Back ...

... We left Visby, Gotland around midday and headed for Utö, a very small island in the very begining of the Finish Archipelagoes. A beutiful place to anchor. We got a tour inside the lighthouse of the island which was exiting and interesting. The lighthouse consisted of more than the big 'lightbubl', it also had a church- and a schoolroom inside it. Thank you to our guide and to Mari for making it possible for us to visit. We also had a change to go to sauna, a real Finish sauna tour, with beer and laughs, cold water but no branches!!!!
When w left Utö the next morning at app 6 am, the weather was still nice and the sun getting up. The sailing through the archipelagoes was so beutifull and very hard to describe, all I can say is: "Wauw, you got to see this with your own eyes".
we were heading for another small island, the name I have forgotten. This place was to be our last night on Helena, we only had a few hours to Uusikaupunki from here.

We were guided around the island and the history of it by Tuomo (crew member), and then we had our goodbuy parti. Bonfire, sauces,beers, dancing and singing, as so many other things on this trip; one more fantastic and beutiful experience to add to our inner logbook.
It was quite nostalgic and sad, in the same time as being fun and cozy.

In the morning of our last leg with Helena, we left around 9 am, the watchgroup desolved, the main crew sailing because we had to pack and clean the ship.
Everyone a bit stressed or at least not enjoying the packing, non of wanted this sailing trip to end we reached Uusikaupunki around midday, teers fell from the sky and we had work to do.
Helena was/is going to maintenance and repairs, so we were to take down all the sails.
The main sail is a very huge piece of cloth and weighs if I remember correctly, 400 kg, a lot I sould say...

In a way this was a good way of saying goodbuy to Helena and her men, we worked our feelings out by using our muscles not our brain...

Stefan Abrahamsen from Staf. Fi drove us all, 3-4 at the time, to the busstation in Uusikaupunki where we were to take a bus to Turku and the another to Helsinki.

From Helsinki we to the small ferry to Suomilina where a very nice hostel were booked for us, some of our group slept at home now being back in civilisation, back to their families.

As it was Vappu the Finish way of celebrating May First, everyting was kind of boiling, noisy and different, not bad but very very different from being at sea.

We also to part of this celebration and experienced the way the Finish people let go of everything; brain, maners, fringking habits and so much more, to make this the biggest party of a country every year.

I am not sure I understood it, and like one was saying: "The is the day of the living deads" I agree, everyone being pale from the winter just gone, even the nature is not still colourfull and then the amount of alchohol that are drunk. How can people consume so much and still breathe?? ;-)

At Suomalina we were to end this trip with an excibition of our artwork, or some of it. It was or is to be shared amoung our schools I think and we all need more time to finish what we have started.

We are all to meet in Stockholm at the end of august this year, or at least as many as possible.
We will try to use this blogg as ur platform for our future work and to keep in touch.

Finally I want to thank STAF.FI and Eddanorden for making this possible for us.

A big thank you to the Captain and his crew on this trip from Kiel to Uusikaupunki.

Big thanks and hugs to mari and Jan for all the work you have done to make this trip worth while.

And of course THANKS to all participants for being who you are and opening your arms to each and everyone of us..

Thank you for an unforgetable journey... Love Sophie