"Bobbing to the Baltic" is the story of my cruise from Edinburgh to the Russian border aboard my 27ft yacht 'Zophiel'.In May 2012 we left the Forth to cross the North Sea. Though we originally intended to go to Denmark, a combination of wimpiness and extraordinarily poor navigation took us to Holland instead. From there I sailed to the Baltic, via Germany, then to the eastern Baltic, via Denmark and Sweden's Gøta Canal. We cruised the million islands of the Swedish and Finnish archipelagos as far as the Russian border. We then returned, via Estonia and the east coast of Sweden, as far as the NetherlandsIn 2003 Griff Rhys Jones published a book giving an account of a trip to the Baltic with the title "To the Baltic with Bob - An Epic Misadventure". 'Bobbing to the Baltic' is the story of a trip along a very similar route in a much smaller boat. It is better in four important respects.

Firstly there's more pictures. Secondly I actually enjoyed the trip, for the most part. Griff Rhys Jones paints an altogether more gloomy and miserable picture of the Baltic. I hope I make it sound more like what it is - an idyllic summer cruising ground of infinite appeal. Thirdly, my book, in both its electronic and physical manifestations, is cheaper. Fourthly, I need the money much more than Griff Rhys Jones does. After all, someone's got to pay for me to swan around sailing all summer. On the other hand I make absolutely no claims as to literary merit or 'epic' qualities.

This is not a tale of conquering the savage seas against all odds. Neither does it claim to be a pilot book or sailing directions. It's just the story of a holiday in a wee boat that went a bit further than most people manage in a summer cruise. I hope it gives you a flavour of just what a fabulous summer cruising ground the Baltic is.Also, in response to the book's first review, this edition now has over 50% fewer incidences of the word 'twee'. Let it never be said that I'm deaf to constructive criticism.This is the fourth in a series of cruising 'logs' about Zophiel's voyages. "Skagerrak and Back" is the tale of a North Sea circuit, "Floating Low to Lofoten" describes a journey to Arctic Norway and "A Gigantic Whinge on the Celtic Fringe" is the story of our circumnavigation of Ireland.

Some of the people slandered in these tales suggested that they should be used for kindling. I took these kind words to heart and published them for Kindle and other e-readers. Now they are also available in the first print edition. This volume contains almost 350 photos. If you're struggling with the black and white images, the full set of colour photos from this volume is available for free at http://www.edge.me.uk/Sailinghome.

htm, where you'll also find more sailing tales.