After re-bunkering in Nagu, we were eager to get sailing again. We decided to swing north and explore the north-east of Åland, which we’ve previously just raced past at the end of the season. First stop was Åvensor, where we dropped anchor just off shore. Åvensår has several old open pit lime mines, now filled with water, and it’s interesting to wander the paths and look at the quarries and the limestone ovens.

While moored off shore, we have a small dingy to go ashore – after all, no matter where we are, the dogs still need their walks (and so do we!).

From Åvensår we continue to Iniö guest harbour, then to a natural harbour called Långskär, and on to Jurmo harbour, where there’s a café and small store.

With Fredrik’s new contract, we sail in the morning and work afternoon/evening, since it lines up well with US customers – starting work in the afternoon lines up well with the the team morning stand up in New York.

After Jurmo, we continue south-west and west, visiting Bärö where a guest harbour and a restaurant, Glada Laxen, has been built in an old pilot’s port. After taking breakfast at the restaurant, we sail with very good winds north west, following the old ships fairway (now unmarked) to northern Åland. We find a very nice spot in a natural harbour at Saggö’s northern side, well protected from the south-westerly wind that is picking up. We stayed there for two nights – hauling the 4G antenna up in the mast to get good connection- and then, with a storm coming up on the five-day weather prognosis, we headed south, aiming for Mariehamn. Om the 16th of August, we arrived in Mariehamn Österhamn, just in front of the gale-force gusts that would turn into storm gusts over the weekend.