MV Dirona travel digest for Stockholm 2019


Show Stockholm 2019 travel log map 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/LocationCurrent.html.


   

6/28/2019: Approaching Stockholm
Longtime blog reader Torbjorn Curtsson captured this web camera image of Dirona nearing Stockholm.
6/28/2019: Coast Magica
The 889ft (270m) 3,470-passenger cruise ship Coast Magica moored at Stockholm.
6/28/2019: Speed Limits
The speed limits in the approaches to Stockholm are 7 knots for vessels over 400 gross tonnes and 12 knots otherwise.
6/28/2019: Ships
The 962 ft (293.2 m ) 2,790 passenger cruise ship Mein Schiff on the left, with the Viking cruise ferry Gabriella on the right.
6/28/2019: Kastellet
The small citadel Kastellet was originally built in 1667, but exploded in 1845 and was rebuilt in 1846-1848. The Military Ensign of Sweden flies from the top, indicating the nation is at peace.
6/28/2019: Grona Lund
The amusement park Grona Lund packs a lot into a small space.
6/28/2019: Wasahamnen
Moored at Wasahamnen, our home for the next few weeks.
6/28/2019: Maverick
Except for a US Navy vessel, we've not seen single other US-flagged vessel the entire time we've been in the Baltic. But when we arrived at Wasahamnen, we were one of many pleasure craft flying the Stars and Stripes, including Maverick, a beautiful Hanse 505 sloop. Owners Steve McInnis and Nancy Jamison are blog readers who had seen us in Newport, RI and were on hand to welcome us as we arrived.

All the US-flagged vessels were owned by Cruising Club of America (CCA) members. It turns out we'd arrived at the start of their two-week Stockholm Archipelago cruise. In retrospect, we were very lucky to have secured a berth here—when we booked back in January we got the last spot for a vessel of our size.
6/28/2019: Prop Damage
We managed to take a chunk off the tender prop while maneuvering in Vaxholm, so we'll replace it with a spare.
6/28/2019: Ulla Winbladh
An excellent lunch at Ulla Winbladh with Marc and Sally Onetto. James met Marc when he was working at Amazon, and he's now retired and cruises the Pacific Northwest in a beautiful Marlow Explorer 61E, Laperouse. Marc and Sally happened to be in town when we arrived and we were able to get together for lunch. They are wonderful company and it was a real treat to see them.
6/28/2019: On the Dock
A picture of Dirona from Marc Onetto taken on a passing ferry.
6/28/2019: Don and Sharry Stabbert
Our friends Don and Sharry Stabbert (beside James and third from left) were in town for the CCA (Cruising Club of America) cruise and stopped by for a drink with a few other CCA members. They've cruised the world in their 77' Steve Seaton trawler, Starr, and gave us some excellent advice when we set off from Seattle for our round the world cruise back in 2012. They also helped secure us a fabulous berth at the Waikiki Yacht club later that year.

We knew they'd be in Stockholm and had arranged to meet up, but didn't realize they were here for the CCA cruise until we arrived. The CCA community is an amazing one, where almost every member has vast cruising experience and it was fun to share experiences from cruises all over the world. This is a community that really does cruise.
6/28/2019: Dinner
Our first Stockholm dinner at Sjocafeet overlooking the waterway
6/28/2019: Golden Light
The evening sun casting a golden glow over Wasahamnen and the amusement park Grona Lund on our first evening in Stockholm.
6/28/2019: Sodermalm
The view south in the evening sun from our berth at Wasahamnen in Stockholm to the steep cliffs on the north side of the island of Sodermalm. The island is one of 14 in the city, with 57 bridges connecting them all.
6/29/2019: Viking Grace
The Viking Grace bunkering LNG opposite the harbour from our berth. This is the ship with the rotor sail (not visible in the picture).
6/29/2019: Mail
We had a couple items of mail waiting for us at Wasahamnen: a replacement disk drive for our media player and a map and guidebook for the Gota canal that we'll pass through after leaving Stockholm.
6/29/2019: Dramaten
Dramaten, the Royal Dramatic Theater, was founded in 1788 and has been in the current Art Nouveau building since 1908.
6/29/2019: The Bishops Arms
Lunch street-side at The Bishops Arms pub.
6/29/2019: Central Post Office Building
Tis historic 1903 building was headquarters for the Swedish post service until 2003 and now houses the Ministry of Enterprise and other government departments.
6/29/2019: Klara Kyrka
The beautiful interior of Klara Kyrka. Construction of the church started in 1527 and the tower was built as part of a restoration project in the 1880s.
6/29/2019: Sergels Torg
Sergels Torg is often a busy place, but was pretty quiet today, especially since the fountains weren't running.
6/29/2019: Kungstradgarden
The park Kungstradgarden originally was the kitchen garden for the royal palace and now is a popular gathering place year-round. In the winter, an ice-skating rink is here.
6/29/2019: Brazilian Day
Kungstradgarden was packed with people attending the Brazilian Day festivities.
6/29/2019: King Karl XII
Statue of King Karl XII, the King of Sweden from 1697 to 1718. He assumed power at the age of 15 and led Sweden through many successful battles throughout the Baltic.
6/29/2019: Gustav II Adolph
Gustav II Adolph was King of Sweden from 1611 to 1632. He is considered among the best military commanders of all time and is credited with establishing the Sweden as a great power.
6/29/2019: Opera House
The Royal Opera House opened in 1896.
6/29/2019: Oceanbus
These modern competitors to the Duck tourist vehicle are common in Stockholm.
6/29/2019: Riksdagshuset
The Swedish parliament buildings, Riksdagshuset, fill most of the small islet of Helgeandsholmen and were constructed between 1897 and 1905.
6/29/2019: Norrstrom
The modern western side of the Swedish parliament buildings with the narrow channel Norrstrom carrying the freshwater outflow at several knots from Lake Malaren into the Baltic.
6/29/2019: Oranges
Freshly pressed orange juice seem immensely popular here in Stockholm. We've seen stores producing orange rinds so fast they're piling up outside.
6/29/2019: Klockgjutargrand
The narrow alley of Klockgjutargrand in Stockholm's old town, Gamla Stan.
6/29/2019: Storkyrkan
The spectacular silver alter inside Storkyrkan, Stockholm Cathedral. The church was consecrated in 1306 and is Stockholm's oldest building.
6/29/2019: St George and the Dragon
The details sculpture at Stockholm Cathedral of St. George slaying a dragon dates from 1489.
6/29/2019: Kungliga Slottet
Statue of Karl XIV Johans, King of Sweden from 1818-1844, in front of the royal palace Kungliga Slottet. The royal family still resides there and the 608-room palace is the largest in the world still used for its original purpose.
6/29/2019: Gustav III
Statue of Gustav III along the waterfront east of the royal palace. He was King of Sweden from 1771 until he was assassinated in 1792.
6/29/2019: Stortorget
Stortorget, in the center of Gamla Stan, is the oldest public square in Stockholm. It was the site, in 1520, of the Stockholm Bloodbath where King Christian II executed 100 people who were opposed to him.
6/29/2019: Osterlanggatan
Cafe-lined Osterlanggatan in Stockholm's old town, Gamla Stan.
6/29/2019: Marten Trotzigs Grand
Jennifer standing on Marten Trotzigs Grand, Stockholm's narrowest lane. It's a very popular photo opportunity and often crowded with pedestrians.
6/29/2019: Geronimo
A delicious margarita at Geronimo in Gamla Stan.
6/29/2019: Riddarhuset
The Riddarhuset palace (Great Hall of Nobility) was built in the mid-1600s and was used by the aristocracy for meetings of Parliament. Today it is a museum.
6/29/2019: Riddarholmskyrkan
Franciscan monks built Riddarholmskyrkan in the late 13th century.
6/29/2019: Altar
King Magnus Ladula (1240-1290) and King Karl Knuttson Bonde (ca. 1408-1470) are buried in front of the alter at Riddarholmskyrkan.
6/29/2019: City Hall
Stockholm's City Hall building was completed in 1923 and is a landmark in the city. The 347ft (106m) tower is open to the public to climb to the top.
6/29/2019: Flying Elk
A great meal street-side at the Flying Elk gastropub.
6/29/2019: Ferry
Boarding the ferry to return to the island of Djurgarden and Wasahamnen.
6/29/2019: Wasahamnen
Dirona moored at Wasahamnen, viewed from our ferry home.
6/30/2019: Round Gotland Race
The Round Gotland Race, formally known as the AF Offshore Race, starts this morning from the other side of Skeppsholmen, across the channel from our marina. 218 vessels across at least 9 classes will pass south of the marina, head out to sea, and turn south to Gotland, then return north to finish at Sandhamn. The race has traditionally started and ended at the Royal Swedish Yacht Club outstation at Sandhamn, but recently has been starting in Stockholm.

The screenshot from our chartplotter shows the AIS targets from boats in the SRS C class as they prepare to start. Dirona is moored at the upper right, at the end of the blue line.
6/30/2019: Oppet Hav
All recreational traffic through the channel opposite our marina was prohibited for several hours during Round Gotland Race start to prevent interference with the racers. This Combat Boat 90 prototype water jet owned by charter company Oppet Hav guarded the channel off our berth. If you didn't know about the race and had plans to head out from the marina, as several boats tried to do, you'd be pretty unhappy to learn you couldn't proceed for several hours.
6/30/2019: Race Start
Some of the 40 boats in the smallest of the three SRS classes, SRS C, underway beneath the cliffs of Sodermalm at the start of the Round Gotland Race.
6/30/2019: ClubSwan 50
ClubSwan 50 Class boats setting off in the Round Gotland Race.
6/30/2019: Giraffe
About three hours after the Round Gotland Race began, once all the classes had started, the channel was opened to pleasure craft traffic and we took off in the tender to catch up to the fleet. We passed this old crane on the island of Beckholmen painted creatively to look like a giraffe.
6/30/2019: Classic Sloops
Classic wooden sloops underway just outside Stockholm.
6/30/2019: Britt
As we were chasing the Round Gotland Race fleet, we passed a familiar-looking boat with a Netherlands flag and realized it was Artnautica 58 Britt of Harlingen. We'd met owner Rob Westermann and toured Britt while we were in Harlingen in early 2018. Rob and his wife were on their way to Stockholm—we said a brief hello and continued on to catch the fleet.
6/30/2019: Foiling Powerboat
We've seen plenty of foiling sailboats, but never a foiling powerboat. This craft had no discernible name, so we're not sure who designed and built it. The craft is impressively fast, even with a very small outboard.
6/30/2019: Loko
Waves from a couple of crew members on board Loko of St. Petersburg as we pass through the Round Gotland Race fleet. Loko finished 10th out of the 19 in the ORCi B class.
6/30/2019: Passing
ORCi B class Karukera make a close pass of ClubSwan 50 class Zanoza.
6/30/2019: HiQ
Overall race winner HiQ working through traffic in the Round Gotland Race. The Volvo Ocean 65 set a new race record, completing the 352.1 nm course at an average speed of 13.01 knots.
6/30/2019: Fleet
Looking back to some of the 218 vessels that started the 2019 Round Gotland Race. We had a great time watching both the start and catching up with the fleet. We sure love having such a capable tender.
6/30/2019: Cruise Ferries
Checking out the cruise ferry terminal back at Stockholm, with three Tallink Silja Line ferries in port.
6/30/2019: Djurgardsbrunnskanalen
Passing along the north side of Djurgarden, the island where our marina is, through the narrow and shallow canal Djurgardsbrunnskanalen. Stockholm is spread over 14 islands with 57 bridges connecting them all.
6/30/2019: Sirishov
The villa Sirishov, dating from the 1760s, on the north side of the island of Djurgarden. Behind is 30m tall Bredablick Tower in the outdoor museum Skansen.
6/30/2019: Predator
A Predator 447-R moored at Stockholm. The boat comes with twin 1650HP Mercury Racing 700 engines and must really smoke. We saw this engine at the Miami Boat Show, next to a Mercury Racing 1750HP engine.
6/30/2019: 4x400
It's starting to look like Florida with 1,600 HP of Mercury racing engines on the back of this Anytec boat. It's not quite the most extreme we've seen—in Florida we saw a 53ft center-console with 2,508 HP.
6/30/2019: Wheeeeee!
One of the swing rides at the amusement park Grona Lund just south of our marina.
6/30/2019: Aaaaaaah!
Riders on an attraction at the Grona Lund amusement park looking pretty excited just before their carriage tips forward and around a 180-degree bend.
6/30/2019: Danvikshem
Danvikshem (Danvik's Hospital), founded in 1551, is Sweden's oldest still-active state-formed foundation. Their current building was erected in the early 18th-century.
6/30/2019: Elite Hotel
Elite Hotel Marina Tower, built in a renovated historic waterfront mill building.
6/30/2019: Danvikskanalen
Heading down the Danvikskanalen. We'll be passing through here in Dirona on our way to the Gota Canal four weeks from now.
6/30/2019: Apartments
Attractive apartments in the modern planned suburb of Hammarby Sjostad along Danvikskanalen.
6/30/2019: Luma
Fabulous restaurant with a view atop the old Luma lightbulb factory. The factory is now luxury apartments with this striking restaurant up top.
6/30/2019: Ducklings
We see lots of ducklings and other baby birds this time of year in the Baltic.
6/30/2019: Goteborg
Patrons spilling out on the steps to enjoy the sun at the Restaurant Goteborg at the head of the Sickla canal.
6/30/2019: Hammarbyslussen
Passing through the lock Hammarbyslussen to reach the freshwater lake system that extends west of Stockholm.
6/30/2019: Eriksdals Motorboat Club
Eriksdals Motorboat Club, just inside Hammarbyslussen, one of many marinas in the lakes.
6/30/2019: Loopen
Patrons enjoying the warm and sunny weather lakeside at Loopen.
6/30/2019: Wooden Boats
Dozens of beautifully-maintained wooden boats along Palsundet.
6/30/2019: Gamla Stan
View to the old town, Gamla Stan, from the west.
6/30/2019: Munchenbryggeriet
Munchenbryggeriet, a historic brewery and landmark building in Stockholm, is now an event and conference center.
6/30/2019: No Entry
We were planning to head back to Dirona through the locks shown on our charts adjacent to Gamla Stan, but the entire area is under construction and now blocked off for the next several years. We had to return back the way we came.
6/30/2019: Lock Fee
Jennifer paying our lock fee at Hammarbyslussen on the outbound journey through.
7/1/2019: Collision
Wasahamnen is a busy marina, with boats constantly arriving and departing. Only a portion of the berths are reservable and the rest are first-come first-served. Because it's such a popular and central location, boaters arrive pretty determined to find a berth. One boat, Tulla, collided with us while the skipper was attempting to fit into a too-small spot forward of Dirona. The video at https://youtu.be/F2jsDt8KW1Y shows the collision.

We took some damage and supposedly their insurance company will contact us. But we've not heard from them yet :).
7/1/2019: Tulla
Tulla, the boat that collided with us, tying off to a pleasure craft further forward. Unlike most marinas in the Baltic, rafting isn't allowed at Wasahamnen, but people are determined to find a spot and will tie off anyway. The harbour master will have to find them a spot or ask them leave.
7/1/2019: Work Barge
A work barge has twice overnighted against a pleasure craft forward of us, using dirty tires as fenders and leaving black footprints all over the deck. We really hope that doesn't happen to us. We're loving the marina, but this aspect make us a little nervous. A heavy steel boat with automotive tires as fenders with many wakes passing through isn't a great equation.
7/1/2019: 188 Volts
Here's an example of why a world-travelling boat needs to be very flexible on the shorepower configurations it can accept. Throughout the Baltic, we've rarely seen more than 10-amp shorepower connections. And here you can see a 230V service is operating under such heavy load that it's only delivering 188 volts. Our dual shore-power system operates well through even challenging conditions like these. And we can run all the appliances and air conditions without needing to run the generator.
7/1/2019: Torbjorn Curtsson
Stockholm resident and longtime blog reader Torbjorn Curtsson came by today for a visit. Torbjorn has sent us a number of web cam shots of Dirona, such as our entry into the Kiel Canal last fall and our arrival into Stockholm. He's also been giving us great recommendations for the area, particularly the Swedish west coast. It was great to finally meet in person.
7/1/2019: Outdoor Concert
A small outdoor concert theater near the marina is frequently busy with events in the summer.
7/1/2019: Ferrari 488
While walking out to dinner we passed a dealership with a Ferrari 488 on display with other exotics.
7/1/2019: Fountain
Fountain at Karlaplan park, created during the 1890s at an intersection of roads following the design of the Place de l'Étoile in Paris where the Arc de Triomphe stands.
7/1/2019: Alegria Tapas Bar
An excellent dinner on the patio at Alegria Tapas Bar, about a 20-minute walk from our berth at Wasahamnen in Stockholm. This is becoming one of our favourite standbys.
7/2/2019: Voltage
The marina needed to bring the power down on all shore pedestals along the south side of our dock, including the one adjacent to our boat. Everyone plugged into the other side of the dock, but the extreme load all on one side pulled the voltage down to 185. The good news is that we run unaffected down to 195 volts and, even down at 185 volts, our chargers de-rate but still can maintain adequate charge.
7/3/2019: Vet Zoo
Spitfire was diagnosed with kidney problems in Amsterdam and now needs to be on a special diet. We bought enough in Amsterdam to get us to Stockholm and just received an order locally from Vet Zoo for enough to get us back to Amsterdam again.
7/3/2019: Ferry
Boarding the ferry just south of the marina to cross over to the old town Gamla Stan. All the public transit in Stockholm operates through a single integrated purchase system. You can purchase day, multi-day or multi-week transit cards good for travel on buses, ferries, trams and trains. another option is to use their on-line app and just purchase tickets as needed, which is what we've done. Helsinki had a similar system.
7/3/2019: Wasahamnen
View to our berth at Wasahamnen from the ferry to Gamla Stan. In the background is the renowned Vasa museum, containing the world's best preserved 17th-century ship, Vasa. We've heard great things about the museum and plan to visit soon.
7/3/2019: Gamla Stan
View to Gamla Stan as we approach by ferry.
7/3/2019: af Chapman
The af Chapman is a full-rigged steel ship launched at Whitehaven, UK in 1888. The ship was used for commercial transport for several decades before the Swedish Navy purchased it for a training ship. Today the vessel is permanently moored to the western side of the islet of Skeppsholmen and serves as a youth hostel.
7/3/2019: Superyacht
At the opposite end of the spectrum from the af Chapman, a sleek and modern superyacht moored at Gamla Stan.
7/3/2019: Crowds
Crowds of people at the Royal Palace Kungliga Slottet awaiting the Changing of the Guard ceremony. About 800,000 people watch the ceremonies each year.
7/3/2019: Changing of the Guard
The Royal Guards have been continuously protecting the Swedish Royal Family in Stockholm since 1523 and are currently part of the Swedish Armed Forces. In addition to guarding the palace, they perform various ceremonial duties such as the opening of Parliament and act as honorary guard at occasions such as foreign naval visits. They are well-armed with Ak 5s, an assault rifle built by Bofors for the Swedish Armed Forces.
7/3/2019: Military Band
Military band from the Swedish Armed Forces Music Centre wearing Pickelhauben (spiked helmets) while performing at the Changing of the Guards ceremony. They did a great job—we quite enjoyed the show.
7/3/2019: Wistroms
A good lunch street-side at Wistroms Irish pub.
7/3/2019: Gasgrand
Looking down through an archway at the head of the alley Gasgrand after we walked up from lunch.
7/3/2019: Kungliga Slottet
We took a guided tour through the Royal Palace Kungliga Slottet after lunch. The 608-room Royal Palace was completed in the mid-1700s and still is the official residence of the Swedish Royal family, making it the largest in the world still used for its original purpose.

This is the spectacular Karl XI's Gallery, inspired by the Hall of Mirrors at the palace at Versailles. The hall is occasionally used for banquets, such as the annual Nobel Prize dinner hosted at the palace since 1904.
7/3/2019: Oranges
Crates and crates of oranges ready for squeezing—a common sight in Stockholm. The person at left is feeding them through an machine that slices them in half and squeezes out the juice.
7/3/2019: Royal Chapel
The elaborate Royal Chapel was completed in the mid-1700s as a parish church for members of the Royal Parish.
7/3/2019: Nobelmuseet
Swedish scientist Alfred Nobel established the Nobel Prize in his will and dictated that the prize for physics, chemistry, medicine and literature be awarded by specific Swedish institutions and that a group of five people selected by the Norwegian Parliament would award the peace prize. Thus today the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded in Oslo and the rest in Stockholm. And also in Stockholm in Gamla Stan is Nobelmuseet, the Nobel Museum, that details the history of the award and those who have received it.

When we visited, the museum had a large exhibit on Martin Luther King that really drove home what a hero he was and how courageous thousands of others, whose names we don't know, also were. The exhibit was really moving, and it's disappointing that these events are occuring during our lifetime rather than being ancient history. Bryan Stevenson's Just Mercy is an excellent read on the subject.
7/3/2019: Geronimo
We finished the day with a good dinner at the colorful Geronimo Mexican restaurant in Gamla Stan.
7/4/2019: Google Translate
In most places we've travelled in Europe, we've usually been able to communicate in English. Shopping at the local grocery stores, however, can be a bit more challenging. Some products have English on the labels, but the majority do not.

Google Translate running on our mobile phone is a real help—we can pass the phone over a label and it automatically translates the text. The picture on the left is a photograph of what we think is a jar of thyme, and on the right is a screenshot of the Google Translate result, confirming that it is indeed thyme.
7/5/2019: Skat
The 233 ft (71 m) superyacht Skat arriving into Helsinki. German shipyard Lurssen built the yacht for former Microsoft executive Charles Simonyi. The military-styled vessel bears the number 9906, the project number of the ship's designer Espen Oeino.
7/5/2019: Vasamuseet
In 1628, the warship Vasa set off from Gamla Stan on its maiden voyage. The flagship of the Swedish fleet, designed to be the most powerful warship in the Baltic, the Vasa was 226ft (69 m) long, over 164ft (50 m) tall from keel to mast-top, and weighed over 1,200 tonnes including its ten sails, 64 cannons, and 120 tonnes of ballast.

The vessel travelled barely a half-nautical mile before heeling to port in a gust of wind. Water rushed in through the gun ports and the ship sank within minutes. A subsequent inquiry found nobody at fault—the Vasa was built according to the standards of the day, when mathematical calculations of stability weren't available for another century. Today we know that the center of gravity was too high above the waterline, causing the ship to heel excessively even in light breezes.

The Vasa lay at the bottom for over three hundred years before being rediscovered in 1956 and raised in 1961, making headlines around the world. The ship now is on display at the Vasamuseet, adjacent to Wasahamnen where Dirona is berthed. The person standing below on the right gives an idea of the size and scale of the ship.
7/5/2019: Vasa Stern
A view to the ornately carved stern of the Vasa includes a number of its 700 carved sculptures. The entire vessel, particularly the stern, would have been colorfully painted when it set sail.

The reconstructed ship is 98% original and was remarkably well-preserved for two reasons: the Baltic waters are too cold and fresh to support the shipworms that have destroyed wooden ships elsewhere in the world, and raw sewage dumped into the harbour for centuries had created a dead zone at the bottom, where even bacteria couldn't live.
7/5/2019: Raising the Vasa
The Vasamuseet has many excellent displays, including a movie and several models showing how the Vasa was raised. In this model, the Vasa is visible through the water the third from the left, between the two red barges.
7/5/2019: Model
An elaborate and detailed 1:10 scale model of the Vasa painted to show how the ship might have looked when it set sail in 1628.
7/5/2019: Crowds
When we arrived at the Vasamuseet early this morning, nobody was in line. But when we left around noon, a queue ran out the door and up the road.
7/5/2019: Power Outage
The shore services throughout the region are rarely more than 10 amps. Our dual shorepower system allows us to operate the boat on fully on extremely low-amperage services, so this hasn't been an inconvenience. The Wasahamnen shorepower system introduces some new challenges. The first is voltage sag, where the nominal 230 volts sometimes is as low as 185. Our system works fine at these voltage levels. The second challenge is that large parts of the marina suffer power failures multiple times per week. We speculate this is caused by sensitive Residual Current Devices coupled with arriving boats having small power problems or insulation defects. We commonly see people either opening the pedestal to check the breaker, or moving their power cord to a different pedestal in the hopes of finding power.
7/5/2019: Drottninggatan
The pedestrian street Drottninggatan is full of shops and cafes, and is packed with people on this warm July evening.
7/5/2019: La Neta
A delicious Mexican meal at La Neta just off Drottninggatan.
7/5/2019: Maskrosbollen Fountain
We passed the beautiful Maskrosbollen Fountain, known as the "Dandelion Ball", on our way back home after dinner at La Neta.
7/5/2019: Concert
Concertgoers attending a show at the outdoor amphitheatre adjacent to our marina.
7/5/2019: Sodermalm
The steep cliffs on the north side of the island of Sodermalm aglow in the evening light, viewed from our berth at Wasahamnen, Stockholm.
7/6/2019: Hammarbyslussen Lock
Water entering the Hammarbyslussen lock as we return to the lake system in the tender to tour Drottningholm Palace.
7/6/2019: Arstabroarna
About to pass under the Arstabroarna (the Arsta bridges), two parallel railway viaducts that connect mainland Stockholm to the island of Sodermalm. The closest bridge has been in operation since 1929 and was the longest bridge in Sweden when completed. The second bridge behind was completed in 2005.
7/6/2019: Boat Transport
A boat being lifted out of the water for transport.
7/6/2019: Paddlers
These paddlers were really digging as we passed.
7/6/2019: Drottningholm Palace
Our destination for the day, Drottningholm Palace on the island of Lovon. An original castle built in 1580 burnt down and was replaced by the current palace, completed in the late 1600s during Sweden's time as a great power. The Swedish royal court resided here regularly during the 18th century and it remains a summer residence for the Royal Family, but is also open to the public. The palace and its grounds were designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1991 for being "the finest example of an 18th-century north European royal residence inspired by the Palace of Versailles".
7/6/2019: Tender
Our tender tied off at the small boat dock on the Drottningholm Palace grounds.
7/6/2019: Staircase
The grand staircase in Drottningholm Palace is full of statues, perspective paintings and beautiful marble.
7/6/2019: Baroque Garden
A view to the Baroque Garden, part of the expansive Drottningholm Palace Park.
7/6/2019: Bedchamber
The opulent state bedchamber of Queen Hedvig Eleonora, who commissioned the palace in the 17th century. It is one of Sweden's grandest, and most expensive, Baroque rooms.
7/6/2019: Library
The magnificent library, created in the late 18th-century, houses roughly 2500 works in 7400 volumes.
7/6/2019: Theatre
The Drottningholm Palace Theater is one of the best preserved 18th-century theatres in the world. The stage's hand-operated wooden machinery and sound effect machines are still in working order, and productions are regularly held here in the summer.
7/6/2019: Chinese Pavilion
The Chinese Pavilion is a summer palace given to Queen Lovisa Ulrika in 1753 as a surprise birthday gift from her husband King Adolf Fredrik. At that time, Chinese craftsmanship was exotic and rare, and considered the height of fashion in Europe.
7/6/2019: Yellow Room
The Yellow Room in the Chinese Pavilion is beautifully decorated with Chinese lacquered panels and porcelain.
7/6/2019: Confidencen
Confidencen is a remote dining building at the Chinese Pavilion where the dinner table and the serving tables were set on the floor below and hoisted up on signal, allowing for private dining similar to the Hermitage dining room at Peterhof palace.
7/6/2019: Sculptures
Sculptures are spread throughout the Drottningholm Palace Park, some designed to surprise and delight visitors who unexpectedly come across them.
7/6/2019: Seven Cascades
On either side of the center avenue in the Baroque garden are seven cascades spilling from a raised walkway.
7/6/2019: Palace from Gardens
The rear of Drottningholm Palace, viewed from above the seven cascades in the Baroque Garden.
7/6/2019: Hercules Fountain
The Hercules Fountain is one of 32 bronze sculptures in Drottningholm Palace Park by the leading sculptor of the Baroque period, the Dutchman Adriaen de Vries. They were taken by the Swedish army from the Wallenstein Palace in Prague as spoils of war.
7/6/2019: Sjopaviljongen
A delicious lunch on the terrace at Sjopaviljongen about halfway back to Dirona from Drottningholm Palace. Our tender is partially visible moored to James' right.
7/6/2019: Powered Board
A couple of people were out on the lake in battery-powered paddleboards.
7/6/2019: Apartments
Modern apartments on the island of Kungsholmen.
7/6/2019: Float Homes
One of several striking floathomes moored at Papas Marina opposite the island of Kungsholmen.
7/6/2019: Suspended Buoys
This is the first time we've seen buoys suspended from a bridge above a waterway, rather than secured to land or the sea bottom.
7/6/2019: Karlberg Canal
The narrow and intimate Karlberg Canal along the north side of the island of Kungsholmen.
7/6/2019: Karlberg Palace
Karlberg Palace was built in the 1620s for a wealthy Stockholm resident and purchased by the King in 1688. It served as a royal palace until the lat 1700s, when it was converted to a military academy that has continued to present day.
7/6/2019: Stockholm Waterfront
The modern Stockholm Waterfront complex, completed in 2011. The complex includes a hotel, office buildings and a conference center.
7/6/2019: City Hall
Stockholm's City Hall building was completed in 1923 and is a landmark in the city. The 347ft (106m) tower is open to the public to climb to the top.
7/6/2019: Brightwork
Amazing brightwork on this wooden boat moored along the lakes.
7/6/2019: Canal Tour
This large canal tour boat was one of several other vessels we shared Hammarbyslussen with on the return back to saltwater. We didn't know it then, but Artnautica 58 Britt owner Rob Westermann was on board.
7/7/2019: Rob Westermann
Rob Westermann, owner of Artnautica 58 Britt stopped by for coffee and a chat. We'd not seen Rob since we left Harlingen, NL early in 2018, so it was great to get together and catch up.
7/7/2019: Alegria Tapas Bar
Another great meal at Alegria Tapas Bar about a 20-minute walk from our berth.
7/7/2019: Galarvarvet
Bronze model outside the Vasamuseet showing the Galarvarvet (Galley Wharf) area in 1942. Galley ships were built here starting in the early 1700s and it was a part of Stockholm's military shipyard until 1969. The dry dock at center is where the Vasa now rests and the area at right is now the Wasahamnen guest harbour where Dirona is moored. The large building at upper left is the Nordic Museum that covers the cultural history of Sweden.
7/8/2019: Scania Site Visit
Today visited the Scania manufacturing plant just outside Stockholm, Sweden. We had a fabulous time at the museum there and particularly enjoyed touring the chassis and engine plants. We ended the day at the Scania Demo Center, where we got to test drive current model Scania trucks and buses and also got to go off-roading in a Scania 6x6.

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7/8/2019: Restaurant J
We had a great meal with a water view at Restaurant J in Nacka Strand southeast of Stockholm center. The restaurant is themed and named after the J-class boats raced in the American's Cup in the 1930s. During our site visit, Asa Bennerstam of Scania had recommended we try the restaurant, so we stopped in on our way back to Stockholm.
7/8/2019: Traffic
We loved the view from Restaurant J to the traffic at the adjacent Nacka Strand ferry dock and the big Baltic ferries and cruise ships coming and going from Stockholm.
7/8/2019: Funicular
Funicular railway behind Restaurant J between sea level and the hills above.
7/8/2019: God, Our Father, on the Rainbow
Spectacular 60ft (18m) statue by renowned Swedish Carl Milles just outside Restaurant J depicting God hanging stars in the sky tossed by an angel standing a the bottom. The work was originally intended for the UN building in New York, but financing fell through and it was placed here instead.
7/8/2019: Ferry
Our ferry back to Stockholm from Nacka Strand arriving at the dock.
7/8/2019: Apartment Buildings
Striking modern apartment buildings in Stockholm's recently-developed residential district Kvarnholmen.
7/8/2019: Historic Industrial Building
History industrial building in Stockholm's Kvarnholmen district.
7/8/2019: Danvikshem
Another view to Danvikshem (Danvik's Hospital) erected in the early 18th-century.
7/8/2019: Elite Hotel
Elite Hotel Marina Tower, built in a renovated historic waterfront mill building, viewed from our ferry ride home from Nacka Strand.
7/9/2019: Valve Adjustment
Our Northern Lights 12kW generator was due for its 1,000-hour valve adjustment. The generator recently reached 6,000 hours. We've had to replace a few minor parts along the way, but it's generally been super-reliable.
7/9/2019: Harbour Master
Wasahamnen guest harbour, where Dirona is moored, is extremely busy in the summer. The harbour master, in the skiff at right, is often on the docks directing boaters to a berth, asking them to move from a place they shouldn't be, and sometimes is even out on the water helping them in.
7/9/2019: Lo Scudetto
Pizza for dinner at Italian restaurant Lo Scudetto in Stockholm's Ostermalm district, about a 20-minute walk from the marina.
7/9/2019: Scooter
Electic rental scooters are common in Stockholm and, like rental bikes, are often parked in annoying places. It's hard to know what happened here, but this one appears to have been run over by a car.
7/9/2019: Wasahamnen
Evening light looking east across the inner berths at Wasahamnen, our marina in Stockholm. The orange buoys support boats mooring bow-to or stern-to the dock, with the other end secured to the buoy, similar to med-mooring. Dirona is moored just out of the picture to the right.
7/11/2019: Windshield Replacement
The windshield being replaced in a large yacht berthed at Wasahamnen. The structure around the windshield flexed underway, shattering the glass.
7/11/2019: Spitfire
We'll be making a two-week trip to Seattle tommorrow and Spitfire is heading to "the resort" tonight. We hate leaving him behind, but a transatlantic flight in the cargo hold wouldn't be easy on him either.
7/11/2019: Djurtaxi
Husdjurs Transporter djurtaxi (animal taxi) picking up Spitfire for transport to Ekbackens Kattpensionat. The cattery is a good hour's drive outside of Stockholm, so we're using a recommended pet taxi service.
7/11/2019: Ekbackens Kattpensionat
Spitfire in his huge private room and terrace at Ekbackens Kattpensionat. He's playing it cautious now and staying in his bag, but soon will be out to investigate his new digs and also all those toys they've placed out for him. (Photo courtesy of Husdjurs Transporter.)
7/11/2019: Hot Air Balloon
A Shrek-themed hot-air balloon flying over Stockholm.
7/12/2019: ABBA Museum
Waiting for our tram to Stockholm Central station on our way to Stockholm airport for a trip to Seattle. The tram stop is outside the ABBA museum, topped with silver platform boots, dedicated to the famous Swedish pop band. ABBA were one of the best-selling acts of all time, with an estimated 360 million records sold worldwide and hits such as Dancing Queen, Knowing Me, Knowing You and Take a Chance on Me. The museum's tagline is "Walk in. Dance out.", so we're a little afraid to visit. :)
7/12/2019: Stockholm Central Station
Jennifer sporting her new Scania Scania T-shirt at Stockholm Central Station. We will take the Arholma Express to the Stockholm Airport, Arholma, for a trip to Seattle.
7/12/2019: Arholma Express
Riding the Arholma Express to the airport. We could easily have taken a taxi, but we find the trains a part of the adventure and prefer taking them when convenient.
7/12/2019: 100 MPH
The Arholma Express trains have a maximum speed of 125 mph (200kph) and make the 24-mile (39km) run to the airport from Stockholm Central station in just under 20 minutes. We have only two bags to check on our outbound trip. The bag closest to Jennifer has two more bags inside—we'll return with all four packed with spares and supplies.
7/12/2019: Arlanda Station
Huge escalator rising from the Arholma Express station to the airport terminal.
7/12/2019: Thames
The O2 indoor arena to our south as we fly over the Thames shortly before landing in Heathrow for our connection to Seattle.
7/12/2019: Upper Deck
Heading to the upper deck of a British Airways 747-400 for the ten-hour flight from Heathrow to Seattle.
7/12/2019: Whidbey Island
Looking southeast across Whidbey Island, north of Seattle, as we begin the approach to SeaTac airport.
7/12/2019: Seattle
Great view east to Seattle on our approach to SeaTac airport. The large marina at far left is Shilshole Bay Marina and at bottom center is Elliott Bay Marina, where we had a slip for ten years. Downtown Seattle is at the right with Lake Washington beyond. The narrow inlet running southeast from Shilhsole is the Lake Washington Ship Canal that connects Lake Washington to the Puget Sound.
7/12/2019: Commencement Bay
Puyallup River mud clouding Commencement Bay. The Port of Tacoma is on the right and the Marina at Brown's Point is at the top of the picture to our north.
7/13/2019: Spitfire
Spitfire taking in the view from his private terrace at Ekbackens Kattpensionat.
7/13/2019: Fog Room
Lunch with a great view to Elliott Bay from the Fog Room on the 16th floor of the Charter Hotel.
7/13/2019: Shore Power Out
Here's another advantage of our new dual shorepower system. We're plugged into two separate pedestals at Wasahamnen marina. Each only supplies 10 amps, but together they provide enough power to run Dirona comfortably. The power is out fairly frequently at this marina, so James ran one oft he power plugs a little further away to a separate branch circuit. The day after we arrived in Seattle, the power went out twice, once for 18.3 minutes and again for 50.8 minutes. Each power failure only took out one pedestal, so Dirona never lost power completely.
7/14/2019: Seattle Sounders
We went to a Seattle Sounders soccer game today and had a great time. The Sounders fans are incredibly enthusiastic.
7/14/2019: Alaskan Way Viaduct
What's left of the Alaskan Way Viaduct, as it's slowly being torn down. It sure looks strange to see pieces of it missing like that after its been such a fixture in the city for decades. Our friend Filo D'Souza pointed us to this excellent video showing how the Dept. of Transportation is "reverse engineering" the viaduct.
7/15/2019: Packages
While James is attending work meetings, Jennifer went to our UPS box to pickup all our mail and packages we ordered. Here it is. It seems unlikely that will fit into four suitcases.
7/15/2019: Packing
Three hours later, all the boxes have been opened and the process of packing the goods into suitcases is underway.
7/15/2019: Luggage
Five hours later, everything from the mailbox is back at the hotel and mostly in the four suitcases, plus some carry-on bags.
7/16/2019: Hatton Marine
At Hatton Marine to pickup some Northern Lights spares, including a raw water pump a coolant circulation pump.
7/16/2019: Don Kohlman
A visit with Don Kolhman at the Nordhavn Northwest office. We've known Don for years and he's no less enthusiastic than a decade ago when he dove into the cold Puget Sound waters to cut a crane strap free from our stabilizer as Dirona was offloaded from a cargo ship on a cold November day in Tacoma.
7/16/2019: Emerald Harbor Marine
At Emerald Harbor Marine in Elliott Bay Marine to pickup a new scanner unit for our main radar. Radar magnetrons usually last 6,000-10,000 hours, so it's effectively a wear item, and that's why we're changing it.

The Emerald Harbour Marine team did the commissioning work on Dirona for PAE and also did all the original installation work for us. That equipment is still running strong, 10,000 hours and 9 years later. What's more amazing is they continue to help us to this day. Difficult-to-find parts or getting things to us in remote locations is Kelly Maxson's specialty at Emerald Harbor Marine. EHM also installed the furnace on our first boat back in 1999. They've been helping us for nearly 20 years and we really appreciate it.
7/16/2019: Scanner Unit
The new scanner unit for our main radar definitely will not fit in any of our suitcases, but does at least fall below the 70lb (32kg) weight limit for our airline. So we can bring it back as an extra piece of luggage.
7/16/2019: Amazon Spheres
James' team just moved to a new building across the street from the Amazon Spheres, part of the company's headquarters campus in downtown Seattle.
7/17/2019: Northern Lights
As part of our around-the-world tour, we love visiting leading engineering firms and touring their products. In the Dirona Technology Series we have covered a visit to Metal Shark Boats, mining truck manufacturer Bell Equipment, the 5,000 hp harbor assist tractor tug SL Herbert, the containership Hanjin Oslo, the Holland America cruise ship Westerdam, and a tour of diesel engine, truck, and bus manufacturer Scania.

We love seeing great engineering applied to real- world products and services. While in Seattle, we had an opportunity to visit Northern Lights, the renowned maker of reliable and long-lasting diesel generators. This visit was with the engineering team focusing on yet-to-be-released products so we can't take pictures and cover it as part of the technology series. But, as with every visit to Northern Lights, it was super-interesting. They always have great projects underway and this visit was a particularly interesting one.
7/17/2019: Northwest Fishing History
The placard above this engine reads "This four-cylinder, 108-cubic inch gas engine is an example of the first engines used in Alaska's Bristol Bay salmon fisheries.

In 1952, engine-powered vessels were legalized in the Bay. At first power boats were used to pull the existing sailboats back and forth to the fishing grounds. Later engines, such as this Gray Marine 4108, were part of a power kit that companies like Bryant's Marine shipped to Alaska to install in sailboats. The engines worked so hard and reliably that the Bay fisherman called them "Luggers".

When Alaska Diesel Electric (later Northern Lights, Inc.) set out to build engines for the Northwest fisherman, the Lugger name personified this design philosophy.

Today, Lugger by Northern Lights diesel engines range from 40 to 475 horsepower. Although we no longer make them, the existing Luggers are at work in fishing boats, trawlers, tugs, yachts, battlewagons and workboats throughout the world. Every one carries a little Northwest history, and a lot of Northwest work ethic, with it."
7/17/2019: M844DW3 Generator
An M844DW3 16kw diesel generator on display at the Northern Lights head office in Ballard.
7/20/2019: Alaskan Way Viaduct
Looking west across the remains of the Alaskan Way Viaduct, in the process of being torn down.
7/20/2019: Skyline
Some of the Seattle skyline, once blocked by the Alaskan Way Viaduct, viewed from the ground below.
7/20/2019: Bell Harbor Marina
Kayaker paddling through Bell Harbor Marina, our home port for our last four years in Seattle. During the summer, we moored at the end slip in the foreground.
7/20/2019: Anthony's Pier 66
Dinner on the terrace with a view to Elliott Bay at Anthony's Pier 66 restaurant. The view year-round is fabulous and we frequented the restaurant often when we lived aboard in adjacent Bell Harbor Marina.
7/20/2019: Downtown Seattle
View across Bell Harbor Marina to Elliott Bay and the downtown Seattle skyline from the Bell Street Pier Rooftop Deck. We just had dinner on the terrace at Anthony's Pier 66 at bottom left.
7/20/2019: Herban Legends
Marijuana for sale in downtown Seattle.
7/21/2019: UPS Waterfall Garden Park
We passed the UPS Waterfall Garden Park in downtown Seattle while walking to the Mariners baseball game. The park marks the location where the American Messenger Company, now the United Parcel Service (UPS), was founded in 1907.
7/21/2019: Seattle Mariners
A great time taking in a Seattle Mariners baseball game on a sunny Sunday afternoon.
7/24/2019: Cactus
A great meal on the terrace at Cactus in Seattle after James finished up some work meetings nearby.
7/25/2019: Amazon Spheres
The Amazon Spheres at dusk, viewed from the 7th floor of the office building James' team recently moved to.
7/25/2019: Chakra
Jennifer having lunch at the Malt and Vine in Redmond with her past teammates from Chakra, the codename for the Javascript runtime team she last worked on at Microsoft.
7/27/2019: Spitfire
Spitfire relaxing on the outdoor bed in his private patio at Ekbackens Kattpensionat. They did an extraordinary job of taking care of him. Spitfire has stayed in many catteries over his 16-year life but he’s never come back looking so healthy and happy.
7/28/2019: Checked Bags
At the Seattle airport checking in our 300 pounds of luggage. We had three large bags at just under 70 lbs (32kg) each, the radar motor box at around 60 lbs (27kg) and one smaller bag at just under 50 lbs (23kg). Plus we each had two carry-ons full of gear. We were pretty much at our limit, but got it all checked through no problem.
7/29/2019: Missing Bags
Jennifer at the British Airways missing luggage counter in Stockholm airport. Only three of our five bags arrived into Stockholm with us. Fortunately the other two don't appear to be lost, but went on a later flight from Heathrow to Stockholm.
7/29/2019: Unpacking
Some of the contents of the three bags that did make it to Stockholm with us.
7/30/2019: Water Police
The water police made a pass through the marina on jet-skis today.
7/30/2019: Missing Luggage
Our two missing bags were delivered to the boat today. We weren't hopeful we were going to see them again any time soon, but everything eventually arrived undamaged.
7/30/2019: Old BBQ
One of the items in our checked luggage was a new barbecue. The old one has seen a lot of use in the past nine years, and has been overhauled twice. We could overhaul it again, but its in pretty rough shape, so we decided to replace it.
7/30/2019: New BBQ
The new barbecue is the same model as the old (Magma Newport 2) and didn't require any modifications to fit in the barbecue console. It looks great and works wonderfully. Nice, even heat is so much easier to manage.
7/30/2019: Shark Navigator
One of the options we'd selected when purchasing Dirona was the standard built-in vacuum, a Nu-Tone CV350. But we haven't been very happy with it—the air-driven power head frequently rusted up or seized and we were constantly messing with it. We'd tried a different power head that didn't rotate, but it wasn't very effective at cleaning the carpet.

So we decided to try a different approach and purchased a Shark Navigator upright vacuum. The Shark got great reviews, had an electric power-head, and could disassemble easily into a small package to simplify stowing. Unfortunately it was one of the items in our two missing bags, and we were really looking forward to trying it out.
7/30/2019: Dirt
The suction on the Shark Navigator is vastly better than the Nu-Tone CV350 built-in vacuum we've been using for the past decade. We were astonished at the amount of dirt the Shark pulled out of our pilot house carpet. This is really just from the small carpet in the pilot house—perhaps five square feet on total. No wonder we've been having trouble with dust build-up inside the boat.
7/30/2019: Stainless Prop
Stainless steel props are reputed to deliver slightly more speed than aluminum props. Certainly stainless props will suffer from less blade deflection and this could allow slightly more speed but we've been skeptical that it would make a noticeable difference. But, we had an opportunity to get a stainless steel prop at a good price so we decided to give it a try on the tender.
7/30/2019: Heat Sink
The navigation computer runs inside a cabinet that can get warm, especially when the boat interior is warm. This doesn't cause any problems as the computer fan just will run faster. But we decided to get a large aluminum heat sink to dissipate computer waste heat more efficiently with less fan speed required. The heat sink gets warm quickly and appears to work well.
7/31/2019: KVH V7hts Coverage Area
It looks like KVH has further improved the coverage of the their HTS (High Throughput Satellite) system. It's now impressively broad with only a slice of the South Pacific and both north and south polar areas missing.
8/1/2019: Water Leak
As we were stowing some of the supplies we'd brought back from Seattle, we noticed a pool of water under the master stateroom head floor. Fortunately it was an easy fix. A pipe-to-hose connection was seeping and this was made somewhat worse by a partial hose obstruction further down towards the grey water tank.
8/1/2019: New Dipstick
Over the years the seal at the top of the generator dipstick has been hardening and recently it's been sealing less effectively. On the last trip back to Seattle, we stopped by Hatton Marine and picked up a new dipstick.
8/1/2019: Groceries
Jennifer returning with a load of groceries in preparation for our cruise across Sweden via the Gota canal.
8/1/2019: Synology Drive
We'd been getting occasional I/O errors on one of the drives in our Synology RAID backup system. While we were in Seattle, the errors got more frequent, so we replaced the drive with one of the three spares we carry. We run RAID 6 so even two complete disk failures won't lose any data.
8/1/2019: Water Police
The water police passing by our Stockholm marina in a high-speed RIB with a video camera crew in pursuit.