Paddling & Navigation

Paddling in Saint Anna & Gryt is more similar to paddling on a large lake than the open sea. There are no tides, no currents, and no big swells since the islands break up wind and waves. It can get windy and choppy sometimes, but you have lots of flexibility. It will be a lot more sheltered closer to the mainland and more exposed towards the open sea.

We use stable double kayaks for all beginners and intermediates. They are fast with the momentum of two persons paddling, yet virtually impossible to roll over. Our doubles are perfectly suited for covering vast distances and carrying lots of food and gear. They are also easy to load and unload, which makes a big difference if you are camping at a new spot each day.

We provide single kayaks strictly for experienced kayakers, as they are pretty slim and require good paddling skills and balance.  

If your group is uneven, we have stabler single kayaks that are suited for beginners. They hold less gear, and work well if there is also a double kayak in your fleet to carry more of the load.

We have four different endpoints to choose from, spread along the 70 kilometer coastline of Saint Anna & Gryt! And you don’t need to let us know which one until the evening before your pickup. This gives you tonnes of flexibility. Adapt your route as you go along, both to weather conditions and your preferences.

Chance is you get some calmer days and some windier days during your trip. The Saint Anna & Gryt archipelagos are approximately 10-20 kilometres wide and divided into three zones from the mainland to the open sea (west to east).

Large forested islands and islets, close to each other and separated by narrow passages or smaller straits. Usually very sheltered from wind.

Medium and smaller sized islands, often clustered with wider straits in between. More exposed to wind, but you can generally find quite sheltered routes.

A myriad of islets and barren tiny skerries. Few obstacles that create protection from wind.

We send a weather report each morning, with today’s and tomorrow’s forecast. If it’s calm, you can head to the outer parts. If it’s windier, you’ll find more shelter in the inner and middle zone. The largest factor for your route is actually not the wind strength, but the direction. Paddling into headwind can be quite strenuous, whereas tailwinds are easy peasy. Of course you can’t just follow the wind direction willy-nilly, and headwinds are best avoided by simply taking out routes close to the sheltered side of the islands.

It’s a fun challenge to find your way around the islands. If you’re on a self-guided tour, we spend a good chunk of the briefing on navigation. After a li’l trial and error, even the novice navigator excels at taking out routes and recognising landmarks.

You'll have a deck compass strapped on top of your kayak. It makes it easy to see what direction you’re heading at all times. The sea chart may look daunting at first, but understanding it and taking out a compass bearing is simple.

What’s a little trickier is to know exactly how far you’ve paddled. It’s an exercise in comparing what you see around you with your chart. There are quite a few landmarks out there to help pinpoint where you are along your chosen route. Small lighthouses, signs for bird sanctuaries, signs for underwater power cables, and sea-marks are some examples.

If you feel a little lost, or just want some reassurance that you are where you think you are, the whole area does have cell phone reception. You can "cheat" by double-checking on your smart phone. It's not at all a necessity, you'll find your way fine. But it can be nice to know just for peace of mind.

Six thousand islands...how do you know where to go? No worries, we got you covered. Our comprehensive guidebook and sea chart are your companions to get the most out of your experience.

There are lots of great points of interest in the area – idyllic fishing villages, lookouts, the abandoned copper mine, wood-fired sauna and Häradsskär lighthouse, to name a few. There are also many islands with special features that make them a li'l extra worth visiting. And a few restaurants, country stores and museums are nestled among the islands.

It's also helpful to get advice on beautiful passages, where to land your kayak in some spots, and island clusters that offer extra good shelter if it's windy. And of course, more practical spots like where to fill up your water, drop off your rubbish and pickup points.

Our guidebook gives tonnes of tips on where to go and what you'll find there. These spots are easily cross-referenced with our sea chart, where they are all marked. Additionally, you'll also find lots of other useful tidbits and interesting information:

We use a standard sea chart, where we have marked all the points of interest described in the guidebook, along with rubbish bins and spots to fill up your water. We have also added a handy chart legend (in case you need a reminder of what we covered during the briefing).