Midsommar jaunt

So as is the tradition in Sweden, the longest day of the year has to be celebrated outside, and what better place than the Stockholm archipelago.

This year we had a couple of Nina's friends join us for the first real excursion of the season.  We had originally intended to meet up with some other friends at a summer house, but they all buggered off to Åland so we set out into the archipelago with Elin and Micke to watch the sun set.

We didn't have a hard and fast destination, but the one rule was that the midsommar lunch had to be ready by 14:00 sharp.  After some reasonable sailing, we anchored in Napoleonviken and tucked into the traditional Swedish lunch of sill(pickled herring), hard boiled eggs with sour cream and chives, and some delicious smoked fish that Micke and Elin had brought along.

After lunch we realised that we'd forgotten to fill the water tank (somewhat less of an issue than last year when it was the fuel tank that was empty - but that's another story).  Smådalerö was close, so we snuck in and filled up with water.

... not missing the opportunity to enjoy afternoon 'fika' of apple pie, strawberries and the first bottle of bubbly of the day

As midsommar is centred around food, it was a quick dash to a nearby nature harbour to start getting the barbecue going.  Surprisingly for midsommar it was very quiet with only 2 other boats near by.  The weather held out and we feasted on jerk chicken, rice and peas, some pork chops and a potato salad, and several bottles of bubbly and wine.

Well sozzled, we watched the sun attempt to set, but gave up in the end as it didn't seem to be going anywhere fast.

We were all up early in the morning, with surprisingly mild hangovers, and made our way back after taking the opportunity of having a fireman on board to send Nina up the mast to fit flaglines to the spreaders.  The weather threatened to rain on us, but we managed to escape with just a few drops here and there.

We took a little detour into a nearby bay to have a look at some of the summer houses along the shore before dropping Elin and Micke off back at Gustavsberg.

Nina and I decided to stay out another night and anchored in the Nacka channel for the night.  All in all a very pleasant way to spend the longest day of the year.

Finally in the water

So after a couple of weeks back and slaving away on Marie to get her ready for the cruise she's finally in the water.  Most of the work I've been doing was on the interior and electrics.  Still some work to do there but externally she was ready to go in.  She's had a good clean, polish and wax, and freshly painted boot top and go-faster stripes, that should add a knot or 2 :)

Here she is waiting to go in...

 

... and then in the water looking rather naked without her mast.

Nina came a long the follwing day to help put the mast up.  The mast went up without too much complaint this year, apart from a little argument between the windex and the mast crane all went well and we were on our way to Gustavsberg.

As the mast was up we had to go South of Södermalm, through Hammarby slussen and the opening bridges.  Fortunately, despite my work on the wiring, all her electronics were up and running first time, including the new AIS radar which will be a handy addition for solo night sailing - it still needs a proper location though.

After a couple of hours passing the houses of the rich who can afford summer houses close to Stockholm we made it to the familiar bridge of Gustavsberg, and Marie's home port.

Still much work to be done, but it's nice to have a boat that's actually in the water.  Hopefully she'll be ready for a little cruise to celebrate the Swedish midsommer on Friday.

Goodbye Poland, goodbye 3M

So now it starts, I've left work and Poland, and returned to Sweden to get ready for my trip.

I'd only been in Poland a year, but enjoyed my time there a lot.  The Pole's are a very friendly people, and there is a lot to see there.

Leaving work felt a little strange.  I'd been with the company for over 9 years, and it was a certainly an interesting place.  I had the opportunity to hold different positions within 3M, and to work with many people around the world.  When I first started there in 2002, the position was supposed to be just a three week contract.  That got extended, then extended again, until a bout 18 months later I was made permanent.  I went to become a Six Sigma Black Belt (a business process improvement technique), and the Corporate Marketing & Public Affairs manager in Sweden.  My final role as eBusiness Leader CEE took me to Poland, and gave me the opportunity to travel to a lot of places in Europe: Romania, Czech Republic, Russia and even  Israel and Turkey.

My departure was a bit abrupt in the end.  The announcement to my closest colleagues that I was leaving was made a few hours before I actually left the company, and not a 'thank you' in sight.  I've seen some late announcements at 3M in the past, but nothing like this before, especially as I had given notice months beforehand and was leaving on good terms.  Oh well, I'm sure there were reasons, whatever they may have been.
 
That's all behind me now though, and it's time to get the boat ready.  I have a long list of things to do, but somehow with all this time it seems much less daunting than usual.  I've already made a start, and aim to launch Marie on the 17th June . then the fun really begins :)