Germany wins and first guest harbour

Wähe

Thanya cooking

Lubricate roll Genoa

Kastelholm harbour

Åland midsummer pole

Friluftsmuseum Kastelholm

Fast in a box

Turquoise water

Butterfly sailing

Passed through canal

Almost at turning bridge

Getting a better view of canal

Waiting

New Åland gas bottle

Public viewing

Halftime rain

Tor-Schland!

Relaxing

Mariehamn-Kastelholm

Because we had agreed to stay in Mariehamn one more night to watch the game, we only needed to change place in the harbour from #3 to #4 next to us. Therfore we decided to do sailing school and just go out practicing together. We left before lunch and I had a lot of fun teaching my crew all maneuvers from tacking to jibing as well as bearing away and luffing. They learned so fast that I even started to race some sailboats heading for the harbour especially because I started to learn the windshifts according to topography having gone back and forth in the bay. After 2 hours good sailing we returned and our harbour maneuver was a bit messy almost mowing over a power post, but we were helped and sorted things out to dock property. Rain and stronger winds were predicted for the afternoon and we started to hear the lines whistle (more than 10ms)!
My crew went shopping while I did my weekly check on motor and bilge, all Ok!
Then napping and reading was on until Margret started cooking her great noodle casserole for dinner. At 21.30 o'clock we headed to the public viewing spot in town to watch the game. Daniel and Margret cheering for their national team were all tensed up. It was an intense game between Germany and Argentina keeping us in suspense until halftime. At this point Thanya, who had been up since 6 in the morning retired to go back to the boat.
Just when second halftime started it started to rain, luckily the public viewing organizers were prepared to hand out plastic capes. Suspense continued for us 3 left and we were mightily relieved when finally in the extension the first goal was shot! TOOOOOOR! SCHLAND!
Daniel and Margret were high when the game ended with Germany getting the title and it's 4th star!
Back at the boat we celebrated with a whiskey and Thanya was still awake to hear how the game had ended.

Monday started with a long list of things to take care of. I wanted to change my bolt for the anchor that was to short and we needed a new gas bottle as spare. Daniel went to the boat gas station with the bottle and I met him returning when I went to rent a bicycle to get my chores done. He informed me that our Swedish format gas bottle was not available here. I packed the bottle up and added that to my list of things to take care of. After visiting 2 gas stations and the "Baumarkt" that I also needed for the bolt, I knew in Åland they used a completely different gas bottle system with different bottles sizes and different fitting. Since I am staying in this area the next 4 weeks the only reasonable thing seemed to change system. That involves change of bottle and fitting, lengthen gas hose because new bottle does not fit into compartment anymore and find a way to fit and fasten bigger bottle on the boat. I got bottle and fitting at "Baumarkt ", but was missing hose extension as well as metal piece to fit old and new hose together. Since my crew and I had agreed to meet up at 11 o'clock my extended project started to interfere with the other timeline, but I just sent a SMS informing Thanya about the delay and they visited the Sjökvarteret on their own.
At the Baumarkt I got referred to a specialist further away so I went there, this store owner referred me again to another specialist 2 doors down the road. So I finally ended up at "HP Kyla &Värme" the right specialist that helped me very competent getting a hose, the fitting mounted and the extension piece too. The workshop was great, filled with gas bottles and shelves with spare parts. Finally I was set and returned to the boat.
The clock had reached noon and my crew was already in gear and had taken the land power cable back on board. I got ready and then we discussed the maneuver for leaving and everybody got their job and spot assigned. We had good leave with only Margret's line not coming loose as wanted, but Daniel was quick to help an we got out elegantly.
Our first goal was going through Lemströms canal with a bridge opening every half hour. We reached the waiting spot at 12.55h and joined in keeping our boat in one spot with at least 10-15 others. Shortly after the hour we were allowed through and headed on to Lumparn. Here we set sails heading north to Kastelholm with southernly wind. Beautiful sailing with a turquoise sea and sunshine awaited us. Reaching the last part to Kastelholm that seams like heading up a river we reduced to just the Genoa and slowly moved north following the slightly zigzagy path. At 16.10 o'clock we were fast in the box #2 with help from the harbour master after a perfect docking maneuver enjoying sunshine and a view of the castle.
Thanya and I took a walk up the hill and to the castle that closed it's doors when we reached it.
Afterwards while Thanya cooked her "Gemüse-Wähe" for dinner Margret assisted me getting the roll Genoa lubricated. Hard work getting to all the spots that needed to be touched mentioned in the manual. But we were successful!
Clouds started to move in but we still had a wonderful dinner on deck enjoying the excellent Wähe.
Today we head east and have 14 sm in front of us.

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