Week 17: Leena, Mirja and Aarne

 

Saturday 19.4.2014

 

The first crew of the season 2014 leaved Käringsund guest port in thick fog.

The fog stayed until we arrived on the islet of Märket. No lighthouse was seen from boat, suddenly the clifts were ahead!

Pretty much carrying of watercans and food …

Everything was like it should be at the lighthouse. Inside not so moist as we thought, but temperature only 5 degrees.

We started to warm up the ovens lightly.We enjoyed coffee with hammon- and blueberrypie with Mats, who brought us here.

We checked all the places,sun was shining in the afternoon already. Societys flag found it´s place too.

We carried boat on it´s place,table for dishwashing and other equipments found their place too.

After long journey (woke up four o´ clock in the morning),we were ready to go sleeping in our warm sleepingbags in spite of cold in the rooms.

Beautiful day, wish we had several of these!

 

Easter Sunday 20.4.2014

 

Sunny morning!

Temperature 7 degrees We woke up at 7am and warmed up the lighthouse. We drank coffee outside on the terrace and saw migrating birds coming to islet.

Several robins and vagtails stayed on the islet.The best observation of the day was the nuthatch seeking some food of the walls.

It´s Easter Sunday today and here in Finland we have a habit to seek easter eggs, which have been layed by a easter cock or -bunny. Here it was of course the seal who layed the eggs on the cliffs.

The only tree on the islet was decorated,ofcourse and the eggs were founde near that. How did the seals get up there is another story…

Aarni covered the boat, otherwise the sunlight destroys the rubberboat during the summer. We had a nice dinner barberque outside on the lighthouse yard. Of course swimming in the lagoon after hard work, but the only one who did that was yours truly.

 

Easter Monday 21.4.2014

 

Beautiful sunny morning again. Coffee outside again, no new birds seen on the islet.

Girls emptied the compost, washed the ”showerroom” called Little Märket and Aarni warmed up the lighthouse.

We were installing the fence on the yard when we saw a boat coming ashore. Bengt Granberg came from his cottage on Åland in 25 minutes with a small motorboat.

He had difficulties with his boat,we helped him to charge the batteries in his boat – then he was able to leave the islet.

Swimming and bathing in Little Märket,a fresh feeling like after sauna! Beautiful, beautiful evening, better than in june and now it´s april!

 

Tuesday 22.4.2014

 

Calm, sunny morning again.

Aarni started to fix a table outside for renovating crew to come. Big wawes had destroyed the table, big storms have been visiting the islet once or twice during the winter …

Last autumn our sauna sailed away from the yard, now we are building a new one upstairs. On saturday the new crew starts to build the sauna.

Mirja was having a huge job with the urinals, cleaning and installing the system for the new crew.

In the afternoon the wind was raising, nice wawes was seen on the north side. Quite cold outside,and we can`t warm the ovens because of the wind direction-the smoke allways come inside. But we have clothes enough and we enjoy the beautiful evening outside.

Some migrating birds: one fieldfare, one kestrel, one goldfinch and a great spotted woodpecker.

In the evening we had a pancake party, it always makes one happy!

 

Wednesday 23.4.2014

 

All the clouds have disappeared from the world, I think. Sun is shining from blue sky again, but the wind is terribly cold. The witches from north are blowing their lungs away … Keeping the ovens closed, we don’t want to be smoked again!

Some tasks has been done out of the list. The watertanks for rainwater were so dirty, Aarni begann the morning gym with them.

We also notised that the funnel was broken, we took it off – and what did we find?

A small, dead bird was in the tube, no rainwater should have been able to run in tanks. Here we are in the middle of no where, never know what we find next.

Every night we can hear the seals singing outside,now its time to go listening them again. Märket is going to sleep now.

 

Thursday 24.4.2014

 

Sunny morning, 4 degrees, wind from north-west about 6m/s.

Charching our equipments with diesel aggregator is the first task again in the morning. We have solar energy for lights, the electrician is sick and could´t come with us on the islet. The windmill is broken and out of use.

Our small visiter was still ashore, the Lapland Bunting was climbing on the clifts, trying to find some food. We have some seeds to offer to all our visitors with wings.

We desided to go fishing, the wind was calming down.

Well,we definately are going to have some soup, the bigger bits are frozen … this little fellows gives the taste.

Swimming and shower at the Little Märket was really needed after that.

Tomorrow is the last day here for Mirja and Leena, Aarni luckily can stay another week.

Märket always stays in our minds whether we are here or not, a small part from this islet is in our hearths.

Märket slowly falls asleep, Good Night.

 

Friday 25.4.2014

 

Our team´s last day on Märket.Beautiful,beautiful morning again.Light wind from south, White Tailed Eagles on the clifts west of the lighthouse.Both female and male are together,they haven´t succeeded in nesting this year of some reason.

We cleaned the lighthouse for the next crew,carried in firewood and tried to enjoy the last day on the islet between the work.

Nearly all of the jobs from the  checklist is done.The new crew can beginn to build the sauna,batteries to tools are charged,building materials are checked.

I hope we still see some new birds tomorrow morning .Yesterday one Canada Goose,Arctic Tern and Oyster Catcher visited the island,several other species flew by. Today has been a silent day in birdmigrating.

Seals have moved to clifts further away. But luckily we have seals living in the lighthouse too…

…everyone enjoying the spring in their own way …

One of our cutiest fellows on the rocks this week was this Wren.

Time to pack all of our woollen clothing,I hope the new crew has clothes enough too.It´s not summer here,allthough it has been 20 degrees on the mainland allready.

Next time we come ashore I hope this sauna is allready in use. Wellcome, the new crew!

With Love from Märket Leena,Mirja and Aarne