wim's visit

wim's visit July 2004

These pictures were taken by wim, a Belgian raider who visited me for a few days this year. Many thanks to wim for letting me use them!

The first day wim was in Stockholm we went for a walk around the South Side. Stockholm is built on islands, and the south side is one of the largest islands. It's high, and the view from up there is fantastic!

This is Af Chapman, not in condition to sail anymore, now it is a youth hostel!

On this island there are 3 dry docks, one of them so big it takes even the larger ferries. Take a look at the cranes, they are shaped like giraffes, and if you could see them from close up, you would see they are yellow with brown spots!

This church has been rebuilt in the 80's I think, the old one burned. I think it's pretty, for a modern church!

This looks like taken from a TR level!

And look! Lara has already been here!

This is a museum. I love the wood work.

This is taken inside a park, where houses are preserved from the 17th century and on, from all over Sweden, with all the interior still intact.

This is how fences were made in the old days in Sweden.

And I don't have to tell you what this is!

We took a ferry from that island to go to the center of Stockholm, where I wanted to show Wim the boat I work on. But as we departed, I could see my boat out and running, so this is a shot of me, talking on the phone to my captain, who is on the boat you can see in the background. That is the wreck I work on!

This is a light ship, still fully functioning. And behind it, with the yellow chimney, is an ice breaker built in the late 19th century, with 2 enormous steam engines, with a total of over 5000 hp!

This is my favourite statue in Stockholm:

There must be something very interesting to the right of that picture, because both the hand in the water, and the statue, are pointing that way!

Here people stand in long rows and fish, this is one of the places were the lake meets the sea. The different in height is about half a meter, that is why the current is so strong. Take a look at the statue to the left, he is about to dive straight into the water!

But he forgot to take his helmet off!

A Long Ship. Be afraid. Be very afraid.

We went on a trip with this steam ship, Blidösund. A blues band was playing, and we had a nice Pyttipanna for dinner on board. Look at the smoke from the chimney, and the steam on the side of the boat!

On our way out of Stockholm.

This fort guards one of the 2 entries to Stockholm by sea. It was built I think in the 19th century to protect us against the Russians. It was supposedly indestructible, so when it was finished they shot at it to show how well the walls could withstand a blow... By then the projectiles had changed and were now explosive, and that blew a big hole in the wall...

When Count Moltke saw that, he laughed for the second time in his life. The first time was when his mother-in-law died...

The Captain of Blidösund.

The old speaking tube they used when they called from the bridge to the engine room to request full power ahead, or full back. Now they use a telephone instead. But only 2 years ago, the captain (not the one on this picture) was about to dock, and requested full back. He got full ahead instead, and the ship run over the coast guard! Blidosund is a tough old lady though, she was up and running the day after. They coast guard stayed in the dry dock for the rest of the summer...

Part of the main engine. Everything is steam driven on this boat, even the aux engine, the power steering, and the coffee maker!

Coal fuelled.

Wim liked the loo on board!

This is an old retirement home built in the late 19th century. The British fleet came, I think it was in 1908, to pay a royal visit, and they stopped here and fired salute because they thought this was the castle...

After 2 days in Stockholm the weather got a tad more reliable so we decided to set out on the sailing boat. This is my dad helping me hook up the charger for the battery: