A few years back, on quite a chilly Friday morning, it was only eleven degrees with a nice ten knots of northerly wind. But the sun was shining from a lovely blue sky.

We’ve had been without shore power and shower since our visit in Nynäshamn, which was only four days. The sailing had been good, so we hadn’t even used the engine, only a few minutes at the start and end of the day. The batteries were a bit drained and the captain had been told that he emits an uncanny odour. I refused to swim in the sea, it was only eleven degrees warm. Suitable only for chilling wine bottles. The first mate, on the other hand, had taken a quick morning dip a couple of days earlier. She said it was refreshing. I doubt it very much.

So we headed off to Grinda Island.

The dogs were not that interested in all the sheep and hogs we met on our walk. The trail is quite nice and you can walk for hours if you want. And there is a special route for kids. We enjoyed barbecuing on the rocks and a hot shower and shave.

This was our first ever visit to Grinda. At the height of the summer season, it can be a bit challenging to get a berth. The island is only about an hour from Stockholm by ferry, so it’s well frequented by campers and day-trippers as well. There is a bar-restaurant right by the marina, an inn with rooms, a bakery and a small store a little further inland.

The harbour is mainly quite sheltered, but with a nor-westerly blowing, you might want to look for another place to stay. Since our first visit, we’ve tried a couple of times to get here, but have come too late in the afternoon to get a spot, or the wind has been from the wrong direction.

Grinda is well worth the stop. You can stretch your legs and have a drink.