Kotka-Helsinki

Yesterday evening we had a nice dinner in Sapokka harbour restaurant. Because we had some GTs and other drinks there together with excellent food, the waking up in the morning was more or less little sticky. Anyway we were ready to start the last day's cruise somewhere at 900. After filling the Diesel tank we finally were ready to go. The weather forecast promised war, sunny day with headwind again, damned! So we continued the slow motoring towards Helsinki. Luckily we were able also sometimes to use little bit of Sails too.. We are arriving to the home port somewhere at 2300. Was a nice trip. Thank you: Anna, Ani, Lotta, Ari, Ilkka and Maaru for participation in AQ2 adventures and make it possible. Thank you father to give me the spark for sea and the great adventures. I own this summers trips to you.

Buying rope-products in Kotka

Raining, High wind just on our face....ouch! We decided to choose clean skin and free time. So we only took the boat to Sapokka guest harbour in Kotka again. The skipper visited the old seaman near the port to buy a panholder made of rope -fantastic! The old seaman also teached ancient wisdom: " while you sail there are conditions that have to be fulfilled to make the day perfect. 8 m/s wind, 8 knots of speed and 0,8 per mille alcholol level in the blood. Cool guy we try to follow his instructions in the future. We also had to taste some Tapio-vodka (local brand.... terrible) for the remebemberance of my father Tapio, who passed away on February. we also visited Sauna and local showers (nice to be clean again). And tasted some Baltic herring and Salmon in the local restaurant next to the port. Fantastic food. If you come to Sapokka ask from the port café from Nina what dinner place to visit. We probably enjoy her coffee in the morning again. Evening was nice. Tomorrow we set our sails to Helsinki (home). Maybe even reach it.... or stay somewhere between. Nice day again.

Lake Nuijamaa- Viipuri - Santio - Klamila.... whoof what a day

First of all the day started perfectly. We stamped our passports at 7.00 in Nuijamaaa and we cleared our way through the channel at 10.00 (last lock was cleared). Then we passed Viipuri (some people call it Vyborg...). And somewhere at 13.00 we were ready to cross the long narrow channel marked on a map to the Finnish waters. Then the wind started to raise, very quickly we had headwind 9-11 m/s and huge waves. They cut the speed down somewhere to 3 knots only. We could not set the sails, because the marked region on the map cannot be broken. Like drinking the tar.... It felt like we will never reach Finland.... Finally Santio and the passes were checked. Then we flew from Santio to Klamila (tomorrow high winds from W-SW 15 m/s) Good news it was nice day. Sun was shining fully the whole day. Long Day We were finally in Klamila at 23.15

Today we started the trip down the saimaa channel

full story tomorrow. now in Nuijamaa overnight

Lappeenranta - resting

Today Lappeenranta. Long sweet sleeping in the morning. She went back to Helsinki in the afternoon. Nothing pure nothing just bittersweet resting. Tomorrow the skipper makes some small renovations to the yacht. And on saturday the cool guys come to transfer the boat back to the home in Helsinki. Weather.... the sun showed itself for a couple of times. Smaall thunder, and of course rain. It must be better some day....

77 nautical miles - No sun but rain fun

We started at 9.00. Our plan was originally to reach Puumala., but the weather forecast changed and promised high winds ahead for today and also tomorrow. Better eat the cake at once we decided. We dropped our faithful and patient guests to Puumala, that we reached at 1600 hrs. Thank you Ilde and Maaru for great company. Then we continued our wet trip ahead Lappeenranta. In the greater Saimaa we got high winds against us so it slowed down little bit our cruising speed. We reached Lappeenranta at 2315. Wet but happy. I believe the heater will be used tonight. Tomorrow his masters voice go back to Helsinki with a train and the Skipper will stay to prepare the boat for transfer back to Helsinki. Hell of the good crew (Ari and Lotta) will arrive on the Saturday 21st.

Pretty in Pink

Today we spent the day in Savonlinna. The Opera's program for tonight is Aida, but unfortunately there were no tickets available anymore. So we took it easy. After breakfast we relaxed by listening the heavy rain). After a while the rain paused and we went Savonlinna downtown, where we noticed the raid did not really pause. Luckily a local teloperator shared beautiful pink skirts as raincovers. We visited local stores wrote some postcards and finally fed ourselves in a legendary "Majakka" - restaurant. The Vendice quality is rated on the position 5 in the top 6 vendice list (6th position is Wiener schnitzel in Sulkava). When we arrived the Yacht we noticed strange phenomenon. The wet laundry outside the yacht railings was not dry yet, even though it has been out for two days. Very strange. Maybe typical for the Finnish summer or another X-files case.

Sulkava - Savonlinna great day. Luckily it did not snow

We started at noon our trip to Savonlinna. It was quite rainy day, but luckily it did not rain snow. Anyway the Saimaa scenery is beautiful. After four hours we were finally in Savonlinna. Wet but happy. Small incident was that we missed the buoy and the skipper had to swim the rope to the buoy. Water was not too cold - neither warm about 16 - 17 degrees Centigrade. after all we know everything shrinks in the water... We ate nearby Savonlinna Linnakrouvi (exellent +++). The vendices were the best so far (second Sulkava third in Lappenranta's "Prinsessa Armaada". The forecast promised rainy day for tomorrow too, so we probaly stay here an extra day. If we are in the cultural mood we might even visit the Opera-festival (if get tickets and the show is suitable). No go to sleep and tomorrow we continue again to the new adventures.

After Mexico back in rainy Finland (refreshing)

We stayed another night in Puumala, and started refreshed this morning our way towards Savonlinna. The day was cloudy but quite warm (18 degrees) just before we reached our goal the rain started and we all get wet. We decided to stay overnight in Sulkava (a village where they have a huge rowing competition yearly). You can see from the pictures the local (wet) views. Tomorrow Savonlinna.

Just staying in Cougartown

Aquiladeux is staying in Cougartown (Puumala) for a while.

Lappeenranta - Puumala

After a good sleep, we sailed with "his masters voice" from Lappeenranta to Puumala. Day was beautiful. wind was blowing 4-5 m/s from W / SW. Trip took totally Seven hours. Tomorrow we will gather sights in this tiny village next to the second biggest bridge in Finland. Theguest harbour is quite interesting. You have to drive under the bridge to the docks. Boom mooring seems to be fine.

His masters's voice arrived

Two beautiful summer days have passed in Lappenrants. Today in the afternoon the next crew (Skippers wife Ani) arrived. We tasted some Vendice in a famous "Prinsessa Armaada" which is an old steamboat that serves now as a restaurant. Our aim is to go slowly towards Savonlinna. Hopefully the weather stays as good as it is. Finnish summer is probably the best in the world. Warm and white summer nights in the beautiful lakeside is magic.

Santio - Lappeenranta 30.6.2012

6.00 am start, maybe little be too early over the border. In the previous evening we met a very strange guy from Germany who is wintering always with his boat and girlfriend/wife in Labrador. He never pays anything for food so he hunts, fish and probably steals to earn his lifestyle, landowners in Saimaa region beware. He followed us the whole day and was a kind of gentleman who we do not want to see ever again. It must be sometimes hard for the wife to be with this "forrester". Otherwise the day was fine. we arrived in Lappenranta at 23.15. More than 70 nm for the day. Quite good. Now we are in lake Saimaa 100 meters above the sea.