SPICA #1, Stockholm-Åland cruising.
Passage Stats
3-4 Crew Spots
Price: $4,750
Distance: ~100 Nautical Miles
Total Days: 7
Start Port: Stockholm, Sweden
End Port: Mariehamn, Åland
synopsis
Mia & Andy will start their family vacation in Åland, so here’s a chance to do an island-hopping cruise up the archipelago with Andy onboard SPICA in order to position the boat in historic Mariehamn! You’ll join the boat in Stockholm, at the archipelago base of KSSS in beautiful Saltsjöbaden, a short train ride from the city center and right on the doorstep of the archipelago. We’ll set sail soon after you join, most likely finding a waterfront sauna for our first night onboard!
Once into the archipelago, we’ll island-hop our way north-northeast towards the Finnish archipelago, stopping off at islands and anchorages that strike our fancy. It’ll be a mix of pristine natural harbors and island-village outposts along the route. We’ll almost certainly include Sandhamn in our itinerary, the start/finish port of the famous Gotland Runt race and a beautiful island with a nice marina guest harbor and some shops and restaurants ashore.
The further north we get, the more off-the-beaten path we’ll be as we explore the outer archipelago. Then it’s a 30-mile sail across the Baltic and into Mariehamn, the capital of historic Åland. If we have time, we’ll stop off in Rödhamn before our final destination, a small former radio outpost from WW2, now with a tiny guest harbor, fresh bread from the cafe and, of course, another sauna!
When you disembark SPICA in Mariehamn, it’s a beautiful, short (and cheap) ferry ride back to Stockholm city center, so if you’re traveling from abroad to join the trip, you can fly in/out of Stockholm. It’s worth spending a few extra days ashore in Åland as well, if nothing else for the history!
The Boat — oe36 spica
The ‘new’ SPICA is Andy & Mia’s family boat which they keep about 15 minutes from their house in Enköping. They bought the boat in the fall of 2024 after selling the first SPICA, a Norlin 34. The OE36 is a similar size, but represents a big step up in onboard comfort and fit & finish. She’s perfectly suited for archipelago and offshore sailing, with a hull shape very similar to our Swan 48 ISBJØRN with a deep fin keel, separate skeg-hung rudder and deep-vee forefoot. Plus, she’s got a huge cockpit, making for excellent hanging out in the evenings when moored Swedish-style bow-to-the-rocks on a stern-anchor. Check out some of the photos below of the boat and her gorgeous interior.
typical Weather Pattern
In early August, the Stockholm Archipelago and the western Baltic Sea, particularly between Åland and Gotland, typically experience stable summer weather conditions. Average air temperatures range from 18°C to 22°C.
The prevailing winds during this period are generally from the southwest to west, with average wind speeds of 10-15 knots. The frequency of low-pressure systems increases in August, but it’s still high summer in Sweden and some of the best sailing Mia & I have had here has been in August. The weather, the long daylight hours and the lack of crowds (July is vacation-time in Sweden when everyone is out on the water) make August our favorite month for archipelago sailing.
HOW TO JOIN
To register, click the 'Sign Up' button anywhere on the site. Complete and submit the form indicating ‘2026 SPICA | Stockholm-Mariehamn’ as your preferred passage.
We’ll get back to you within 24-48 hours to confirm bunk availability, send you the long-form crew application & invoice you the 50% deposit to hold your spot. Balance will be due 60 days prior to the trip start date.
Payments are non-refundable. You'll be asked to agree to our terms & conditions on your application before submitting the deposit. Please read them carefully.
