Week 41: Johanna, Kalle, Pekka and Petri

Sunday 4.10.2015

Change of the crew was delayed until Sunday morning due to Friday’s storm ”Valio”.

Finally the old crew was able to leave, except Kalle and Pete who will stay for one more week. Two new lighthouse keepers, Johanna and Pekka, were warmly welcomed, also by a curious gold crest hanging in the ceiling.

Bengt Granberg took former sea captain Sandell and his wife from Åland to visit the lighthouse. The captain had sailed many times past Märket during his career but never before had an opportunity come see the lighthouse inside. He told an interesting story about a collection of different kinds of shipping companies marks which has be seen on his web page http://www.rederimaerken.se/aaland2.htm.

The fourth visitor was today’s special guest star.

The new week started in relaxed atmosphere: walking on cliffs, bird watching, discussing tasks for coming week.

In the evening we were rewarded by a classic, colourful sunset.

Monday 5.10.2015

Newcomers woke up early before the sunrise and rushed out to fresh northern wind to watch the morning stars. Especially the bright Venus looked magnificient.

Sunny and windy day. After the tradional lighthouse porrige breakfast the crew decided voluntarily to solve problems in the waste water filtering system. A very good rule of thumb:If nothing else helps read the instructions!

According to a permission of the headquarters also composting of kitchen biowaste was restarted at the lighthouse for the rest of the season.

No matter how busy you might be never miss a chance to take the photo of the day.

We also started a dusty job up in the attic of the lighthouse making an inventory of all the old items that have been stored there for decades. Task to be continued for several days.

Well deserved sauna at the time of sunset followed by a freshly baked apple pie at the evening tea. Later in the dark night we admired the clear autumn sky full of stars.

Tuesday 6.10.2015 ”Ei pöllömpi päivä”

Chilly morning. Multitasking morning, reorganising cement bags, moving firewood, continuing inventory of the old stuff in the attic.

Todays special guest star, an owl (Aegolius funereus, helmipöllö), ruined our daily schedule. He found a daytime hide on a steel hook under the bridge and we had to watch as he sat there relaxed for several hours. Taking hundreds of photos did not seem to disturb him at all. In the twilight he finally left us.

Inventory of the attic, from old lamps to wooden nails, from old paint jars to ancient handbooks. Every morning a new voluntary is ordered to accompany Johanna to the dusty heritage world of the lighthouse.

In the evening Mirja from the previous crew called and asked if we can see arctic lights on the sky. We rushed out immediately and indeed… what a spectacular view: The whole northern sky was on fire! Grown-up people jumped and crawled on the cliffs like little kids to get photos of the unbelievable scene.

Wednesday 7.10.2015

Märket seems to be the warmest place in Finland. Outside temperature in the morning was almost 8 C.

There are things, which one should never skip at Märket, like the morning walk on the cliffs, with or without camera.

The reef might look greyish from distance, but every day you can find some small colourful details.

White tail eagles fly high over Märket on a regular basis – but unfortunately they don’t pay a visit very often so that one could catch them on film.

It only takes a day or two for a new crew to organise the daily routines. We like to alternate all tasks, today it was Pete’s turn to cook, Kalle ”the boss” of the week washed the dishes.

We got our first rain shower in the afternoon. However, we managed to move firewood drying on the terrace and pile it up in the storage under the roof just on time before it started to rain.

But one thing doesn’t change, Johanna climbing up to the dusty attic to dig up old gear from the dirt. And slowly some order is emerging from the chaos!

In the night we were ready this time to spot northern lights, which were, according to the space weather forecast, to be expected. Matti, a Märket veteran, still called and reminded us not to miss the spectacle. In the picture Pete is hurrying with his torch to find the best place for the camera.

Thursday 8.10.2015

In the morning clouds that disturbed our sky watching in the night were all gone. The weather was clear, sunny and warm. The late night hunt for the best photo of northern lights may have caused slight drop of the daytime activity of the crew.

Our project in the attic continued, things were documented and some were safely stored in wooden boxes.

A set of old tools used for carpentry. Lighthouse keepers in the old times were skilled also in making fine furniture on the island.

Kalle doing modern carpentry and preparing a lid for a wooden box…

… as well as modern vegetarian cooking in the kitchen.

Portrait of our team. Coffee break with warm bread and special biscuits straight from Märket’s bakery.

Late in the afternoon last inventory lists were written. Hopefully we will have a new exhibition at Märket’s museum next season.

Friday 9.10.2015

Last night was the third night in a row when we had a chance to watch the shining northern lights. It has already become a part of our daily routines. Also morning was fine: moon, Venus, Jupiter and Mars close together in the clear sky.

After the breakfast it was so calm that we decided to make a quick seal watching tour by our motorboat out to the farthest reef. Curious seals popped up from the sea when we came closer and they heard the sound of running motor.

In the afternoon we were finishing the inventory of the attic. Suddenly, from the darkest and dustiest corner we found an astonished old lighthouse keeper and his apprentice.

The old lighthouse keeper seemed a little bit cranky because we disturbed his coffee break.

First thing he did was that he scolded his apprentice, who hadn’t done his tasks properly.

The old lighthouse keeper was not satisfied because the light of Understen lighthouse was so much brighter and Märket appeared far too dim next to it.

The lighthouse keeper commanded his apprentice to polish the lantern house properly.

When order returned to the lighthouse, the apprentice calmed the old lighthouse keeper by playing the song of Moomin’s Snufkins with a harmonica.

Peace was returned and maybe it truly is time to change the shift tomorrow. On the other hand, you could never know what would happen if Pete and Kalle would stay third week on Märket. Hopefully this amazing story will continue another time.

The past week has shown that Märket never lets you down, every time a new story!