Saturday 14.5.2016

As we suspected, we are still here in Märket. Our boat driver Mats called us in the morning and told that he doesn’t arrive today. Winds are too strong and waves too big. Let’s try again tomorrow – or day after tomorrow.

So what we have done today? As the weather was pretty miserable (wind 9-11 m/s and some rain drops), we have tried to stay inside. Pasi has started piecing together puzzle he found. He has spent with it all the day and some pieces are still left. Emilia and Juha have spent their day reading books and taking naps.

The island is now full of little streams that cross the cliffs. The eastern part and northern part of Märket are under water. The little swimming pool on the cliffs is now fully connected to the sea.

Emilia and Pasi have spent two weeks in Märket and are starting to look alike. ”Märket look” is trendy here!

Everything is ok, and we have plenty of water and food. All we can do now is to wait. Hopefully the next crew that is waiting for shift in Eckerö harbous finds something to do, too!

 

Sunday 15.5.2016

Still the same crew here. The winds are strong and just getting stronger (now 14 m/s, but estimation for next night is up to 20 m/s). So we are probably going to stay for a couple of days longer. We just talked with the next crew, waiting in Eckerö. We are both anxious to change places soon. We have mainly stayed inside all day, Pasi with his puzzle and Emilia and Juha with their books. Meals are getting more and more plain each time, as ingredients are running out (no more cheese, hardly anything fresh or cold cuts etc) but Emilia is trying to be creative.

The old harbour is now impossible to reach as waves hit from two directions.

We fixed in emergency the toilet window, which was nearly taken by the wind.

The island is getting smaller and smaller, and in its Northern side the water reaches now the jetty near lighthouse.

Emilia got a hair dryer for her hair. Let’s hope the winds move away soon!

Greetings from Emilia, Pasi and Juha

 

Monday 16.5.2016

We waited in Eckerö for two days to come here because the wind was so strong, max 21 m/s.

We saw a beautiful old tree in Eckerö, and there was a töyhtötiainen, crested tit ( Parus cristatus) sitting on a branch. We visited also the beautiful Ramsholmen in Marienhamn.

At last we succeeded to arrive to Märket-islet. The waves are still guite high in the evening but Mats was the best man to bring us here with the rubberboat. Jori drove along the boat back to the islet. He did it very well!

Nice big waves on the north side of the islet.

Jari and Ilkka lifted the rubberboat up in the sunny, warm and almost calm weather.

Our new crew is ready for action!

Hanna, Ilkka, Pirita, Jori and Mirja

 

 

Tuesday 17.5.2016


The day started with a calm and foggy weather but soon the sun broke through the clouds. The weather stayed a bit cloudy the whole day. The wind was moderate.

We were visitied by a long-eared owl (sarvipöllö, Asio otus) in the morning. It was bothering the colony of common and arctic terns (kalatiira, Sterna hirundo and lapintiira, Sterna paradisaea) and other small birds for quite a while. It did’nt seem to get any pray although it was trying very hard. Poor hungry predator.

We went around the lighthouse to check the emergency implements and tools. Jori was guiding Hanna and Ilkka.

Some first timers from Turku were here in the afternoon.

We started to do the inventory of the tarpaulins (pressut) in the afternoon. The tyres will be prepared to protect the boats at the harbor.

 

Wednesday 18.5.2015
This day was windy, 11 m/s, +8 C degrees, but quite sunny. On this southern wind, waves do not crash over cliffs, because the shore there is shallow. No guests have been seen, but instead new birds, fighting in the wind to reach land.

The ovens warm up the rooms lovely now, so its quite cosy and comfortable inside the lighthouse.

Some of us have rosen up every day early at dawn. Morning coffee tastes well and fine photos of sunrise has been taken.

Jori and Ilkka made inventory of tarpaulins, which were really many, of different size and form, and more or less used. Now they are neatly folded and piled up on the shelves.

Mirja washed old jerrycans for recycled wares. They are practically re-desingned for this purpose. The goal is that everybody in the islet learns to recycle right – and we have to work for it hard. It is not easy to discern for instance aluminium from other metals.

Safety first: when the wind is strong and the waves flood over cliffs or in the dark time, it is wise to secure in several ways, that nobody ends up on the steep cliff shore, not even accidentally.

The sterns are ready to breed, in spite of hard wind, waves and threatening nest-robbers (predatory birds).
The job that was left last week is now accoplished.

Thursday 19.6.2016

Morning was cloudy with light breeze. We we we up for looking for birds already at 04.30 a.m. Several small birds have flied to the islet during the night. Nights are light, because the moon is growing to full moon.

After the morning coffee we began day’s work. Main task was to check the recycling system of the lighthouse. Hanna also made a plan for security quide tour of lighthouse keepers. After the yesterday guide tour she had made an excellent list of the location and condition of fire extinguish equipments.

Mirja has inspired Ilkka to take pictures of birds, partly because its easier to identify birds on the photo, they being so swift in flight. For early riser the place here is nice place to start. What kind of birds have scattered here during the night? We have not seen long-eared owl for a couple of days. We have got 30 secured bird species obstervations and some not identified.

The leader of voluntary work Katja send with us here two “grandma geraniums”. They have now bigger pot and new potting soil. They can now blossom again, when weather gets warmer. We have placed them near the wall were they have enjoyed sunshine all the day in fresh breeze.

We pondered of waste management of the lighthouse. Hanna wrote tentative plan of new instructions for sorting of garbage. Later in the evening we had discussion how to make our proposal as simple as possible and easy to carry out. The sorting system must clearly be improved to be more functional.

Compost toilet maintenance was this time men’s job, and the result was neat.

The nesting of stern has started. We put today instructions on the doors of warehouse and boathouse to remind that birds must have nesting peace and it is forbidden to walk on nesting areas. The cold weather threatens hatching, because seagulls circulate on the area in hope of food, and sterns had to rise up frequently to defend their nests.

 

Friday 20.5.2016

Is there a balance of wind and calm, in principle? Every morning has begun with nice light breeze, but after noon the wind increases up to 11 m/s. The wind direction happens to be this week from South. From there it carries warmth some day, too, I guess.

This day and our short week here have passed away quickly. The shift change day is coming nearer, and some unfinished works have been finished up and all around tidying done. In the boathouse is waiting lot of things that we take with us into the mainland.

Pirita has mainly taken care of cooking, and we are well nourished with mostly vegetarian meals. New tastes for everyone of us.

In the morning came three turnstones (Arenaria interpres, karikukko) to our islet. They joined immediately to slumber with the two oystercatchers (Haematopus ostralegus, meriharakka), which have spent here all the week. Trusted, that oystercatchers will wake them up in case of danger.

Some challenges you meet when washing the windows. Luckily one does not need to go to wash outside, in harness or scaffold – in these winds, too.

Hanna concentrated to writing instructions for sorting garbage. Lot of word is needed to get them so simple and clear, that they are easy to carry out, too.

Jori instructed us with expertice to launch and hoist rubber boat and use boat motor. An easy man with calm nerves, this Jori..

Last night we were treated with pancakes. Jori is very aware of how many pancakes Jori has taken, when he is scrabbling this one. Anyhow, everybody had a good share, and tomorrow’s newcomers are going to have some, too. Unless somebody of us shall come and lower the pile of pancakes in the quiet hours of the night.

We thank Lighthouse society for the opportunity to work here again – and enjoy!
Greetings from Hanna, Ilkka, Pirita, Jori and Mirja

 

Jaa tämä somessa

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