2026-1 | SPICA | Stockholm-Mariehamn, Åland
Mia & Andy will start their family vacation in Åland, so here’s a chance to do an island-hopping cruise up the archipelago with Andy onboard SPICA in order to position the boat in historic Mariehamn! You’ll join the boat in Stockholm, at the archipelago base of KSSS in beautiful Saltsjöbaden, a short train ride from the city center and right on the doorstep of the archipelago. We’ll set sail soon after you join, most likely finding a waterfront sauna for our first night onboard! Once into the archipelago, we’ll island-hop our way north-northeast towards the Finnish archipelago, stopping off at islands and anchorages that strike our fancy. It’ll be a mix of pristine natural harbors and island-village outposts along the route. We’ll almost certainly include Sandhamn in our itinerary, the start/finish port of the famous Gotland Runt race and a beautiful island with a nice marina guest harbor and some shops and restaurants ashore. The further north we get, the more off-the-beaten path we’ll be as we explore the outer archipelago. Then it’s a 30-mile sail across the Baltic and into Mariehamn, the capital of historic Åland. If we have time, we’ll stop off in Rödhamn before our final destination, a small former radio outpost from WW2, now with a tiny guest harbor, fresh bread from the cafe and, of course, another sauna! When you disembark SPICA in Mariehamn, it’s a beautiful, short (and cheap) ferry ride back to Stockholm city center, so if you’re traveling from abroad to join the trip, you can fly in/out of Stockholm. It’s worth spending a few extra days ashore in Åland as well, if nothing else for the history!
The Passage
Rough itinerary
All 59º North passages are very much subject to weather. We pick our routes based on the "correct" time of year to be sailing in the different regions we visit, and we always build-in enough time to give us some margin for weather windows. The skipper has final say on departure dates and weather windows, but generally speaking, the intinerary for this passage will look like this:
July 1, 2026
Crew arrive to SPICA at in Stockholm, Sweden. SPICA orientation followed by crew dinner. All crew stay onboard SPICA.
Prep Days
Between the joining and departure dates, all pre-passage preparation, provisioning, and safety briefings will be completed. The specific pre-departure schedule will be outlined and posted onboard SPICA by the skipper.
July 3, 2026
Scheduled departure, weather dependent.
July 7, 2026
Latest date (12:00 noon) for crew to depart SPICA from Mariehamn, Finland.
TRAVEL LOGISTICS
Stockholm
Mariehamn
Weather conditions
Expect a pleasant early-summer passage across the archipelago—mild and comfortable on deck, with mostly settled skies and a steady breeze to keep the sails full, though you'll want a layer handy as it cools off once the sun dips.
In-depth analysis, by WRI
WHY 59º NORTH?
The best boats
Professional, well-paid staff
knowledge & community
Why it costs what it costs...
"Huge thank you to the 59º North Team, especially Captain Emily and First Mate Mia, for taking me and our crew safely across the Atlantic Ocean. A daunting dream turned into an amazing reality under the expert supervision of a skilled and experienced team, on the beautiful, fast, and well-equipped boat, FALKEN. I feel very grateful to have met and worked with the wonderful, international crew aboard. I learned so much and I'll be back for more!"
"I'm AKA Andy’s Dad, so my opinion of the skipper may be slanted a bit. I admit to being wrong on my initial reaction to FALKEN—at first sight she seemed like a hard-to-handle race boat, but she is easy to handle and shrinks once you get used to her. The refit work done below is flawless, with comfortable bunks, a spacious galley, and plenty of storage. A trip with 59º North on any of their boats is truly a life-changing experience. Highly recommended!"
"I can’t say enough good things about the camp, August, and ISBJØRN. The format is perfect for someone like me—I’ve done some sailing, but not enough to feel comfortable on a passage. August is an amazing teacher and so patient! I learned an incredible amount and feel ready to take on a passage with 59º North."
"My time on FALKEN crossing the Atlantic was highly rewarding and incredibly enjoyable. The trip was routinely challenging and always a lot of fun, allowing me to stretch myself and enjoy being absent from the rest of the world for a time. Unforgettable."
"Cruelling and unforgettable! I knew I would be inspired by Nikki and Alex—true professionals—but it was the inspiration I took from my crewmates that will stay with me for a lifetime. As a blue water cruiser, this experience definitely made me a better ocean sailor!"
"Gathering with 10 other like-minded women aboard FALKEN was amazing! I learned more than I ever expected from Nikki and Emma. Being 'allowed' to mess up and actually learn from your mistakes without anyone getting stressed was freeing! I'd recommend this trip to any women with a desire to sail."
"It was such an experience! Meeting all the people and being part of the crew is something very special. We were so lucky to spend the passage on FALKEN; the nature and weather gave us the best, and I really wish it could have lasted longer."
THE BOAT
OE 36
'
SPICA
'
🇸🇪
SPICA is my (Andy, writing this!) and Mia's family boat here in Sweden. Well, actually it's Axel's boat, our six-year-old! It's a classic Olle Enderlein 36, built in Sweden in 1971, and very much a "mini" ISBJØRN, both in underwater hull shape, deck layout and interior style and arrangement. When you sail on SPICA you will be joining our family's summer home here in Sweden. When we have crew onboard, we sail with 3 plus me (Andy!) as skipper.
packing lists & notes
Cold | Warm Packing List
This will be a "transitional" passage, either starting in warmer climes and increasing in latitude until it's significantly cooler, or vice versa. Another one of those trips where you'll need to pack one of everything for changing conditions. See the packing list for specifics.
Packing Notes
Start here when planning your packing for sailing with 59º North. This list includes the general basics for all of our passages. The passage-specific packing lists offer more details.