Saturday 23.8.2014
Three men met skipper Mats at Käringsund in order to stay a couple of weeks “on the rocks” at Märket lighthouse island. During voyage it was a beautiful weather and calm south wind, so northern side of island was an easy landing port.
After having changed news and enjoying welcome coffee with previous week crew, warm thanks for the coffee, Mats carried them back to mainland. We intended to start working on the roof with coverings, but wind arose that much, that it would be too dangerous. So, we decided to complete some minor fixings with sauna and so on hoping calm weather for tomorrow.
Sunday 24.8.2014
We are hoping for calm weather to be able to go on the roof of workshop and make new covering instead of leaking old one. Weather forecast promises calm wind for tomorrow morning… we are hopeful. Today it was too dangerous. We carried firewood to store for cold weather and new sauna. Small birds (rantasipi) visit in safe pools eating some bugs and agreed to get filmed. Jussi erected high antenna on lighthouse tower in order to keep in touch with other radio enthusiasts.
Lighthouse life offers unlimited possibilities to do your own thing: Reading, writing, walking around 300m long and 150m wide rocky island and… and… As a matter of fact this is a most interesting place. Nature here is harsh and rigorous but fragile and vulnerable at same time.
Monday 25.8.2014
Finally tolerable working day on top of the roof. Material, tools and men up and get working. We were rejoicing too early, after couple of hours when getting two rolls of roofing spread, we were forced to come down because hard wind arouse and it begun to rain.
Tuesday 26.8.2014
In the morning we woke up in howling and rumbling of the wind and waves. It was hard to move outdoors because waves ran over yard flashing around our house. This is said to be the place where wind blows harder and more often than anywhere in Finland.
Wednesday 27.8.2014
Rainy and windy weather continues. We rather keep inside and make cleaning and other household tasks as making meals and building chimney for oven.
Yesterday wind speed was 18 to 24 m/s, today it seems to be a little bit lower but exceeds randomly storm limit 21m/s. We can check absolutely local wind because metering equipment for Märket’s weather report is just above us in tower of lighthouse.
Thursday 28.8.2014
It is time to find things that wind and sea have carried around. Our grill barrel with heavy stones inside it had travelled tens of meters into a seawater pool, from where it was found and saved. Wind was still too strong to trying climb on the roof. Whereas heat isolated chimneypiece was installed and jointed. Jori have acted whole week both as chef and dishwasher, today he washed thousand liters’ rainwater collector outside lighthouse. We are a little bit disappointed of getting not done and finished the roof, maybe next week.
Friday 29.8.2014
“It was a good day today”. Sky was blue and wind was smooth and fresh. We enjoyed of sunshine. Working with roofing proceeded quite a lot. Some more days like this and it will be finished. Lots of birds were seen, one unidentified falcon with them, and about twenty seals on nearby rock.
If the weather stays tomorrow like this and swell will calm down, Mats can come ashore and carry some quests and staples and it is also time to change the crew of lighthouse. Jori and Jussi love the island that much that they have decided staying another week. Kimmo will leave the islet with hope to be able to return one day.
Jori, Jussi and Kimmo