We’re waiting for the change of weather making snow angels when not skating.
We also visit the harbour every day to check that the de-icers work as they should. Today one of them does not. Hasse spends one hour fixing it, freezing his fingers off.
The skaters who pass our harbour give me the shivers.
We leave Vällinge the day before Christmas Eve and our plan is to leave Mälaren and sail out to the archipelago. We would like to celebrate New Year’s Eve in Sandhamn like last year. They had a great party i Seglarhotellet, live music, fireworks, the lot. The bridge at Danvikstull will be lifted for us tomorrow and we have booked a guest mooring place at the jetty in Saltsjöbaden for Christmas Eve. We plan to spend the night in the home harbour on the way out. We will stock up on some food.
BUT:
We wake up in the harbour surrounded by ice. It is incredible and mainly due to the total lack of wind. Årstaviken does not normally freeze so fast.
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We spend Christmas Eve in the harbor and check the weather forecast. We’re still set on leaving Mälaren in a day or two. No such luck: severe cold will last at least one week. It snows a bit too. Chances to get out are not getting greater.
We leave the boat, get our riding gear and skates. Luckily there are other fun things to do apart from sailing.
Hellasgården is a great place to skate. It is not ploughed on the first day we skate, but the ice is thick enough for ploughing two days later.
We rent horses in Tyresta National Park. A fantastic area of unspoiled beauty.
We are off to the island on Saturday. The children will join us there. We will have an early Christmas celebration – the only chance to be together. It is cold but sunny. We hope to be spending the coming 2 weeks sailing.
We manage some preparations before darkness encompasses us. It is pitch dark at 4 pm. Luckily the lights are up and we brighten up the environment a bit.
We collect them in two rounds from the mainland. The open fire has made the cottage welcoming.
Hasses’s unsurpassably hot sauna is again appreciated. The girls immerse themselves in the cold lake to survive.
Our little Christmas celebration consists of the usual masses of food, drink and games.
After brunch the day after Hasse takes the children back to the mainland.
We stay another night and enjoy our Christmas presents.
No sailing this weekend. A trip to Paris instead.
Being creative on 1 advent. Candle stick tasted good once the candles were removed.
Paris International Boat Show made it easier for us to cross out certain boats from the list of potential boats in the future. A boat bigger then Ewharisto would be nice, but not a French one again. I like interior mahogny, big aft cabin etc. Hasse needs to stop stooping inside. 195 cm minimum height required. We go on looking. Some Nordic boats are definitely tempting.
Remains to have fun while exploring the options and Paris is definitely one of the places where one can enjoy oneself. It helps if you’re a foody.
Ovni had some good things about it, like the aluminium hull (not bad if you’re into winter sailing) and the centerboard. Did not pass other requirements though.
Having a solitary 2 advent in home harbor while Hasse is visiting the West Coast. Compensation in the form of masses of fresh frutti di mare from the West was highly appreciated. 
SUTS - Stockholm Under Touring Sails 
