We want to go to Häradskär, a small island with a historic lighthouse. But will it work? The moorings there are scarce. On the other hand, in this weather and so early in the season, there doesn't seem to be much going on, so we expect to be alone. In the morning, the skipper had claimed that it would clear up by around 3 pm. Is he clairvoyant?
Häradskär comes into sight
Perhaps it has something to do with the weather divide along the coast once again, but when Häradskär comes into view in the afternoon, the sun is actually dancing on the water. The clouds are becoming more and more scattered. We can see three masts in the harbour through our binoculars, so at least we won't be alone.
Also interesting:
- Baltic Sea: Ten favourite destinations for the sailing summer
- Natural harbours: How to moor correctly at the skerry
- national parks: Sweden's desert island Gotska Sandön
Very slowly we approach the unconcreted harbour entrance, always following the plotter. On the right is the red lighthouse with its lattice mast, plus a radio mast twice as high, and on the left is a building with large windows on the upper floor: the old pilot's office.
One place is still free for us
A row of red houses at the harbour. The pier: wood and stone, the basin behind it tiny. A somewhat grumpy man keeps us away from the northern jetty: "It's private." But there is still room in the southern part between a sailing yacht from Finland and a Swedish motorsailer with a friendly elderly couple on board.
We use the dinghy to bring the stern line out to the pier opposite. There, a family from Stockholm has manoeuvred their Arcona perfectly into the corner. A Labrador in the cockpit watches curiously, but puts his head back on his front paws when the two diesels of the "RS2" fall silent and calm returns.
There are no paved paths
Picture-book Sweden. There are no paved paths, only trails that wind through the stony landscape and are marked with colour coding. They are part of Östgötaleden and are perhaps the most remote part of this network of hiking trails in the eastern part of southern Sweden. To the lighthouse!
From the harbour, where the sun sparkles in the wine glasses and people bathe from the jetty, you head south into a depression with a sparse forest of low pine trees. Flowers bloom and hum everywhere. Goats with long fur look up, but don't let themselves be disturbed while grazing. A small bridge crosses the sound, which is only a few metres wide, to the neighbouring skerry.
The lighthouse appears ahead
The red lantern house of the lighthouse appears above the trees. The path winds its way up onto the bare rock, to the left the former lodgings of its keepers, now holiday flats. People used to live a life of deprivation here, now they come because they want to be deprived - at least for a short time. We are all a little ripe for the island.
Ahead, the Östgötaleden ends on the warm granite in front of the tower, glowing red against a blue sky. The wind softly blows through its supporting lattice construction, the date of construction is written above the entrance to the riveted central tower shaft: 1863. Today, as then, it is a small technical work of art, perfect eight-sided symmetry.
As delicate as it is weatherproof
What looks delicate from a distance is more than weatherproof when you stand under it. And timeless. For almost a century, people ensured that Häradskärs Fyr sent its light across the Baltic Sea, polishing the mirrors of the man-sized third-order Fresnel lens. The fire was automated in 1960. A special place at the end of a short walk. In the archipelago you are always far away.
It is hot and windless in the morning, what a change from the previous dull days. Every detail of the harbour is visible underwater, the seaweed gently sways back and forth. The couple next door give us a tip for the day. Our destination is Arkösund on the mainland, where we want to stock up on provisions, but we should definitely make at least one stopover in Harstena.
Area information: Östergötland
The Cruising Club of Switzerland (CCS)
On this trip we were with the Cruising Club of Switzerland (CCS) underway. With around 6,500 members, the Berne-based Zentralclub is one of the largest water sports clubs in Switzerland and is a leader in the country's recreational boating sector.
The precinct
The area travelled on this two-week cruise covers the section of the Swedish south-east coast between Kalmar and Stockholm (in this first part of the report to Hävringe near Landsort). From south to north, it touches the provinces of Kalmar, Östergötland and Södermanland.
While there are comparatively few islands in Kalmar Sound, the number of archipelagos increases towards the north. The archipelago of Östergötland includes the Sankt Anna archipelago, which lies off the eastern entrance to the Göta Canal. The direct distance between Kalmar and Hävringe is 220 kilometres or 120 nautical miles.
The navigation
The coast and archipelago are shaped by the ice age and characterised by a flat rocky landscape. Continuous fairways are marked on the nautical chart and are buoyed and lighted depending on their importance. Careful navigation is required away from these fairways, for example when steering away from bays or natural harbours. Good preparation is essential when planning your route.
Harbours and anchorages
Apart from that, the area offers a large number of guest harbours, marinas and other mooring options. As it can still get very crowded, especially in summer during the holiday season, alternatives should be prepared for overnight stays. Town harbours on the mainland generally have a comprehensive range of services with good supply options.
Literature and nautical charts
- Delius Klasing Sport Boat Chart Sets 11 "East Coast Sweden 1" (format A2, ISBN 978-3-667-13023-5, 129.90 euros) and 12 "East Coast Sweden 2" (format A2, ISBN 978-3- 667-13190-4, 139.90 euros). delius-klasing.de
- Harbour guide "Hamnguiden 7th Landsort - Skanör, Öland, Gotland, Bornholm", ISBN 978-82-7997-243-3, 75 euros. lmf.no
Also interesting:
- Baltic Sea: Ten favourite destinations for the sailing summer
- Natural harbours: How to moor correctly at the skerry
- national parks: Sweden's desert island Gotska Sandön
Christian Tiedt
Editor Travel
