Week 33: Taina M, Taina O and Heidi
Saturday 10.8.2013
Due to the old swell, our final approach to Märket was with a smaller motor boat through the rocky harbour by Captain Mats of the ex-pilot vessel.
The new crew has thoroughly enjoyed the 360 degree cupol of the variating skies. First some drifting mist early in the day, then bright sunshine, then well-restricted, obvious showers in the east over Finland and threatening dark-blue-and-black clouds in the west over Sweden. Let us see how the perfect summer day will end up!
Maybe we were able to fix the problem with the kitchen compost. The main tasks for the coming week are at “the preliminary planning stage” of studying the instructions.
Sunday 11.8.2013
While having lunch I looked outside of the window. Bubbling joy raced inside of me. Suddenly there were three orange happylike tiny creatures running and jumping around, over the rocks and inlakes. I could imagine, and very soon also heard, the sounds of eager and joy.
Small boys with their orange lifejackets had appeared from somewhere to the island. I couldn’t see any boat, they must have came with balloon… Our first visitors and later on also their daddys with their small boat from the swedish side. The boys with their summershine hair, wildly and freely moving around they looked like wild horses in all different colours in the nature.
And the dessert of course….rocky road cake…yam…are we awake or in the wonderwonderland… before the day is over the country’s most western sauna is warming up.
Monday 13.8.2013
Märket islet is filled with borderlines that we inspected today between our daily duties and routine.
It is commonly know fact that Märket is the most western piece of land in Finland and that the border of Sweden and Finland is dividing this small islet with bowtie shape: the buildings are built on the highest, and most western point of islet belonging to Finland, so the compensation needed to give to neighbourghs from eastern part.
We walked throught the line and jumped from country to another several times and were quite amazed of the pedantic marking on rocks both in north and south side of the islet.
Islet rock holds few historic scars that might not be that well known as the state border. Today we studied those.
There is at least three different ones in southern shore holding year marks of 1882 and 1925 with several initials. If someone knows the meaning and/or origin of the landmark in the photo, we would be mostly interested.
Please send all additional info to lighthouse e-mail market.lighthouse a majakkaseura.fi
Tuesday 13.8.2013
The technical activities here are very emotional as well: how to renovate the 128 years old lighthouse, how to retain its character? How to solve the problems of humidity, cold and how far to fix the holes – and which ones?
Some decisions there are obvious, and instructions are very clear.
Some decisions are more difficult, no other way but to experiment! The old stone walls have been covered with several layers of wallpapers, what are the options there? One option could be to use heavy gray cardboard as a base, specially made – maybe – for the purpose.
It may turn out to be just an experiment and not a success. The fun part of the glueing was having a champaign coctail of the glue!
Well well, also some of the glue had to be mixed in a baking bowl and a whisker. Do not ask why…
Not all was a coctail party: the 3rd floor tiny room will have a new stove, just waiting for the stove-builder. For the measurements we had to reopen to the main chimney, with heavy duty approach! Yes, we did it!
It is wonderful, all thru the day Johanna has been giving us instructions, we have not been alone. And knew we were not tearing the lighthouse apart.
It was a fun day! Soon after a great lunch in the sunny afternoon we became seals, rolling around in the greatest sea water pool of the Northern hemiphere. Lined with huge rocks smoothened by the ice age, and on the bottom the soft velvet of clean, bright green seagrass. No wonder the pool is called the Mother’s Womb. All the rocky scenery with the heat of the sun stored in the rocks. Luxorious life here!
Wednesday 14.8.2013
Shimmering half moon send us to sleep last night and a young observing seal woke us up. We were looking each other in early mornings total calm and silence.
We were not ready finished with morning coffee when the first honoured guests arrived to the island. And we ran out to welcome them. Coast guards brought here delegation from National Land Survey of Finland, Pekka and co (with a picnic basket). Pekka draw and marked the state line through Märket-island with his swedish collegue in 1982. I happily heard storys they told and walked with them through the line.
At the time, first this land with lighthouse was marked and then similar kind was formed to match. The form of the northern protective wall was dictating the shape of state borders. A special drill was used to mark the line, the border hole is wider in the bottom and more narrow on top. There is three brass bolts on the ground, one in middle of line and two on the shores where the line dived in to the see. They drawed the line, two equal pieces to the map and then on the spot they might change a bit due to shape of the groud.
Up in the lens system, there is a yellow mark from where they made first measurements, location and distances to nearby islands where a fellow colleague was with a prisma…..to catch the equator… and then this was too complicated for renovator.
”It is funny to stand in Sweden and watch west and see Finland.” ”Land rising, about 60 cm in hundred years… what Russian takes, God gives us from the west… so we’ll have Karelian back about at year 4000.” ”When sea has swallowed the island near river Tornio, there is nothing but sea before Märket.” ”As every 25-years there will be the next official measurement of the borderline on 2031. Pekka will arrive with rollator, the others can take trolleys with helicopter.”
In the middle of these wonderful people and the rally of their stories, we had to run at least 17 times to the attic of the lighthouse to measure out roofs and logs. Those are needed to prepare the work of the mason, who is soon coming to wall up the oven. I found also a pair of wooden skis on the attic, so it might happen that we are not back home before Christmas…
And the only place where the telephone works is at the very top of the lighthouse and then down again. And wallpapering the ancient walls is a kind of wrestling that I slowly start to understand and maybe have chance to win the wrestle. And painting the downstairs oven, and some boat calling for assistance in the landing of the tourist group in the eastern end of the islet…and back to painting again… we had today an extra busy day!!
As the dear evening guest of today, single-hand sailor, who already left to sail in fresh fair winds towards his friendship, said: you always meet pleasant people on the shores. He is right, that we have also learned in these four days living here, we three different total strangers, finding ourselves as a very close laughing family like we would have always known each other.
This island takes good care of us, it’s habitants. Dark heavy looking rains and thunders passes fluently by and we just wonder – dry and safe – their majestic beauty. How lucky we are here, in middle of the sea. During this packed day, the wind and the waves has made a full turn. This wind will roll us finally to nice relaxing sleep.
Thursday 15.8.2013
Just before my Märket week, I happened to notice a photo in Facebook (feels like some totally different world…) where a butterfly was leaving it’s case and below the photo there was a text: ”Life begins at the end of your Comfort Zone. So if you’re feeling uncomfortable right now, know that the change taking place in your life is a beginning, not an ending.”
I am a newcomer here in Märket, this is my first time as a volunteer worker in a lighthouse. And first time I am spending one week in such a distant place out of mainland. I must admit that I was scared when we arrived. It was lucky that there was practically no wind at all and the day was sunny and beautiful.
From the very start of this adventure week, the above quotation and thought has been in my mind. It has popped up in several situations from daily routine tasks in kitchen, in renovating work of old and valuable lighthouse, going to sauna, washing hair and last but not least, swimming in the sea.
How to describe how it feels to walk at the very end of the islet to ”modersmagen – mothers womb” with no intention what so ever to go to that small bond between rocks nearly outside of the small islet and beside the deep northern side. And when after all, following your dear companions, you find yourself laying on your back in the pond, totally covered with deep green, softest sea grass and water so clear that you can see it all through and feeling as safe and happy as being in your mother’s womb!
This week has been full of such incidents where only stepping out of my comfort zone, feeling unsecure and not-knowing-how, have brought me to really something totally new. I cannot forget the great persons who visited the islet during our week and my two great companions, totally different backgrounds with amazingly intresting stories that we’ve shared at the end of another great day. All this surrounded by the amazing nature accompanied by wind and sea always here, sometimes calm sometimes more severe, but surely present.
I am speechless and greatly thankful. Thank you Märket, thank you Majakkaseura and the most loving thanks to Taina M and Heidi. This has been A Journey, definately a beginning!
Friday 16.8.2014
Another different day. Yesterday the waves did not know which way to go: some were towards the north, some to the south after the northern winds. They all met in the calm yesterday evening to the east of the islet.
Today both the wind and the waves have a clear direction, from the south. That may mean that Mats will be able to land to the northern side to change the crews tomorrow.
The big thing was Märket involved the Finnish Broadcasting company’s morning television program. The alarm was set for 6 am, and Little-Taina was ready for the telephone interview bright and early! The rest of us, we were able to watch the programn only later in the evening. Yes, the whole of Finland knows about Märket today!( http://areena.yle.fi/tv/2001916)
It was a proud moment when we located the geocache on the islet! The day was different as well as the main tasks were finalized, sadly, yes. From the afternoon just basic cleaning up. Sharing our photos, and mentally preparing to leave. Let us see, the wind will get higher tomorrow…
Greetings from Taina O, Taina M and Heidi