We started early today to time the opening of the first bridge in Stockholm. There are two opening bridges and one lock between us and the Baltic and the bridges only open once per hour except for rush hours when they do not open at all.

We had a nice following wind, so we sailed while we had breakfast. Unfortunately, the wind was not quite strong enough to give us the speed we needed for the 9:30 bridge. Once we entered the narrower parts first the genoa was replaced with the engine and when the wind headed us, also the main was furled.

We got there in time and once the bridge let us through, we called the lock. They said they would be ready for us, and we could motor straight into the lock. For some reason our gamble on what side to go to always fails. Also this time, and we had to rush to move some fenders and lines as we entered. Today because they only took payment on one side.

South of the lock lays Stockholm “docklands”, Hammarby sjöstad, with plenty of new housing on the old docks. After a short wait, also last bridge opened and we had managed bridges and lock in little more than one hour instead of the three we had planned for.

We motored up to have a look at Stockholm city, the royal palace and the old town before turning around and sailing out from the city.

When we entered Baggensstäket, sails were furled once again. Baggensstäket was the main waterway to Stockholm until the end of the Middle Ages, when the post-glacial rebound made the channel shallower while at the same time ships progressively had larger drafts. The waterway was cleared in 1705 and has since been the main rout for smaller vessels and ferries going south from Stockholm. It is very narrow in places.

The wind picked up and at times we had close to 30 knots (15 m/s) on the nose. We found a good and calm spot for the night in the innermost corner of Napoleonviken where we tied up to the rock.