Friday 20.7.2007 – New shift – work with windows continues
Märket got guests last night! Our visitors from Monday, the cayakists, returned to see us on their way back home.
In the morning we woke up early to wait for a new crew to arrive. Even more anciously we waited to see the fresh food supply!
Our new crew Mimmi, Angela, Jake & Päivi got a briefing and a tour in the lighthouse. Their first impression of Märket was that it looked like a castle in the middle of the sea.
The new crew brought a donation of old lifevests from the former Märket lighthouse keeper KEE Eriksson. Also big part of the food was donated by K-supermarket Seilori in Espoo (Helsinki Metropolitan area). Now we will be very happy to have new potatoes and herring!
New crew started to work actively straight away and by the evening we had a lots of work done. Everybody was startled by the place and all of the space around! Seals were enjoying the sunny and windy weather and we enjoyed to see them lying in the sun.
After a supper of chicken, sausages and tomato salad we are sitting by the kitchen table and planning to get some sleep. After Eight we won’t do anything.
For the night we chose new places for some beds – the hut in the second floor of the magazine is not any more in our use. Well, we manage OK as long as the weather is warm.
Hopefully we get visitors tomorrow!
The Swedish paddlers returned…
The change of shifts: Goodbye for Asta, Ingela and Arne.
Satu does a guiding tour for the new people.
Angela and Jake, already continuing the work of Ingela and Arne.
The paddlers left for Sweden in the evening.
Saturday 21.7.2007 – The day of many duties
Saturday arrived with sunny and warm weather with only mild breeze. We started to work early and were really waiting for guests.
The old storehouse was cleaned for second time this season. Ready for accommodation!
The old storehouse under the radio amateurs´ “office” got a brand new life: we cleared the old rotted wood and some of the old roofing material. After sweeping the floor, the place is ready to serve as a sleeping space during warm and dry weather. That space is really needed now that the old hut upstairs is closed.
The heat helps to take away the old paintings – 8 layers of them!
Quite a few of the lighthouse’s doors and windows are now in different stages of reparation. The work is very slow and demands a lot of consideration. It is also rewarding while it is easy to see all the stages of the work. The work has been documented carefully.
The old harbour is now a bit deeper again!
Some rocks liying in the bottom of the old harbour were removed. It is not yet quite deep enough for vessels but is deep enough for seals as You can see from the photo. The bravest now swim nearly to the end of the harbour!
The seals swim now bravely in the old harbour!
At 7.30 pm we finally got the weekend´s first guests!! A Swedish group were on their way to see seals and visited the lighthouse. They were happy to get a guided tour and were planning to return to Märket.
Visitors from Sweden – with Finnish Bengtskär T-shirt on!
We enjoyed our dinner and hope that our webmaster did as well…Good night from Märket!
Sunday 22.7.2007 – Sunny Sunday
Today sun was shining and we decided to take it easy.
So we worked with doors and windows and all other things until lunch and after that we just enjoyed the wonderful weather.
We also had two visitors from Hammarland.
They were very happy to see the lighthouse and the work we have done. Nevertheless they agreed that quite an effort is still needed to save Märket.
Even if the living conditions are quite poor (temperature in the fridge is 17 degrees…), being here has made us realise the value of places like this. We already feel like belonging here. Some of us would even like to stay forever.
Today we had no luck with fishing, but luckily we still have 24 jars of herring to eat!
Monday 23.7.2007 – Another windy day
Mornings started windy again.
Morning was very windy but sun was shining from the bright blue sky. At about lunchtime came clouds, little rain and even more wind. The waves were marvellous! Could someone donate us few surfboards quick, please!
A small willow grows from the ground…
The most demanding job for today, after serious consideration, was emptying the bio-toilet. The wind was good and took the smell away, so the task wasnt so bad. Despite the wind it was necessary to change the clothes before dinner.
Seppo Laurell´s great book interests – and now on sale on Märket!
During coffee-break we studied the Finnish Lighthouses book by Seppo Laurell. The book looks great and interesting, specially in these conditions the stories and the destinies of lighthouse-people seemed to become alive. Being isolated on Märket having only our little isletboat we can imagine how the life was here more than 100 years ago. And they didnt even have telephones and communicators… The great book is now on sale in Märkets souvenir shop.
The legendary iron mast has its legends…
Night is falling and wind still blows hard. We are wondering whether to go to sleep or lift the boat and ourselves up to the old iron mast…? (for more information read Märkets history from the Finnish Lighthouses -book.)
A sight from the stairs.
As You can guess – no visitors today!
Tuesday 24.7.2007 – Stormy night
Night was stormy and due to the bad weather we decided to sleep indoors instead of the old iron mast. Late yesterday evening we noticed a wooden box in the sea, but because of the windy conditions we couldn’t row near the box.
This morning we didn’t see the box anymore, it sunk in the water and we keep wondering what was inside it? Maybe few bottles of rum or other treasures…
Sunny morning
Lonely seagull has been walking around Märket for a few days. It might have been sick or old; today it was found dead beetween the rocks.
We almost got visitors in the afternoon! Jake was bravely rowing through the giant surfwaves, but the sailboat and the visitors escaped. Later they tried another approach but disappeared again. Well, we are sure that we WILL get at least one visitor tomorrow. Angelas father is on his way to Märket, we wish him safe journey!
Window-painting goes on, and we also sawed a lot of wood for the fireplace.
Zzzzzzz
Seals are enjoying the waves and we are still waiting for the surfboards, or a kite would be nice too.
Wednesday 25.7.2007 – The day of the guest
After few silent days today was very lively. Two boats arrived almost at the same time, and our rowers were very busy.
Guiding
We got long expected refill for our foodstorage, for example basil, tomatoes and fresh bread. And luckily no more herring (still 19 jars to go)!
In the morning the rocks were full of seals, and they also swam around our visitors boats.
Window-project goes on, today 2 fisrt ones were painted for the third and last time. Windows are painted by linen seed oil paint, so it takes several days to dry. We all have participated the project, and it has been good school to us, thanks to Angela.
Painting painting painting…….
Now we enjoy the campfire and sausages. We made very good fireplace with the sink tank we found from the storage.
Good night Märket friends
Thursday 260707 – From treasure to fire wood
After a still morning and an early swim Angela’s father started his journey back home.
In this perfect sunny weather we expected to have quite a few guests.
And we guessed right! The whole day was full of rowing, guiding and coffee making. We also had a nice swim and relaxed a little bit in the sun.
Guests from Sweden
Guests from Åland
Evening guests
Some of us are leaving Märket tomorrow and therefore we have been wandering around the islet and checking the views. The box which was seen a few days ago in the sea, was found empty today. That makes good fire wood…so much for the treasure!
Being here has been a great experience and we wish all who are still arriving, a nice time.
Now cafe Märket serves a late evening coffee and pancakes with cream and jam. Bye!
