Appuskidu went too
A
Baltic & St Petersburg Adventure with a sailboat in tow.
The initial
print run is sold out but if you are seriously researching a trip to the
region, let me know as it may be possible to offer you a copy on CD. My email
address can be constructed from the address of this web site by deleting
anything in front of hopwood.uk.net such as “Http://www.” and replacing it with
“
'Appuskidu
went too' is a book for anyone interested in independent motoring around the
Baltic cities, for anyone intrigued by the extra places you can explore when
you have a small cabin boat in tow and for anyone with a little of the spirit
of 'Swallows and Amazons'. Here is a record of the first journey to
Some of the
events from this wonderful journey that are chronicled in the book include an
encounter with a gunboat, finding the hidden treasures of the Hermitage,
dealings with dodgy Russian cops and making a voyage in the wake of Arthur
Ransome.
We hope that
this book will inspire other ordinary adventurous souls to consider similar
journeys that they could make in their own car with or without a boat for the
experience of a lifetime.
The book is
illustrated with over 150 monochrome photographs as well as charts. The chapter
headings of the book are set out below to give you some idea of the scope of
the journey.
Contents
Preface 1
Friday 4th
June 5
Newcastle
Learning how to disable a car alarm
Saturday 5th
June 8
Newcastle to
Gothenburg
The Cruise to Sweden – & St Petersburg moves to Greenland
Sunday 6th
June 11
(1) Gothenburg to
Stockholm
Locked in the floating car park & ‘aeroplanes on sticks’
(2) Ferry to Turku
Finland
Dancing through the islands in everlasting sunset
Monday 7th
June 15
(1) Turku and on
through Helsinki
Mistakenly breathalysed in Turku & a new style summer
starts
(2) The Russian
Border
Hour after hour of very much ado about nothing
(3) Border to St
Petersburg
Nightmare road
Tuesday 8th
June 25
Central River
Yacht Club
Rain and crumbling communist concrete
Wednesday 9th
June 29
Exploring the city
When to steal a car, McDonald’s and a Russian trolleybus
Thursday 10th
June 37
Voyage to Peterhof
Encounter with a Russian gunboat and later a rude Russian
Friday 11th
June 45
Hermitage & St
Isaac’s
‘Cretinous Octopus’, Da Vinci and the pickpocket
Saturday 12th
June 54
Voyage to
Kronstadt
Turfed out by the Russian Navy
Sunday 13th
June 60
The Hermitage
The profusion of modern art
A Hermitage
Treasury
Hidden gold and jewels
Peter & Paul
Fortress
Rockets and murdered Tsars
The Cruiser Aurora
A unique warship (sunk to protect it from German guns)
Monday 14th
June 71
Voyage up the Neva
River
Illicit journey
Tuesday 15th
June 76
St Petersburg to
Estonia
Crooked cops and even more ado about even less
Wednesday 16th
June 88
To Pirita and
Tallinn
English stately home and a night in the car for Margaret
Thursday 17th
June 93
Tallinn Old Town
Fat Margaret’s Tower, applied art, flowers and a convent
Friday 18th
June 99
Voyage to Naissaar
Island
Forest, Russian mines, roses and a romantic deserted beach
Saturday 19th
June 103
Sail back to
Pirita
Booze cruisers and practising ‘finding the ferry’
Sunday 20th
June 108
Voyage to Helsinki
Margaret alone to Helsinki
Sunday 20th
June 113
Voyage to Helsinki
Douglas’s trip - In Ransome’s wake. A cracking good sail
Monday 21st
June 123
Helsinki
Move to Lauttasaari and England win the football match
Tuesday 22nd
June 127
Voyage out through
the islands
Sailing clubs and a rally driving legend
Wednesday 23rd
June 131
More great islands
His and hers loo with an amazing view
Thursday 24th
June 136
Helsinki then the
Turku ferry
The fight to get on to the ferry
Friday 25th
June 142
Stockholm
Flowers in their hair, a golden room and midsummer
celebrations
Saturday 26th
June 151
Stockholm to Malmo
Lake Vattern and Brahehaus
Sunday 27th
June 154
Copenhagen at the
run
Odense, ugly ducklings and the Esbjerg ferry
Monday 28th
June 161
Harwich and home
Sailing barges, sailplanes & home to British traffic
What have we
learnt from the experience? 163
Boating and
motoring influences 165
References 172
