It was pretty cold this morning when I decided to take a day off today and go for a longer hike on the frozen surface of the Baltic Sea. It doesn’t happen very often that it freezes all the way and I wanted to go a bit longer today. At -24 °C I chose to wear an extra anorak and better mittens than two days before. That in combination with the survival suit kept me warm for hours.

At the shore beside our house everything was covered with hoar frost – a lovely sight. After going around the islet Lillskär the sight was pretty different. Some islands were visible in the distance and otherwise just a vast expanse of snow-covered ice.

First I followed more or less the same route as two days ago. To the right in the distance were the islands Obbolstenarna, then Bredskärsten nearby.

I went to the lighthouse Dynan again and took some more photos. I also flew my drone, taking some aerials but I may not publish them without permission of Lantmäteriet and maybe even Sjöfartsverket. That may take a while …

When I went further fog started rolling in. Beside Dynan and Revet, I could not see much. Where is the next island?

Despite of the fog I decided to continue my tour. While I was checking my bearing with my compass the fog lifted and I could continue, navigating by sight. From then on I regularly checked my course back home to be on the safe side. And there it is – the next island: Langån, still in the haze.

On this island there was another lighthouse, called Lillbådan. “Lill-” means small and the lighthouse is actually not one of the tall ones.

On Langån there were some trees growing, amongst others, a beautiful pine tree. It was covered with hoar frost. It was not so easy to get there because this island is more or less a big heap of rocks with knee deep powder snow between them.

I crossed the small island, passing a last frosted shrub …

… and the next expanse of ice was waiting for me. This, however, was different. First of all you could see ice floes – all of them frozen together. And then there were old ice channels, made by an ice breaker. Would it be possible and safe to cross them? I swept away the snow and yes – the ice was thick and I could continue to the next lighthouse.

And there it is – the lighthouse Storbränningen. Impressive from all sides.

Time for a selfie. The anorak was the only thing that was not waterproof. I was not dependent of this extra layer because it had become warmer but it was nice to have it on. I could also make use of the pockets for a compass or my mobile phone in its waterproof bag. The only issue: the survival suit is waterproof but as breathable as a rubber boot. I could feel, how the liquid sweat gathered in the rubber gloves – not comfortable but still it was a big relief to have clothes I can be in the cold water for at least half an hour. Safety first, comfort back at home. Ok – the selfie. Cheeeese!?

I went farther to the two islands Obbola-Storbådan. In the summer more an extent of boulders, now it is winter wonderland. On the way there I had to cross newer ice but it was thick enough as well. I was less afraid to break through than that an icebreaker would appear between mainland and me and create an open ice channel!

Lucky me, no icebreaker came and – now on my way back – I could cross the frozen channel as easily and safely as on the way there.

At first I used my compass to walk back; then I could see details of the mainland to orient myself. When I looked back, Storbränningen was already far away and I could hardly imagine that I had been there today.

As usual I did not take many pictures on my way back. The crystal-clear ice block, the wet passage, another view back …

… and then I was home again after 9.98 km in 4½ hours.

I have another photo to share:

What is it? Frost structures in the ice? Frozen plankton? No, it is just AI (and a bit of editing). I asked Copilot to make that image using this prompt:

Could you use this image and let it look, like the pizza has been frozen in an ice age for 500 years? Make everything look white with a hue of blue-green and put hoar frost on it.

This is the original image I uploaded to Copilot. It is the pizza I ate in Obbola after today’s tour.

Did I use more AI today? Yes, I used it in Lightroom to remove my own footsteps on one photo and I used it to correct some of the language mistakes. All other photos are edited manually but without any AI support.

 

It does not happen often that the Baltic Sea outside Obbola is frozen all the way to Finland. Today I took a longer break from work and took a long walk on the frozen and snow-covered Baltic Sea.

I left the small islet (we call it Lillskär) behind and could see the vast expanse of snow.

I went between the islands of Bredskär and Bredskärsten and headed to the red lighthouse called Dynan. I’ve been there before once – by kayak.

I even continued to the next lighthouse – Revet, but it lay behind a frozen ice channel and I was not sure how stable it would be.

On the way back to Dynan I saw the ice, that covered parts of the lighthouse. Was it storm waves that created this icy layer?

In the distance I saw some moving clouds. There was probably an open ice channel there and when it is cold – around -12 °C today – the sea “smokes” building ice fog.

I crossed the ice back to the island Bredskärsten, which I circumvented. At the northern tip a two-metre-high wall of ice has built. Time for a selfie using the self-timer on my Nikon.

Then it was time to return to the mainland, first into the shower, then back to my desk.

Some words about the equipment:

When I am in doubt about the ice conditions I wear my neoprene floatation suit. In case I would break through the ice it would keep me warm and dry and provide enough buoyancy to get back onto stable ice. To get a grip in the ice I have ice safety picks hanging around my neck. The camera and a spare pair of gloves I have in my waterproof backpack. and my mobile phone is in its own waterproof bag hanging around my neck as well.

It is like carrying a first aid kit. You don’t want to use it, but you should have it with you to be safe. If you don’t have proper equipment and tested its usage I would strongly discourage you from crossing sea ice, especially when it is snow-covered and you cannot see the thickness of the ice. So – please stay safe!

Links

• Marine map of Sjöfartsverket
• SMHI’s weather forecast for Obbola
• SMHI’s daily sea ice info

Last Friday I arrived in my “home home” in Sweden and spent a lovely weekend with my wife Annika. While she had to work I was off work today. It’s Whit Monday today, a holiday only in Norway, where I am employed.

So, today I had a one-day holiday in Sweden and it was a great one.

Cycling

After breakfast I took my bike that I haven’t used this year yet and took a ride to the grocery in Obbola, the locality nearby. Amongst other things I bought apple juice and chocolate. In winter the scenery can look colourless, now you may see red houses, the blue sea, green grass, yellow dandelions and the blue sky. Postcard views.

Hiking

Later I took a stroll through the forests. In contrary to the birch forests in Tromsø, here conifers – mostly spruces and pines – dominate the scenery. However when it comes to photo motives I prefer the small ponds.

Kayaking

In the evening I took a small kayak tour. First to the island Bredskärsten, then to the islands Obbolstenarna. Other people were on the water too, though they were out fishing with motorboats. I was the only kayaker.

Off-Camera moments

Eating ice cream at the beach Fläse · taking a bath at the beach Vitskärsudden · taking an afternoon nap · reading Harry Potter in Norwegian while eating the chocolate I bought this morning.

Today I have to work again (doing home office) but today felt like a whole week of “Holiday in Sweden”.

 

 

The sky is blue, the air is calm.  Today we will get the first two-digit temperatures of the year.

Scene 1: excursion

After having breakfast outside Annika and I go to the fishing harbour Rovögern hamn by car. It’s pre-season and Kvarkenfisk, the local fish restaurant with sale is still closed. Directly to the west lies the island Rovögern. A woman picks up some guests by boat. We have a look at the small cabins by the sea, stroll along the coast and through the forest. We take a picnic on the wooden terrace by the harbour (frugal, since we forgot the buns at home). It’s a nice place and we have to come back again, when Kvarkenfisk is open.

Scene 2: flower spotting

I drag my kayak from the garden to the coast. For that I have to cross 40 metres of wetland. I lay the kayak upside down and to tie up to a large rock. Now it’s even easier to take a short (or longer) kayak trip. I clean the wetland from the flotsam and jetsam of the winter floods. A tire with an attached rope used as a swing, driftwood, a small buoy, a railroad crosstie too heavy to lift. While cleaning I find the first spring flower home. A white crocus in full bloom.

Scene 3: winter bathing

Just before preparing dinner we head to the beach of Vitskärsudden for a winter bath. The shortcut on foot is still flooded, so we take the bicycles and the longer way. The smooth surface of the sea looks like silk and it looks beautiful to swim through it. Of course the water is still cold– hardly above zero – but the air is warm and there is no wind. So Annika and I do not have to hurry to dry off and throw us into clothes again. We are not the only swimmers. This winter the place has become quite popular.

Scene 4: paddling

After dinner I paddle round the islet Lillskär. It’s less than a kilometre. Special today: Since I keep close to the land I dare to paddle with “everyday clothes”. What a delight, to glide almost effortlessly through the water and to be able to move the arms naturally without fighting against the stiff neoprene of my waterproof rescue suit that I used the last times.

Bonus: Annika managed to take a picture of me through the old spyglass that we normally use to passing ships, watch seabirds or other animals.

 

It started with a class 3 warning snowfall for Västernorrlands län, that the Swedish weather service smhi issued yesterday. Class 3 warnings are the most severe warnings in Sweden and the last class 3 warning for snowfall happened ten years ago.

Still yesterday: Let’s check the amount of snow:

Obbola, where I live: 29 cm until Wednesday. Umeå – 20 km north: 46 cm. Let’s check Västernorrland: Örnsköldsvik would get already 76 cm of snow and in Drömme, 23 km west of Örnsköldsvik: 101 cm of snow (81 on Tuesday alone)!

As a hardcore snow lover I have to admit that I’m jealous and even a bit sulky. Why, oh why do all other places get much more snow than we at home!

In my old freelancer times I would have taken a day off and travelled to Drömme. But now I’m employed with much less spare time than before. In addition to that I sold my Subaru before I started working in Tromsø¹ and Annika’s Golf has no four-wheel-drive.

Suck!

Anyhow after today’s 11 o’clock meeting I took some hours off and took Annika’s car to the inland west from Umeå, where almost 50 cm of snow where forecasted for today. It was quite a rough car tour, both because of the visibility and the road conditions. I wanted to make photos but had to realise that in such intense snow weather there is hardly any place to park the car and it was impossible to see where the road ends and where the ditch begins.

Ok. One exception – here I could stop in a small side road.

Driving was slow and soon I realised that I wouldn’t reach my destination Tavelsjö before sundown. So I gave up my plans and headed back to Umeå. Everything was white and sometimes it was hard to see where the road was although all roads where already ploughed – probably several times. When I left the E12 near Kåddis I experienced the first (and only) road that hardly was ploughed. Sometimes I had to “swim” through deep snow drifts and I’m still surprised that I made it without being helplessly stuck.

Finally I reached Umeå where probably 30–40 cm of snow had fallen. All snow ploughs, tractors and people with snow shovels were working to get rid of the snow, while I looked more for the places, where snow was left and possibly untouched.

Now I’m home again and still hear the wind and see whirling snow through my window. How much snow has fallen here is impossible to say. While the snow drifts behind the house are at least 120 cm tall, other parts round the house have been blown completely free from snow.

So – no local records – but at least it’s a real winter. Nice!

_____

¹ Tromsø, a yes – wasn’t I supposed to work in Tromsø? Actually yes, but due to the covid-19 restrictions in Norway I’m still home in Sweden and without any clue when I will travel to Tromsø again. I will have missed the whole seven weeks of polar night but also one of Tromsø’s warmest and rainiest winters ever.