April weather – part 2
April weather
It snowed, dark clouds sped past the coast, the sun illuminated the fresh snow and the gusty wind blew it around. The weather changed constantly this morning. The wind squalls made the temperatures of -3 °C appear much colder and I regretted that I went outside without windproof trousers and warm gloves. That’s the post-wintry release of Norrlands April weather.
The easter days shall be wintry as well with temperatures between -8 °C and 0 °C, at least here in Skelleftehamn. In the mountains however they’ll probably drop to -20 °C or even below.
Tussilago 2017 – one day later
The last days of ice fishing
Early April weather (a short log book)
Friday, 31 Mars: I rehearsed for next days jazz concert with AÅO Trio and Hans Åkesson and it was sunny in Skellefteå.
Saturday, 1 April: I played that concert at the very same place and it snowed. April weather!
Sunday, 2 April: It continued snowing and a new layer of 5 cm of snow covered Skelleftehamn. What a nice birthday present for a winter lover like me!
Still Sunday: While the ice fishing season in Skelleftehamn is finally over, the ice fishers on the big lake Burträsket beside the town Burträsk took advantage of the last days of save ice. And it was many of them!
Monday, 3 April: We had a great late winter day with blue sky above our heads and fresh, white snow under our feet, when we took a promenade along the river Skellefteälven. We – that’s not only Annika and me but also my mother who visited me for some days. It was the first time that she came outside of the summer months and I’m really glad that she got some nice winter impressions.
Yesterday, 4. April: Yesterday it was almost 13 °C in town.
Today, 5. April: it was colder and partly cloudy, but we got a fantastic sundown. What a colourful contrast to the dull weather the ice fishers had experienced.
And the weather next weekend? Well, I don’t know and the weather institute neither. That’s two weekend forecasts of the SMHI – the 1st from Monday afternoon, the 2nd from Tuesday morning:
The Baltic Sea is open
The temperatures were quite different in the last days. Sometimes it was -7 °C in the morning and even cold at daytime, sometimes it was warm with temperatures round +10 °C and frost-free nights.
But it wasn’t the warm temperatures that eliminated the ice on the Baltic Sea, it was the stormy and gusty winds that broke it apart and blew it away from the coast. Now I could easily paddle again to and even round the island Gåsören if I only had the time. There are however other things to do right now and so it’ll have to wait a bit.
Ice fishing in Skelleftehamn
When it’s as warm and sunny as today many ice fishers enjoy sitting on their little folding stools on the ice, that still covers a small part of the bay Kallholmsfjärden in Skelleftehamn. I guess it’s both the glorious springlike weather as well as the knowledge that there may not be many opportunities left to set foot on the ice and do “pimpelfiske” this season. The open water in the background is quite near.
Some hours earlier: I stand at the very edge of the peninsula Näsgrundet and look at the Baltic Sea, which is partly ice covered and partly open. As it looks, I could both walk and paddle to the island Gåsören. I do neither nor. I don’t dare walking since the ice may be weak and I’m just too lazy to take the kayak today.
A short detour near Ånäset
On my way back from Umeå to Skelleftehamn this morning some of the birch trees were covered with white frost. At the departure to Ånäset I turned right and followed the frozen gravel path. The sun was blocked a bit by a layer of clouds but sometimes it could break through and lighten the wintry scenery.
Sunny morning at the coast
It’s a sunny morning today with temperatures slightly above zero. It’s windy too and I was glad that I’d been not too optimistic about the warmth and had a isolating jacket with me when I strolled along the wintry coast of Skelleftehamn today.
The Baltic Sea is covered with a thick layer of ice and snow and it looks like full winter, but when I crouched on the ground to make another photo I heard a bird voice high above me. I looked up and spotted two seagulls, floating high in the air. One of the seagulls cried again. Seagulls need open water and their appearance is one of my favourite signs of spring. When I looked at the horizon I saw a small but clear line of dark blue flickering in the warmed up air. Over there the Baltic Sea is already open. You can see it on the picture too.
À propos warmed up air: My winter garden – unisolated and unheated – has already 15 °C and the temperature is rising with every minute. The March sun has a lot of power.
Three times outdoor barbecue
This week vårvintern – “the spring winter” – really has been here. Some degrees above zero during the day, some degrees below at night and still a lot of ice and snow around.
On Tuesday Hans, a friend of mine, and I looked around Bureå’s surroundings. There are many places that are historically interesting or just beautiful and cozy. Some of the historical places however were either snowed in or hard to approach in winter time.
A fire had already been lit of two snowmobilers in the barbecue hut at Burehällorna, a natural reserve at the coast. How good Hans had everything for hamburger grilling with him!
Hans also showed me Bureå camping, his new camping ground right next to the E4. We considered to use the wonderful sauna next to the river Bureälven but postponed it to another day. Even if Hans is going to realise only a third of his plans, this will be a great place to be!
Yesterday I met my friends Annica and Martin and we went to their hut in Bygdeträsk. Anyway we didn’t heat the hut, we stayed outside. After shovelling away the snow to have a place to sit, Martin lit an outdoor fire directly on the icy ground and we grilled sausages. And warmed up apple pie! Sausages have never been my favourite meal of mine, but I really like them when they have been grilled above open fire – even if partly cold, partly burnt. Those who love outdoor grilling over open fire will know what I mean.
Believe it or not – I didn’t make a single photo!
Today Hans, his friend Stefan and I met at Kågehamn and we took a sauna jaunt. Kågehamn is situated at the bay Kågefjärden which has round a dozen islands. We skied over the snow covered sea ice to the island Bastuholmen were Hans has two cabins and a sauna on rafts. While Hans and Stefan started to saw a hole into the ice I fired the sauna oven.
While we waited for the sauna getting hot we grilled. After all the hamburgers and sausages of the week I preferred burgers with halloumi cheese today.
Then we went into the sauna that had been heated up to 60 °C and went into the ice hole several times. I cut my leg, because the ice at the edge is quite sharp. After two rounds of sauna we packed our stuff and skied back again.
If it comes to taking pictures I definitely prefer the cold winter in January, but if it comes to meeting friends and having fun outdoors, vårvintern is just great!