched the UK version of Wallander, with Kenneth Branagh in. I must say, he’s almost as good as the Swedish chap in the original series. We fought the impulse to cut our wrists and went to bed. A good day.