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.