270408 Second year: The first Hallo from Märket

 

We, the first “lighthouse keepers” of 2008 arrived yesterday (Saturday 26 of April), on the first really warm spring day this year … Fabulous weather, scenery and the LIGHTHOUSE!

 

During Saturday Pekka and the “seasoned veterans” of the lighthouse society informed us of our duties both for the managing and the restoration tasks, and in the evening we all enjoyed a meal together. The evening and darkness was even more impressing than the sunny day, as the stars all came out and the lights of the other lighthouses in the vicinity cast their light into the darkness.

 

Today Sunday my wife Annika arrived, as the rest of the crew left with the boat … now we’re on our own for a week; in our (almost) own beautiful lighthouse.

 

During the day we cleaned up after last nights dinner and overnight guests, and after that we started organizing the boatshed, so that the roof can be renewed later this summer. We also tested one of the fireplaces in the lighthouse. It functioned perfectly, so we could enjoy our dinner in a nicely warmed kitchen!

 

In the evening it was time for this report. Writing it was no problem, nor the pictures, but the internet connection from here is not all that great, so it took some time to manage the transfer … but since you apparently are reading this, it finally worked!

 

Kim-Stephan Sirkka … deputy lighthouse keeper

 

280428 Monday’s my day

 

We had a good nights’ sleep in the best room of the house, up on the highest floor facing northeast. The weather is really great for this time of year… didn’t even have to use the polar-sleeping bags.

 

Yesterday I managed to draw some blood from my finger, as we were moving an old boat, so today we tried to be more careful, but unfortunately we could find no hearing protectors that really would have been needed while cutting up some of the metal.

 

The main project for the day was to get the compost built, so that there is an ecologically sound way of handling the kitchen waste during the season.

The problem with this project was partly the limited material available, and partly that we wanted it to fit into the look-n-feel of the island. Finally we found a pile of old bricks in the boatshed we’re cleaning out, so we decided to use them. Those bricks are apparently leftovers from the house building projects of past decades and centuries, so we really felt that the “vibes” were of the right kind … now we only have to hope that the built compost is also practical to use and maintain.

 

Our friend the seal (now named Lisbeth Selin ) has also kept us company and kindly allowed us to approach her to take some pictures, both while she was sunbathing and swimming !

 

Now the evening is again approaching, and we’re about to make some dinner … maybe some real Finnish grillimakkaraa … and after that we’ll probably take some more pictures and maybe read up on the interesting history of the lighthouse.

 

Hope, it’s like a lighthouse keepers beam … so let’s hope we’ll communicate tomorrow again

Kim & Annika Sirkka … deputy lighthouse keepers

 

290408 Summerday in April

 

The best day yet … a sunny summers’ day, although its only April !

 

Today we saw a bunch of seals swimming past the island, and we also tried to identify some of the birds, although with slim success. Otherwise the day was something approaching “routine”, i.e.: Got up in the morning, made some breakfast and coffee and headed for today’s tasks. At about 1 pm we had some lunch, and then back to the chain-gang, finishing up the second compost, cleaning and putting up some rope.

 

However we sure did also enjoy ourselves, as we absorbed as much as we could of the warm and wonderful sunshine, and Annika even went for a swim!

 

Later in the day we took the rowboat for a spin around the island, as the wind and waves were modest. The sights were faboulus as always, but unfortunately we didn’t meet our friend Lisbeth Selin the seal … perhaps she joined the crowd of seals that passed the island earlier today.

 

Tonight we will have some charcoal heated potatoes, smoked meat and wine … wauh gourmet !

Annika & Kim Sirkka … deputy lighthouse keepers

 

300408 Glada Wappen (Happy Mayday)

 

Again, the Best day yet… seems like every new day is… but this day was really special in that it was like sailing in the doldrums = no wind at all, which is very, very unusual, here in the middle of the sea!

 

Today Annika again proved what a marvelous housekeeper (among a hundred other things 🙂 she is. The kitchen is now so squeaky clean that it’s never seen a finer day. The small animals, that she found in the less than clean cupboards, might however be unhappy, as they are now out of a home … (just a suggestion … do not leave food here over winter next time).

 

While Annika was cleaning I made some hot water, watched the birds and burned some of the old waste, that could safely be burned without environmental repercussions. I also finally managed to identify three of the birds we’ve seen: Korp, Mindre Flugsnappare and Brun Kärrhök. (I have no idea what those birds are called in English … sorry).

 

At the end of the day, before another gourmet vappen-dinner, we had a sauna bath … almost. We “showered” and washed our hair in the heated water. What an unbelievable luxurious feeling!

 

 

This day also brought good tidings, as Pekka informed us that we “must” stay an additional day here at the lighthouse. Because of transport problems the guard-change will not be until Sunday.

 

Annika & Kim Sirkka … deputy lighthouse keepers

 

010508 Mayday, mayday indeed!

 

Since it’s the first of May, naturally we started the day with some Mjöd (an ancient Viking festivity drink) and then listened to the student choir in Kajsaniem, singing all the traditional May songs (O hur härligt maj soln’ ler, Sjung om studentens lyckliga dag, Till Stockholm for Amaaaaaaaaalia etc …)

 

But as you may know the first of May is also a workers day, so after the singing we went to work 🙂 At first we had planned to finnish up cleaning out the boatshed, but then we got an sms from Pekka, indicating that we might receive some visitors today. So we changed our plans and rushed off to clean “the office” and prepare for a possible commerce. We organized the merchandise and did an inventory of it all, and prepared it to be put on display … but no visitors arrived.

Not to worry, still we enjoyed our selves, and that job had to be done sooner or later anyway. While checking the merchandise we also found the SMS/FFS flag, so I raised the pole and hoisted it, for the first time this year I guess.

And it was morning, and it was evening the fifth day … and we could see that the creation was good !

 

Annika & Kim Sirkka … deputy lighthouse keepers

 

020508

 

This was an unusual day in that it was NOT sunny (until the evening).

Instead we had a slight fog in the morning and drizzling rain on and off. As we got up we planned to do some jobs inside the lighthouse, because of the weather, but the cella’ (with its restless bones of Boris and Bella…) had to wait, as the boat arrived with supplies from the mainland.

We unloaded the stuff from the boat, and brought them across the island to the lighthouse. Of course we also invited the captain for a cup of coffee, but he could not come ashore, as the sea was so rough that the boat could not be left on its own in the unprotected “harbor”.

 

However yesterday evening we had the chance to treat a team of visiting searescuers to some coffee and cakes, and also show them the lighthouse fromtop to bottom, as they dropped by on their evening patrol.

And it was morning, and it was evening the sixth day … and our part of the creation is nearly finished.

 

Annika & Kim Sirkka … deputy lighthouse keepers

 

030508 First tourists – last night

 

Saturday night fever … as it unfortunately is the last night here for now!

 

The lighthouse, the seals and all the weather gods decided to treat us to The Best Day of the entire week ! It was a really warm and sunny day, with almost no wind at all, and several seals swimming around the island, and a new one (not Lisbeth Selin) coming ashore on the southeast cliffs.

 

Strangely enough the sea was pretty rough on the north side, even though there has been very little wind during the whole week. As a result of the big swells the coastguard vessel, that came by in the morning, decided not to come into the “harbour” after all. Later on however, another boat (“Kajaken”) managed to come in on the east side of the island, so we finally had our first “tourists”, our first opportunity to “guide”, and the first income(4 x 5 e) this week.

 

Annika was quite frantic (too fanatic I would say) about finishing up all the cleaning, and I did some plumbing-work, or rather some pipe-removing, in preparation for the restoration of two of the rooms on the first floor.

 

We also took the time to stroll across and row around the island, and found some new flowers and patches of grass, a couple of new birds (Kungsfågel, Kaija and Korp) and a new seal.

 

After that we felt a bit sad as we realized this wonderful week was coming to an end, but we cheered ourselves up by having a potatoes and herring dinner … plus a Glenfiddich whisky 🙂

 

We also intensely hope that we will have the opportunity to visit Märket again soon, and hopefully also participate in the restoration work during a week later this fall.

 

All the best … from all of us, to all of You … and a very merry summer !!!

 

Annika & Kim Sirkka … deputy lighthouse keepers … turning off for now :-(!