In former centuries, ships on their way from the German Hanseatic cities to Finland and Reval changed course from north to east at Kökar in order to be able to use the sheltered archipelago fairway. If the wind was not advantageous, people found shelter here for a while, just as we do today. This is why people settled here as early as the Middle Ages – among them Franciscan monks near our jetty. The Conventus Tiockarlensis had its heyday in the 15th century. A wood-shingled island church stands amidst the remains of the former monastery since the 18th century.
With two of the harbour master’s bicycles, we set out to explore the island – including Karlby, the southern harbour. When we see the approach buoys of the narrow fairway there, we are quite happy to have headed for the northern Sandvik....
Top left: German submarine net buoy from the Second World War.
Below: The beautiful inland passage from Sandvik to Karlby – not enough clearance for SY Blue Layla, though.
Kökar also provides new honey on board.
