Yet another Med boating report - NOT!

[vas]

brilliant report MM!

thanks v.much for the time and effort to post (and type!) all that!
Only been to Helsinki twice, with all scubaman and your reports , it's obvious I've been to the wrong place...


cheers

V.

 

[rbcoomer]

What a great write up and pictures! A thoroughly enjoyable read and reiterates what a diverse range of boating we all enjoy!

I think being on the water somehow brings out the explorer in us, but reading the experience of someone observing for the first time was almost like being there. Thanks for sharing :encouragement:

 

[MrB]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading that MM, thanks for posting such wonderful pictures and a very informative account. :encouragement:

 

[AndieMac]

Yes MM, fabulous report with great photos, well worth the wait...haha!

I didn't realise you were such a skilful axeman, you looked as though you were getting into the Nordic way of life!
Btw I'm jealous, missing out on a great boat cruise and sampling S's cooking.....

 

[scubaman]

Thank you M & S for the great company and also for the very kind and entertaining write up, I'll file this. You have a great eye for photography, btw.

The pic of the Naval Academy brings back fond memories. I did part of the compulsory military service we have in there and had a great time.

It was such a pleasure to have you two onboard and a privilege to get to introduce you to my home waters. And of course, S's cooking was healthy AND delicious and your assistance in the locks and berthing was much appreciated. I've never had the ropes in such a good order, btw .

I have the few clips on the Gopro, I'll put them together and post here.

 

[rafiki_]

Many thanks MM, great report and beautiful cruising grounds. I have only been to Finland with work, WRC on the 1000 Lakes, and Valmet at Usikaupunki (or something), where they built Porsche Boxters and Saab cabriolets. Abiding memories are trees, lakes and mosquito's. Finnish people are fantastic hosts, and all seem to enjoy a beer or 2!

 

[MapisM]

I have the few clips on the Gopro, I'll put them together and post here.

Thanks in advance K, I'm looking forward to seeing them.

Apropos, apologies if I still didn't upload in dropbox the hi-res version of our pics - not only those which I posted here, but also several others and some clips.
Trouble is, I'm now back onboard and for some reason the internet connection is sooo sloooow...
...I guess the servers are still recovering after the August overload!
I'll email you as soon as I'll manage to do that.

Re. other comments:
@ Pinnacle: Yeah, I also couldn't believe that S was following us in those beautiful but freezing waters.
Yesterday we went out here (where we are, I just realized, TWENTYTWO degrees south of where we have been), and she used her wetsuit to swim in a 26° water. Women logic....

@ AndieMac: Well, I was born in a part of Italy where there are hills and forests to some extent similar to those they have in Finland. That's where I had a chance to learn how to split some wood.... Though my skills were actually rather rusty. Scubaman is the one who did most of the job, both with the chainsaw and the axe!

@ All others: glad that you liked the report, folks. It was a pleasure for me to rethink about the trip and write about it, though in hindsight I've been a bit lengthy...
Sorry for that, I had time to kill during my last flight!

 

[BartW]

great report from a fantastic trip P & K
hearing that S did the cooking, now I regret even more that I didn't join you ! ;-)

another way / place of enjoying boating, and what a beautifull way!,
thats what it is all about
well done, and really interesting.

 

[jfm]

MapisM that was really enjoyable and enlightening reading/viewing. Many thanks for taking the trouble to post it. Scubaman is the man, and his home waters are beautiful.

Ref your other thread, I agree. I'm commenting here so as not to mess the other thread up. The cryptic titles people sometimes give to their threads are of course well meaning and in good humour but they destroy the searchability/indexability that this otherwise encyclopaedic forum should have. I rarely read threads with meaningless/cryptic titles. I think someone did another thread with links to cruise reports and I'll post it in your other thread if I can find it. Anyway, good thinking!

 

[alt]

Mapis... WOW, just WOW!

Excellent pics and shows what a beautiful cruising ground scubaman has. I am gutted that I couldn't go, but it just wouldn't have been possible. Now I know what I missed out on

Maybe next year

 

[MapisM]

hearing that S did the cooking, now I regret even more that I didn't join you !

LOL, I'll tell you a secret B, only because S doesn't read these pages.
Some months ago, she convinced me to spend a week in South Tyrol for a detox/diet program.
And she took that seriously enough that both of us lost almost 10 kgs since then.
I can't complain actually, indeed we needed to loose some weight, and she's still a decent cook regardless.
But long gone are the days of huge pasta dishes with all sort of sauces, I'm afraid.... :nonchalance:

 

[AndieMac]

LOL, I'll tell you a secret B, only because S doesn't read these pages.
Some months ago, she convinced me to spend a week in South Tyrol for a detox/diet program.
And she took that seriously enough that both of us lost almost 10 kgs since then.
I can't complain actually, indeed we needed to loose some weight, and she's still a decent cook regardless.
But long gone are the days of huge pasta dishes with all sort of sauces, I'm afraid.... :nonchalance:

Nobody is going to feel sorry for you , flying around the world to exotic boating destinations, having to "endure" S's cooking skills....it's a tough life!

 

[scubaman]

Here is a bit of vid we shot while in the canal. I'm publishing it with the consent of MapisM.



I left out the music so you can just turn up the vol on whatever you're listening .

 

[rbcoomer]

Love the speedy rope work!

 

[MapisM]

Hehe, you should have seen the handling before scubaman edited the video in slow motion!

 

[AndieMac]

Hehe, you should have seen the handling before scubaman edited the video in slow motion!

Would that have been your first lock experience MM?

 

[MapisM]

Indeed, but TBH handling the mid cleat lines to secure the boat inside the locks was no big deal.
The most challenging bit of lines handling was rather grabbing the bow buoy upon arrival at Satamosaari at dusk (see post #18).
Which btw involved another "new to me" experience: a purposedly made buoy hooker, a tool that as I understood is very popular up there, but I never had the opportunity to try before...
...but sorry, no pics. Too dark, and we were also a bit busy!

 

[AndieMac]

Indeed, but TBH handling the mid cleat lines to secure the boat inside the locks was no big deal.
The most challenging bit of lines handling was rather grabbing the bow buoy upon arrival at Satamosaari at dusk (see post #18).
Which btw involved another "new to me" experience: a purposedly made buoy hooker, a tool that as I understood is very popular up there, but I never had the opportunity to try before...
...but sorry, no pics. Too dark, and we were also a bit busy!

I'm sure you actually did a great job of it (after witnessing your boat handling skills first hand), you were probably being a bit critical of yourself. It's good to step outside of your comfort zone occasionally

I have to work on some challenges for you during your Southern Hemisphere trip

 

[rbcoomer]

I'm sure you actually did a great job of it (after witnessing your boat handling skills first hand), you were probably being a bit critical of yourself. It's good to step outside of your comfort zone occasionally

I have to work on some challenges for you during your Southern Hemisphere trip

Why do I have this idea you've put his name on the entrant's list for the Sydney to Hobart! :ambivalence:

 

[AndieMac]

Why do I have this idea you've put his name on the entrant's list for the Sydney to Hobart! :ambivalence:

Haha, good idea Rob, but strapping yourself to the weather rail of a yacht while being "jet-washed" by the wild seas around the southern ocean for up to five days might stretch our friendship slightly