Friday 17.6.2016
According to the weather forecast, the wind was going to be about 14 m/s on Saturday morning, so Mats took us to Märket already on Friday afternoon.
On our way, we saw a traditional sailing boat (skötbåt). Apparently the boat was going to attend Postrodden – a boat race that takes place every year between Grisslehamn and Eckerö. The competition is arranged in remembrance of the old postal service, established in 1636 and kept until 1910. In the old days, the peasants of Eckerö had to ship mailbags across the Sea of Åland.
Nowadays every team attending the competition gets a mailbag with real mail and tries to sail or row across the Sea of Åland as fast as possible. The teams also get points by having a boat and clothes that fit the era. The competition was going to be held on Saturday, but due to the wind it was rescheduled to Sunday.
The breeze was light when we arrived, but the swell prevented us from landing with Mats’ boat. Last week’s crew had to pick us up with the rubber boat.
The terns were not so happy to meet us.
Saturday 18.6.2016
Saturday was windy and rainy. We walked in the rain to watch and photograph the surfs.
Black guillemots were resting on the rocks.
In the afternoon, Päivi and Joanna inventoried all the books in Märket’s library. There were about a hundred books dating from the period when the lighthouse was inhabited, i.e. up to 1976: two shelves of crime and detective stories with authors like Larry Kent, James Hadley Chase, U.S Anderson (The Smoldering Sea), plus some westerns, e.g. Marshall Grover (Bill och Ben series).
One shelf of more serious fiction: Det hemlighetsfulla Egypten by Sax Rohmer, A Biography of Stanley by Byron Farwell, Paluu Etelämantereelle by Grimble, Saaristopapin tytär by Py Sörman, Karen Blixen, Pearl S. Buck… A few of the books had their owner’s signature, Ke Eriksson from Saltvik among them. Some originated from the Luotsikirjasto (Pilots’ Library).
There was also a visitors’ book with entries from 1973 up to 2009.
Since 1976 new books have been donated to Märket’s library by volunteers and visitors, about 30 so far.
Sunday 19.6.2016
Sunday morning was sunny and warm. We returned the scaffolding that last week’s crew had used to the warehouse and did some cleaning work. We also had some leisure time – it was nice to walk on the rocks and enjoy the gentle weather after the previous day’s wind and rain. Tauno & Ansa were smiling, too.
Later in the afternoon the weather got colder again. The edge of the Finnish Lighthouse Society’s flag was a bit tattered, so Joanna sewed it up.
Freighters and small fishing boats were in sight on the horizon all day, but no one came to visit us.
Monday 20.6.2016
A cloudy morning was followed by a sunny day. We beat some rugs, vacuumed and cleaned the windows.
When doing the cleaning work, we admired the way the windows had been crafted to fit the openings securely and beautifully and how easily they could be opened. They are a lovely frame to the cliffs and sea.
We also admired the fantastic job that has been done in Märket during the recent years. Nearly everything has already been fixed here and it has been done with skill and patience. This work has been aknowledged by others, too: the Finnish Lighthouse Society received on the 9th of June this year a culture prize from Ålands kulturdelegation. According to the prize-giver, renovating the lighthouse is a unique culture deed. The lighthouse has now been preserved for the future and made accessible for interested visitors.
Tuesday 21.6.2016
On Tuesday morning, a beautiful fog floated over Märket. About 10 a.m. we got some visitors: a group of relatives and friends from the mainlaind of Åland came with Mats to explore Märket. When the visitors were having coffee, the fog vanished and the sun began to shine again.
Later we celebrated the summer solstice with appropriate ceremonies. In the evening, Joanna was walking on the islet and saw the head of a seal. She also found some beautiful little pink flowers.
Wednesday 22.6.2016
Wednesday morning was lovely: the breeze was light and the sun shone from a clear sky.
In the afternoon, we got visitors. Micke, Andreas and Cathrine from Stockholm had been fishing salmon during the past days. Now they landed on Märket to search for a geocache.
The maintenance of the lighthouse means continuous fighting against rust e.g. in many of the lighthouse’s rooms where old railroad tracks have been used as roof beams. This afternoon we began to scratch some outside iron structures that are going to be painted later on.
Thursday 23.6.2016
On Thursday morning, we sorted out waste and other stuff. When the job was done, there was more space in the warehouse.
Mats brought an Ålandian group of colleagues to Märket. They enjoyed the sunshine and the view from the lighthouse tower.
In the evening, a grey seal landed on Märket. She rolled on the rocks, scratched herself and seemed to pay no attention, when we carefully crept closer. After staying about one and a half hour on Märket, she dived back in the sea.
Friday 24.6.2016
Midsummer Eve was a cloudy, calm day. We washed oven trays. In the evening, we bathed in the sauna, as people usually do in Finland on Midsummer Eve.
Midsummer has traditionally been a feast of fertility, and many magic spells have been cast. According to an old Finnish and Swedish belief, you can see your future husband in a dream, if you have picked flowers of different species on Midsummer night in silence and placed them under your pillow. Some people say you need to pick nine different species while others think that seven is enough.
Whatever the truth, this spell would be very difficult to perform on Märket; so far we have discovered three different flowers: chamomile, chives and sea milkwort. In addition, yellow stonecrop is budding.
However, according to Päivi, flowering grasses can also be included.
Saturday 25.6.2016
Midsummer Day was our last day on Märket. We made preparations for leaving, but also enjoyed the wonderful weather – fog in the morning, soft summer wind and sunshine in the afternoon – and swam in the sea. A Swedish trimaran and an ordinary sailing boat bypassed Märket. They were the first sailing boats we had seen during the whole week.
In the evening, we had a visitor: a heron came to Märket and became the target of a long and determined attack by the local terns.
Now it is time for us to leave Märket. We are looking forward to coming here again!
Greetings from Märket and Outi-Sofia, Päivi, Joanna and Nika!