After our stay in Karlskrona, we set a course eastwards, first aiming for Öland and later for Gotland.
The leg to Grönhögen at the southern tip of Öland is uneventful. With a light northeast wind, we alternate between sailing and motoring, and we tie up at 6:00 pm.
The next day, golf is on the agenda. Öland Golf Links is a rustic course with a lot of fun, and we were glad for the exercise in the sunshine. The following day, however, was the complete opposite: rain, continuous and without a break.
During the night, we are woken by the bilge alarm, and it continues to bother us in the morning. The cause is quickly identified: the newly installed blackwater pump of the aft holding tank is clearly leaking. Not an immediate drama, but an issue that goes straight onto the to-do list.
The leg to Kalmar makes up for it. Good sailing conditions and steady progress. In Kalmar, we take a harbour day: shopping at the boat supply store and a closer inspection of the fault in the new autopilot. The diagnosis is clear – the solenoid valve on the hydraulic drive is burnt out. As a result, the autopilot is unavailable for the remainder of the trip.
We continue to Byxelkrok in the north of Öland. From there, the following day, we explore the rugged, open northern tip of the island by bike: the Långe Erik lighthouse, Böda Nature Park, and the Trollskogen Nature Reserve with its gnarled, ancient trees.
The leg to Gotland takes us to Visby. After mooring, we take a first stroll through the town, and the next day we explore it in more detail. The medieval city wall, narrow streets, and a lot of history packed into a small area—and in between, we enjoy the excellent ice cream at the popular Eismagazin by the harbour. In the afternoon, we play golf at Visby Golf Club, which is both scenically impressive and challenging to play.
The next day begins with replacing the faulty membrane of the pressurised water system—little fun, but necessary, and the system is now stable again. In the afternoon, we reward ourselves with a bike ride to the cliffs of Högklint, through Södra Hällarna Nature Reserve to Fridhem, and back via Västerhejde.
On 25 June, we sail on to Lauterhorn on Fårö. In the afternoon, we cycle to Gamla Hamn to see the first rauks. The following day, we continue our exploration: more rauk areas, Digerhuvud, the fishing village of Helgumannen, and Langhammars. The landscape is stark and distinctive, and the rock formations are impressive.
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