Quote:
Originally Posted by Lisa Longshadow
With only 3 months between June and September, and starting in Rauma, any thoughts about heading to Helsinki and then onto Estonia?
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There are endless places to stop on that
route. Along the South coast of
Finland -- Hanko for sure,
anchor out somewhere between Hanko and Helsinki, then stay in the
Motor Boat Club in Helsinki (best access to the center), then Tallinn. Stay in the Old City Marina in Tallinn (the old port and just next to Old Town). A very cool place sort of on the way between Helsinki and Tallinn is Prangli -- a kind of Back to the USSR time machine place -- really cool. Call the harbormaster ahead -- there is little space in the little
fishing harbor for yachts (and speak Estonian or Russian with him -- no English).
Then from Tallinn sail West (there's a decent anchorage or two on the way if there's no North in the wind), stop in Dirhami if you need a stop (good place for fuel), then do the Estonian islands, worth a few weeks in their own right, but the distances aren't great so a week is enough if you don't have more time. If you have time sail down to Riga (stay at Andrejostas Yacht Club). Or stop in Ruhnu, the Southernmost of the Estonian islands before setting off West.
From there it's an easy overnight sail to the
East Coast of Gotland. Depending on how much time you have, you can sail into one of the
East Coast ports (like Herrvik, my favorite) and take a bus into Vysby before continuing on to Bornholm. OR, if you have more time, sail into Farosund. Take the
ferry and taxi or long walk to the Bergman museum and gravesite on Faro. Then sail through the Farosund around to the
West coast of Gotland and go to Vysby. From there sail down into the Kalmarsund of
Sweden (there's a fantastic anchorage on the very tip of Öland if you need a stop), then choose between any number of cool places and innumerable
anchorages, but don't miss Kalmar itself with the fantastic castle and lots of things to do and see.
From the Kalmarsund, you sail across the "Swedish Bay of Biscay" and either keep sailing or stop in Simrishamn, or go to Kaeseberge and hike up to the "Swedish Stonehenge", a fantastic Neolithic stone circle on a high bluff overlooking the sea. Then Ystad is worth a stop, then wherever you want to go in
Baltic Germany is a day sail away.
If you went via Bornholm (lots of
ports and lots of things to see), it's an easy overnight or long daysail from there to Sassnitz on Rügen.
There are literally thousands of places to go along that
route so those are just a few hints. Enjoy
Baltic cruising!