A WEEK AFLOAT STOCKHOLM ARCHIPELAGO

All within a day’s sail of mainland Sweden, these islands offer stunning scenery and the chance to escape the crowds, as Nigel Wollen discovers

- Nigel Wollen

DO YOU ONLY HAVE A WEEK TO SPARE?

For those of us who are time poor but who want to seize the moment, either on our own boat or on a charter, it is reassuring to know that there are plenty of cruising hubs from where we can enjoy some of the best of the region in only a few days. This series, A Week Afloat, commissioned by Yachting Monthly and Imray, visits some ideal destinations and suggests a one-week itinerary. Each article, complete with expanded information about cruising each area, will be available as a PDF download via Imray’s website or Google Play Books.

The Stockholm archipelago or Skärgård (pronounced shair-gord) is a fabulous cruising ground. It consists of no fewer than 30,000 islands scattered along nearly 100 miles of coastline, and all within a day’s sail of the mainland. The inner islands are heavily wooded and are dotted with many small gästhamnen, ‘guest harbours’, ideal for visitors, as well as numerous sheltered ‘nature harbours’ where you can swing to your anchor or moor to the rocks. The outer islands offer a bit more of a pilotage challenge but have their own wild beauty.

The great luxuries of the Baltic are the absence of any appreciable tide and long daylight hours in summer. Summer winds don’t normally exceed Force 5, and within the archipelago the water is flat and there is always somewhere to find a sheltered spot. The summer weather is surprisingly warm, with swimming and barbecues very much the order of the day. Everywhere you go you will find a sauna, some just a little hut on the edge of the water.