Category Archives: Baltic countries

By: Maxine Maters. After Saint-Petersburg, City Marina in Tallinn is a breath of fresh air. The marina captain is expecting me. Last year he did not speak Russian, not even when I asked him. This year he fortunately does. Makes … Continue reading →

Stuck in Tallinn waiting for a break in the relentless eastelrly winds, we wander the streets of the old town. Apart from its location, I cannot recommend the Old Town Marina. Scores of cruise ships and ferries disgorge obese tourists … Continue reading →

Haapsalu is said to have some of the finest mud in Northern Europe. Peter the Great, Catherine and Tchaikovsky came here for mud bath therapy. I, with my tedious trochanteric bursitis, should have indulged as they did. Instead, armed with … Continue reading →

Dogged by light airs and fog we crept slowly along the coasts of Litland and Latland, revisiting picturesque south Baltic ports – Liepaja, Pavilosta, Ventspils – before entering Estonian waters.  Much has changed since Tainui was here in 2012, then … Continue reading →

Reading back through the tainui.org website I finally see what it is that Little Miss Perfect has been complaining about all these years: my frank and jocular acounts of her minor indiscretions – the spilt wines, her psychotic addiction to … Continue reading →

Finally, some fine sailing. They say that cruising in small yachts is great 1% of the time, tolerable in 30% while the rest is miserable. Our 2 day passage from Bornholm to Klaipeda in Lithuania gave us that long-awaited 1% … Continue reading →