Winter Beach

Inspired by Grace Down Under in Perth, I decided it was time for a visit to the beach. No need for sun protection at Årsta Havsbad yesterday, that's for sure. But there was a bit of sunshine from the blue sky and I counted a few people, including this young couple walking the dog.

A Star of the Sea

A Seastar, a Finnish made motor boat, on the bay at Höggarn. It was very warm and sunny day on Saturday when I spent a few hours at the Sandemar nature reserve. This is shot from the cliffs from were you have a great view towards Dalarö skans (an old sconce). I met a man who was out fishing, and talked a bit with him and his wife.

Sailing towards Dalarö

A sail boat on the bay close to Höggarn (a nature reserve), in Sandemar. In the background, and just south of Dalarö you can see the old stone sconce, Dalarö Skans. The fortification was built back in 1656 when Karl X Gustaf was king. The military left the island in 1854. Today you can visit the Inn for a meal and listen to some live music and watch the boats sail by. I walked out to the cliffs and stayed for about one hour shooting boats and talking to a couple that I met.

A beach panorama

The theme this month is water. I'm a bit of a beach addict. So I decided to take a bike ride down to the coast. It's not very far. Maybe a 20 minute ride. This is the Baltic Sea. The bay is Hårsfjärden. Where they searched after those Russian sub marines during the cold war. These days you are not likely to see even any Swedish subs as the Berga Base has been closed. The beach is called Årsta Havsbad. Back in 1929 a non profit organisation created Årsta Havsbad as a summer resort for workers. Around 600 small cottages (15-25 square metre), were built along with a hotel, convenient store, tennis courts and more. The hotel was overlooking a very popular open-air dance floor. The hotel is gone now but the dance floor is still here and the locals celebrate Midsummer here every year. Today many of these small cottages have been rebuilt and lots of people live here year round. During the summer month the beach is often crowded, but on this visit I counted maybe 10 people that I saw from the wooden pier as I took this panorama. It was a few locals and a group of anglers. HERE is a link to the original size. If you have a few minutes try the slideshow. And here are the rest of the blogs participating in the theme day:

theme day id=13

Adelaide, Australia by Gordon, Albuquerque (NM), USA by Helen, American Fork (UT), USA by Annie, Anderson (SC), USA by Lessie, Ararat, Australia by Digger, Arradon, France by Alice, Ashton under Lyne, UK by Pennine, Athens, Greece by Debbie, Auckland, New Zealand by Lachezar, Austin (TX), USA by LB, Bandung, Indonesia by Guntur Purwanto, Barton (VT), USA by Andree, Belgrade, Serbia & Montenegro by Paja, Belgrade, Serbia & Montenegro by Bibi, Bellefonte (PA), USA by Barb-n-PA, Bicheno, Australia by Greg, Bogor, Indonesia by Gagah, Boston (MA), USA by Sarah, Whit, & Leyre, Boston (MA), USA by Cluelessinboston, Boston (MA), USA by Fenix - Bostonscapes, Brighton, UK by Harvey, Brookville (OH), USA by Abraham, Budapest, Hungary by Isadora, Budapest, Hungary by Zannnie and Zsolt, Canterbury, UK by Rose, Cape Town, South Africa by Kerry-Anne, Chandler (AZ), USA by Melindaduff, Chateaubriant, France by Bergson, Cheltenham, UK by Marley, Chicago (IL), USA by b.c., Christchurch, New Zealand by Michelle, Clearwater (FL), USA by Smaridge01, Clearwater Beach (FL), USA by Smaridge01, Cleveland (OH), USA by iBlowfish, Coral Gables (FL), USA by Jnstropic, Cypress (TX), USA by Riniroo, Dallas/Fort Worth (TX), USA by A Wandering Soul, Dunedin (FL), USA by Smaridge01, Durban, South Africa by CrazyCow, East Gwillimbury, Canada by Your EG Tour Guide, Evry, France by Olivier, Glasgow, Scotland by Jackie, Greenville (SC), USA by Denton, Grenoble, France by Bleeding Orange, Guelph, Canada by Pat, Gun Barrel City (TX), USA by Lake Lady, Hamilton, New Zealand by Sakiwi, Hampton (VA), USA by ptowngirl, Haninge, Sweden by Steffe, Helsinki, Finland by Kaa, Hobart, Australia by Greg, Hyde, UK by Old Hyde, Inverness (IL), USA by Neva, Jackson (MS), USA by Halcyon, Jakarta, Indonesia by Santy, Jefferson City (MO), USA by Chinamom2005, Jogjakarta, Indonesia by Jogja Portrait, Joplin (MO), USA by Victoria, Juneau (AK), USA by Gwyn, Katonah (NY), USA by Inkster1, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia by Edwin, Kyoto, Japan by Tadamine, Lake Forest Park (WA), USA by Azure, Larchmont (NY), USA by Marie-Noyale, Las Vegas (NV), USA by Mo, Lisbon, Portugal by Sailor Girl, Lisbon, Portugal by Maria João, Lodz, Poland by ritalounge, London, UK by Mo, London, UK by Ham, Mainz, Germany by JB, Maple Ridge, Canada by Susan, Marseille, France by Alex, Mazatlan, Mexico by Kate, Melbourne, Australia by Mblamo, Melbourne, Australia by John, Memphis (TN), USA by SouthernHeart, Menton, France by Jilly, Mexico City, Mexico by Carraol, Mexico City, Mexico by Poly, Minneapolis (MN), USA by Mitch, Minneapolis (MN), USA by Greg, Minsk, Belarus by Olga, Monrovia (CA), USA by Keith, Monte Carlo, Monaco by Jilly, Montego Bay, Jamaica by Ann, Monterrey, Mexico by rafa, Moscow, Russia by Irina, Mumbai, India by Magiceye, Mumbai, India by MumbaiiteAnu, Mumbai, India by Kunalbhatia, Nancy, France by yoshi, Naples (FL), USA by Isabella, Nashville (TN), USA by Chris, Nelson, New Zealand by Meg and Ben, New Orleans (LA), USA by steve buser, New York City (NY), USA by Ming the Merciless, Niamey, Niger by Dinabee, Norfolk (VA), USA by ptowngirl, Norman (OK), USA by Chad & LaCresha, Norwich, UK by Goddess888, Nottingham, UK by Gail's Man, Odense, Denmark by ania odense, Omsk, Russia by Nataly, Orlando (FL), USA by OrlFla, Oslo, Norway by Lothiane, Paderborn, Germany by Soemchen, Paris, France by Gordio, Paris, France by Eric, Pasadena (CA), USA by Can8ianben, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia by Murphy_jay, Pilisvörösvár, Hungary by Elise, Pont-à-Mousson, France by Tintin-j, Port Angeles (WA), USA by Jelvistar, Port Elizabeth, South Africa by Sam, Port Townsend (WA), USA by raf, Port Vila, Vanuatu by Mblamo, Portland (OR), USA by NWgal, Portland (ME), USA by Corey, Portsmouth (VA), USA by ptowngirl, Prague, Czech Republic by Honza03, Quincy (MA), USA by Cluelessinboston, Riga, Latvia by Prokur, Rotterdam, Netherlands by Ineke, Saarbrücken, Germany by LadyDemeter, Saigon, Vietnam by Simon, Saint Louis (MO), USA by Strangetastes, Saint Paul (MN), USA by Kate, Salem (OR), USA by jill, Salt Lake City (UT), USA by Eric, Salt Lake City (UT), USA by atc, San Diego (CA), USA by Felicia, San Francisco (CA), USA by PFranson, Seattle (WA), USA by Chuck, Seattle (WA), USA by Kim, Seguin (TX), USA by Thien, Selma (AL), USA by RamblingRound, Sequim (WA), USA by Eponabri, Sesimbra, Portugal by Aldeia, Setúbal, Portugal by Maria Elisa, Shanghai, China by Jing, Sharon (CT), USA by Jenny, Singapore, Singapore by Keropok, Sofia, Bulgaria by Antonia, St Francis, South Africa by Sam, Stavanger, Norway by Tanty, Stayton (OR), USA by Celine, Stockholm, Sweden by Stromsjo, Stouffville, Canada by Ken, Subang Jaya, Malaysia by JC, Suffolk (VA), USA by ptowngirl, Sunshine Coast, Australia by bitingmidge, Sydney, Australia by Sally, Sydney, Australia by Nathalie, Székesfehérvár, Hungary by Teomo, Tacloban City, Philippines by agnesdv, Terrell (TX), USA by Bstexas, Terrell (TX), USA by Jim K, The Hague, Netherlands by Lezard, Tokyo, Japan by Tadamine, Toruń, Poland by Torun Observer, Toulouse, France by Julia, Turin, Italy by Livio, Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina by Jazzy, Twin Cities (MN), USA by Slinger, Victoria, Canada by Benjamin Madison, Vienna, Austria by G_mirage2, Virginia Beach (VA), USA by ptowngirl, Wailea (HI), USA by Kuanyin, Washington (DC), USA by Rachel, Wassenaar, Netherlands by Rich, Wellington, New Zealand by Jeremyb, West Paris (ME), USA by crittoria, West Sacramento (CA), USA by Barbara, Weston (FL), USA by WestonDailyPhoto, Williamsburg (VA), USA by ptowngirl, Willits (CA), USA by Elaine, Yardley (PA), USA by Mrlynn,

Unlucky Anglers

More anglers at the beach. Doesnt look much like winter, I have a photo with the bay frozen, from a year or two ago. HERE it is. More beautiful frozen I guess...

Xpeedio II

Sailing is very popular pastime in Sweden, although the season is very short. There are a few big regattas every summer. This boat the Xpeedio II raced in the Gotland Runt last year. Shot this on a visit to Årsta brygga.

Boats at the pier

A small pier in Haninge called Söderby Brygga. This is the Baltic Sea. Some 20 years ago the Swedish navy were trying to bomb some submarines in the bay here, Hårsfjärden. They say that they never found anything, and many people believe they were actually chasing seals! However, the military people that I talked with (who was there at the time), claimed that it was Russian subs and that they had them cornered when the government stepped in and decided to let the subs sneak out from swedish water. These days there isnt much going on here.

View from a pier

This is a Composite, or a Hockney Style Photo. Just take 10-15 photos and then put them together with gimpshop or another software. From Årsta Brygga in Haninge. A small ferry port. There are thousands of islands in the Stockholm and Haninge archipelago. Very popular with tourists from around the world. We had summer temperatures today, 20 C and a blue sky. PRESS HERE for a bigger version. Or HERE for the original size.

Calm Waters

Calm waters at Östnora. From my first visit this year. A few people around, working on their boats. I walked around for 45 minutes. A few boats passed, I met one (1) person down by the water. Tested all the piers and rested on my favorite bench. My go back on Saturday, a friend will be down here working on his boat. PRESS HERE for a bigger photo.

missing lifebuoy

Back at östnora for the first time this year. Took my usual promenade around the beach, marina, barbeque hill and more. And then testing all the piers. Here the lifebuoy was missing. But it is still a few month before anyone will go for a swim here so no need to worry!

Early morning at the marina

This is the Marina at Östnora (see my previous photo). Shot on an early summer morning last year, from one of the piers. I like reflection photos. And pictures of clouds, and of the Sea. Here, I got it all in one shot. This is the Baltic Sea. I normally take an early morning bicycle trip to Östnora (10-15 minutes) once every month for a photo promenade and then I always rest on a bench placed on one of the piers and from that bench you can see the beach and the Marina, so I often sit there and take a few photos like this one, before I head for home.

Soon...

This is where I go for a swim or a tan or just a relaxing couple of hours in the summer time, weather permitting. It's an open beach a 15 minute bike ride from home. Called Östnora. I used to come here every day during the summers when I was a kid. These days I always go for a photo promenade and I always shoot this view. Standing on one of the wooden piers looking back at the beach. There's a camping site here and a Marina. That's about it, oh there is one kiosk and also a place where people often have a barbeque in the evenings. In other words It's a great place!

Standing There...

Here is a vertical panorama done with Autostitch. This is from a small port called Söderby Brygga. In the summer time small boats and ferries leave here with tourists on their way out to the Stockholm and Haninge archipelago. With my bicycle I will get here from my home in under ten minutes, but I will be breathing hard when I arrive!