A beacon has stood on Gubbo Kupa since medieval times, historians surmise, as part of a warning system of incoming enemy vessels. The cairn there today has been in place as a navigation mark since 1826. Like most hilltop navigation marks, the site offers sweeping views of the area.
From the island of Hasselo, we continued north along the Swedish east coast and anchored for the night in the Gryt Archipelago, one of three that make up the diverse and beautiful Ostergotland Archiplego.
Below are trip highlights from April 7th, 2019 in the Gryt Archipelago, Sweden. Click any image for a larger view, or click the position to view the location on a map. And a live map of our current route and most recent log entries always is available at mvdirona.com/maps
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Dawn
Position: 57°49.44’N, 16°43.52’E
Dawn from the anchorage at Hasselo Sand.
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Jungfrusund
Position: 57°57.32’N, 16°48.97’E
Passing through narrow and scenic Jungfrusund. The light here is unusual in that the beacon on the left side of the channel shines a light onto a mirror mounted on the right side that reflects the light north and south.
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Sundsholmen
Position: 57°57.32’N, 16°48.97’E
Traditional red houses on Sundsholmen.
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Model Ship
Position: 57°57.32’N, 16°48.97’E
The passage through Jungfrusund is known for being scenic and for the beautiful model ships in the windows of one of the houses on Sundsholmen.
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Cormorants
Position: 58°2.77’N, 16°48.78’E
Hundreds of cormorants filled the trees and the skies around tiny Lilla Kallskar, busy building nests for the upcoming breeding season.
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Pleasure Craft
Position: 58°10.72’N, 16°56.53’E
This Beneteau Swift Trawler is the first pleasure craft we’ve seen underway since arriving in Sweden. We’re apparently pretty early in the season even for the hardy Swedes. :)
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Permethrin
Position: 58°10.72’N, 16°56.52’E
In Amsterdam we were vaccinated for TBE (tick-borne encephalitis). But Lyme disease also in prevalent in Sweden, Finland and eastern Europe and no vaccination is available. An addition other precautions, we’re applying Permethrin to our hiking boots and clothes to hopefully ward off any ticks while we are out hiking.
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Mossen
Position: 58°10.69’N, 16°56.50’E
At anchor off the south shore of the island of Mossen. The winds are blowing from the north, so this gives us good shelter with interesting views.
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Art
Position: 58°10.75’N, 16°56.63’E
Statue guarding the narrow passage along the east side of our anchorage.
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Tender
Position: 58°11.71’N, 16°57.19’E
The tender tied off in the north cove at Gubbo Kupa, just north of our anchorage.
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Climbing Chain
Position: 58°11.68’N, 16°57.38’E
Climbing chain to reach the cairn at the top of Gubbo Kupa.
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Gubbo Kupa
Position: 58°11.67’N, 16°57.41’E
The fabulous view looking south from the cairn on Gubbo Kupa. The cairn is a navigation mark and has been in place since 1826. It replaces a older beacon that burned down in 1813. Descriptions of the beacon as a navigation mark have been as early as 1644 and it believed that a beacon stood here medieval times as part of a warning system where the beacon could be lit to warn of an oncoming enemy fleet. (Click image to enlarge.)
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Cabin
Position: 58°11.68’N, 16°57.40’E
Looking down onto what is likely a summer caretaker’s cabin on Gubbo Kupa.
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Shackle
Position: 58°11.74’N, 16°57.18’E
We found many shackles and rings mounted into the shoreline at Gubbo Kupa. The anchorage here is popular in the summer, but is exposed to the northerly winds today.
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Moored
Position: 58°11.65’N, 16°57.90’E
The trawler that passed earlier was arriving into a cove on the south side of Gubbo Kupa when we first passed in the tender and was moored there when we passed by later. Possibly they tried the more popular anchorage on the north side but found it too exposed.
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Stern-Anchored
Position: 58°11.59’N, 16°57.45’E
The trawler is moored using the common Swedish approach of using a stern anchor and running the bow right up to land with a bow line ashore.
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Cairn
Position: 58°11.28’N, 16°56.99’E
The cairn on Gubbo Kupa is visible and distinctive from a long way off.
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Happy Hour
Position: 58°10.71’N, 16°56.51’E
Enjoying happy hour in the warm and sunny cockpit. With the temperature just over 50°F (10°C), we didn’t even need the patio heater on.
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Picnic Table
Position: 58°10.71’N, 16°56.51’E
While relaxing in the cockpit we noticed this wonderful picnic table with a 360° view on a hill to our east. (CLick image to enlarge.)
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Click the travel log icon on the left to see these locations on a map, with the complete log of our cruise.
On the map page, clicking on a camera or text icon will display a picture and/or log entry for that location, and clicking on the smaller icons along the route will display latitude, longitude and other navigation data for that location. And a live map of our current route and most recent log entries always is available at mvdirona.com/maps. |
Great scenic cruising grounds! Looks like Maine without the tide. The photo of Dirona at Sunset off Hasselo is one of the best you’ve taken.
Love the plump double-ended powerboat docked on the east side of Hasselo.
You guys are tough — looking at you enjoying happy hour in 50 degree weather makes me shiver here in 84 degree south Florida.
Your right this area is an incredible cruising location but the crowds do come out in force in the warmer parts of the season so there are some upsides to the cooler weather. Beautiful secluded anchorages. And, of course, the Thirsty Winter Swan which can’t be missed isn’t even open in the summer!