Week 18: Pia, Taina, Minna, Aarni, Arto and Jussi

 

Saturday 26.4.2014

 

Märket got a new crew today. We were welcomed by happy faces as we arrived on shore. Leena, Mirja and Aarni were waving to us on the cliffs with big smiles on their faces.

On our way from Eckerö to Märket we saw many magnificients birds, it seemed like they were waving to us too.

On our arrival we had loads of stuff to unload from the boat. Among other things we brought some windows to the new sauna and a new door as well. We also brought a woodburning oven to warm up water for our washing up needs.

We had coffee with the crew of the previous week – they pampered us with delicious blueberrypie! What a nice way to make us feel welcome.

Then it was once again time for a waving, this time a wave goodbye as Leena and Mirja left the island. Aarni stayed for another week, now it is six of us on the islet: Aarni, Arto, Jussi, Minna, Pia and Taina.

Farewell, have a safe journey, we will take good care of Märket!

Taking a tour of the lighthouse we admired the wonderful views. We have two  first-timers among us: Pia and Taina. They both were thrilled to find out more about the lighthouse and to see the islet.

The water level is very low and our red rowing boat is like a fish out of water. But the brand new Lighthouse Society flag looks very good, doesn’t it?

We inspected the working site, that is to become sauna one day (hopefully sooner than later!). Looks good, was our conclusion.

Aarni and Jussi brought the new windows up the stairs with steady hands. While men worked hard outdoors, was some delicious dinner being cooked in the kitchen by Minna.

There can’t be a better place to do the dishes than this, said Pia to Minna while washing the plates and looking dreamingly to the horizon.

As the night falls we wait for the seals to start singing. We have seen plenty of them and we have also seen a couple of white tailed eagles flying around the islet.

 

Sunday 27.4.2014

 

Today started with sunshine and almost no wind at all. The lighthouse’s unique atmosphere had made us sleep very well and we were full of energy to start the new days chores.

Our first task was to install an inverted funnel to the kitchen. The lighthouses thick walls proved to be very hard indeed as it was quite a task to drill the screws to them. They sure knew how to build something to last for a lifetime – or longer – back in 1885!

Once the inverted funnel was on its place, Minna got back to her kitchenbusiness cooking us lentilsoup for lunch. She is keeping us well fed and happy!

The windows we brought on the islet yesterday got installed to the sauna today. The wonderful views from the sauna and its dressingroom will surely be enjoyable as well as the possibility to bath and clean up.

Pia insulated the windows with love and care, she knows how hard the winds can be out in the sea.

Our work was interrupted as we spotted a boat approaching from Sweden. We were excited: are we going to get the first guests of the season? The boat cruised around Märket slowly but they did not land. Maybe next time?

The terrace bathed in sunshine as we had our afternoon coffeebreak. As there was nearly no wind, it almost felt like summer. We spotted a bumblebee today too.

As we got back to our chores, Minna went to get more water from to sea. We use this water to wash up the dishes.

Pia’s next task was to clean up the urinals. Even jobs like these seem fun when you are on Märket, as the place makes you feel so happy.

It will be First of May next week (vappu) and we are making preparations for a little celebration on Märket. Minna has been making mead (sima) and she bottled it today. We are all looking forward to tasting it!

 

Monday 28.4.2014

 

Work on Märket continued today in our sauna-to-be. Arto made alterations on the building’s truss to fit the chimneys in.

We now have full use of electricity and powertools sure come in handy.

Soon we will have a chimney in the sauna. With the rate these men are working it will happen very soon, they stay busy until late at night everyday.

Men tried solving a problem with the gasoline operated waterpump, it didn’t give any sparkle. I wonder if the pump will ever work again, men put quite an effort on trying to fix it but it would not co-operate.

Happily we have buckets and Taina, as the waterpump doesn’t work.

Our preparations for the First of May -celebrations continued today as we built a wooden deck for dancing in front of the lighthouse. It will be a temporary arrangement though as the wood was actually carried out to be washed before it becomes the new floor in the sauna’s dressingroom. The wood is originally from the lighthouse, old floodboards.

Look at the fish Jussi caught! This is what we have been eating. The fish-soup has been tasty even though the fish doesn’t have the most appetizing appearance.

 

Tuesday 29.4.2014

 

Tuesday started on Märket with strong winds and big waves. Nevermind the weather we got guests! It was a delight to watch Mats’s cutter approach. Cristoffer from Meritaito and Olof from Holmbergs Ab came to Märket to make a safety inspection. The men landed on a small aluminium boat because of the storm, m/s Sefyr waited on open sea.

The handrails of the lightouse tower were inspected. We had a good chance to admire  the wonderful stormy views at the same time.

Minna made delicious chickensoup for lunch and invited our guests to stay over to eat with us. They were happy to get something warm under their bellies after being out in the wind. Pia had made a blueberrypie the night before and it fitted fine for desert.

The lantern was carefully inspected too.

Farewell, Märket-crew enjoyed your visit!

After the guests had left, it was back to basics. Literally. There was a serious leak at our bio-toilet. ”What must come down, can’t go up”, we said as we discovered a tube inserted so that the urine would have had to go ”upstairs” for the system to work. Men fixed the problem and cleaned up the mess.

Work building the sauna’s chimney continued today. It is going up in the attic now.

The old floorboards got a good wash, made old-style with linen-oil-soap. It was fascinating to think how many times they have been washed before and whom by…

 

Wednesday 30.4.2014

 

This morning our handyman Arto turned into Captain Cook (story tells about a vicious shark attacking him nearby Märket shore and biting his hand off) as you can see in the picture.

Despite difficulties with sharks and missing tools, all obstacles were overcome and the chimney-project continued.

Barbeque outdoors is always a good idea, more so when you are out on the sea and have worked hard all day. We had homemade potatosalad with grilled sausages – traditional food for Vappu (First of May) -celebrations.

 

Thursday 1.5.2014

 

This morning we woke up to strong winds and wet snow raining horizontally. For firsttimers on Märket, Pia and Taina, the big waves were especially impressive. Taina almost had to struggle not to get airborne and fly away with the wind.

Even though the waves were hypnotic to watch and craved our attention, work on Märket continued as usual.

The sauna’s chimney is now well supported, Arto and Jussi made sure of that by installing metallic props. It sure can now take all these strong winds experienced on Märket.

The water heating stove is now almost where it belongs, it is inside the sauna! Getting there, getting there… We are still missing the saunastove though.

Arto and Jussi started insulating the sauna’s inner ceiling with tarpaper.

Meanwhile Minna and Pia started waxing the diningroom’s benches.

And all alonge the day the waves and the swells kept going… grinding and chewing away.

In the evening it is time for us to put our heads on our pillows and dream about past days on Märket. Thank you for ancient lighthousekeepers for working to keep sailors safe on these water, we appreciate it sincerely!

 

Friday 2.5.2014

 

This crew’s last full day on Märket started by men getting their hands dirty with emptying the bio-toilet.

The new compost was initiated.

Initiation happened somewhere else too… We had the first ever fire in the sauna!

Where there is fire, man makes food (grills sausages?).

Arto and Jussi contemplated the saunabenches, don’t worry, these will not be the final ones I think.

Pia continued waxing the diningroom’s benches, today the work was done outdoors in the sunshine. We still had heavy winds today and beautiful rollerwaves.

During this stay on Märket has Aarni, an eager bird watcher, spotted 64 different species of birds. There have been three White-tailed Eagles keeping company to us as well as many migratory birds.

Jussi is a ham (radioamatööri) and brought his equipment with him to Märket, to be able to enjoy this special place for his hobby.

Pia’s great grandfather was a sea Captain who sailed on these waters in the end of 1800-century. It has been exclusive for Pia to stay on Märket and to feel the connection from previous generations.

It will be our last night on Märket for this time. We will be, surely, coming back.

Happy greetings from,

Pia (diary keeper), Taina, Minna, Aarni, Arto and Jussi