Umiak I

It started like many kayak trips: I put out to sea at the tiny beach Storgrundet without any plans at all. Unlike yesterdays weather forecast it was a nice and sunny day, although not very warm. Since the sea was calm I paddeled along the seaward sides of the islands Storgrundet and Brottören, crossed the Bredskärsviken to the islands Norrskär and Bredskär, continued at the east side of Flottgrundet and headed to Gåsören, probably my favourite island nearby. Some photos:

Short break on NorrskärRed-breasted merganser / Mittelsäger / SmåskrakeGåsören with its two lighthouses

But much more fascinating than nature, birds and islands was the moment when I looked at the horizon and saw the faint but large silhouette of a big ship. The blurred outline looked more like a fata morgana than a real object. But I wasn’t the only one watching the ship. Two tugboats came from the port to bring the ship into port.

„Horizon silhouette“Bringing into port

T., whom I met on the Island Gåsören knew the ship. It’s Umiak I, an ice breaker, that can break 1.5 meter ice and still going 6 knots (ca. 11 km/h). Impressing! I do like summer, but I really adore winter and started dreaming of travelling with the Umiak I in winter and cutting through solid ice.

Later today I made a better image of the ship in port.

Umiak I

It’s at least so famous, that it has its own Wikipedia page! I looked at Shorelink as well, to get some more information:

  • Cargo: 9257 tons copper concentrate
  • Coming from: Edwards Cove via Brunsbuttel

Of course I had to look up Edwards Cove, too. Never heard the name before. If the internet is right, Edwards Cove is a harbour west-northwest from Nain in Labrador, Arctic Canada. If the ship would go back the same way, I guess I would ask for a lift.

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3 comments to “Umiak I”

  1. Annika 2015-07-13 22:21

    Wie sie da so im Dunst schwimmt, finde ich sie sehr beeindruckend—im Hafen sieht man sie dann besser, aber das Dunstbild ist schön :-)

  2. way-up-north 2015-07-13 22:22

    Das Teleobjektiv, welches ich zufällig mithatte, verrät viel mehr als das bloße Auge sah. Da konnte man eigentlich nur eine unscharfe graublaue Silhouette sehen.

  3. Annika 2015-07-13 22:32

    Verrate doch nicht immer alles ;-)

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