Santa Lucia 2011

 Santa Lucia 2011

Traditional paddling since 2010! Well, you´ve got to repeat an event if you want to call it a tradition. This year we were 5 paddlers who set out on a 2,5-hour-trip in the inner archipelago. Martin Wahlin and Henrik Fält came paddling in their kayaks from Amundö and Skintebo, while I, Mats Lindström and Håkan Stavmyr launched at Billdalsbadet. As you can see on the picture below the storms lately have destroyed parts of the Marina. We were lucky finding some hours of relatively calm waters on Sunday 11 December.

Mats Lindström at Billdalsbadet

What's so interesting? Killingsholmen?

Martin in his lovely Santa Claus hood and Henrik

Sheltered bay at Aspholmen

 We gathered at 13.30 and decided to go south for approximately one hour before having a break at one of the small rocky islands around. On our way we passed some old huts and paddled through some passages. We went in to Södra Småholmarna in order to see whether it was possible to come out on the west side since there's been quite high waters lately (not like in Anglesey!). Here HW would not be up to 10mtrs, but perhaps 1.0 above normal. Today it wasn't that high so we had to go out on the south side as usual.
Coming out of these islets we noticed that Graffiti can be found everywhere, not only on concrete walls in the city centre or in the suburbs.

"Honk if your horny"

Interesting to notice when somebody really struggles to paint Graffiti, tags or similar, is that they sometimes fail when it comes to spelling or grammar. It doesn't really matter, perhaps they do it on purpose in order to annoy people. Just a reflection out of the blue.

Landing on Great Leaf Island (Stora Lövö!!!)

We had some Santa Lucia buns and ginger cookies together with the traditional GLÖGG (no alcohol) before singing Santa Lucia in Italian: "Sul Mare Luccica/l'astro d'argento/placida e l'onda/ prospero e il vento/ Venite all 'agile/barchetta mia/Santa Lucia, Santa Lucia" etc. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgDPc0wTxO8&context=C22cc3ADOEgsToPDskK79Ia6y8yoqUX1e1DN5ofF Mats recorded our song and we do apologize about our intonation and any inconvenience or song my cause to our paddling friends and the rest of the world...especially our Sicilian friends Gianfranco, Pepe and Francesco who organised a paddling in Siracusa on the same day.
If you prefer a better interpretation, don't hesitate listening to Caruso on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLNcxsykTX0

Martin is enjoying the taste of the home made Lucia buns with saffron.

After having sung we felt relaxed and pleased with what we had done.

 Well, the weather doesn't permit you to stay too long a time without exercising, so it was time to launch again.

"Hi, Look how macho I am managing to carry my own South African Kayak on slippery rocks!"

After some strokes you got the nice and warm feeling again. Time passes quickly when you're having a good time. It got dark pretty fast but we had brought some light (in the spirit of Santa Lucia).

Henrik "Santa Lucia" Fält

Mats & Henrik in a passage outside St Varholmen

 We paddled between Ryggåsholmen and Byggholmen before we said goodbye to Henrik and Martin at Skintebo. We landed at Billdalsbadet at 4.30 P.M and decided that this now was a tradition and that we next year might go to Sicily, if not at Lucia, definitely some other time.
Happy X-mas from all of us to all of you...

Well, that's me...getting older day by day!

  /Mikael Svalstrand, MAREMOTU SEA KAYAK BILLDAL
ps. Some extra stuff, 15 seconds of the Swedish version, while paddling... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOVo0E9cync&feature=context&context=C22cc3ADOEgsToPDskK79Ia6y8yoqUX1e1DN5ofF        

Greenland paddles

During 2011 we have made some new arrangements with our house (pretty much). Today I made a very important one!
During Francesco Petralia's stay we got his wonderful Greenland Paddle that he used when paddling Around the Highlands in Scotland. I decided to put it up, making some nice supports in oak for it.

On the other side of the corridor leading up to our "Guest House" I put up another Greenland Paddle. They deserve to stay indoors this time of the year.

Francesco Petralia, F.P.

Don't worry, they won't hang there all the time, I'll use them when paddling during Winter as well, for instance when arranging the traditional Santa Lucia paddling.

Mikael

Circumnavigation Valö 15 Nov 2011

                                                                                                                          

Billdal - Valö

No wind. The sun shines. Chrystal blue sky. I need to go out. Just a short trip...was my intention.
I put on my dry-suit, loaded the gear in a water-proof bag and off I went.
I got what Stendahl once felt in Firenze, overwhelmed (even if I have paddled these waters several times before).

About to launch at Billdalsbadet

Saw lots of Swans. They gather at this time of the year. Instead of a photo of all of them I include...

Went out to Kumleskär. Here I changed my mind for the first time on this trip.

I could see Fjordholmarna fom here. Between me and Fjordholmarna there was just blue still water. I couldn't resist going out there. The crossing took approximately one hour including some stops in order to ponder about good old Hemingway's words that the world is a fine place and worth the fighting for.

Fjordholmarna is very popular during Summer when especially sailing boats anchor here. The group of islets provide good shelter from winds from almost all directions.

My plan now was to explore these islets, to circumnavigate them all and find some rocks, to land, have some food, and enjoy the scenery.

  

Beauty is ART

It was possible to go there.

Valö Lighthouse at a distance.

Tempting, said something in my mind. Yes. I looked at the watch, looked at Valö. No. I just stay here and explore, I have, after all, already changed my mind once... 

Star Fish. Sea Star. BCU Sea Star.

Mussels make me happy.

Now I took the decision to go to Valö. If you are a member of Gothenburg Paddling Association you can have access to this for a small amount of money. Sometimes there are gatherings. Popular island among paddlers. I simply couldn't resist that temptation either. Andiamo...



Getting close to Valö

                                         

I looked at it for a while and couldn't help sighing out of pure amazement of its beauty and picturesque appearance. I went on in order to circumnavigate the island (several islets add to its feature) and to see whether the seal colony at the Intistles would be around.

No seals, but quite pleased with the view of Tistlarna and the horizon. I found a spot where I could land in order to take some photos and have a snack.

                                                
                                       Time to go. Leaving Valö at 13.15 for a return trip.

                                               
On my way back I saw some seals. Not many of them but some were curious and followed me for quite a while. When I turned around at one moment there was no seal to be seen, but in the next moment I felt followed and then they were there, but I find it difficult to capture them fast enough on a photo.

The sun sets early this time of the year up in the north. But no worries, I was close to home. The red cottage belongs to a fisherman who has specialized in fishing eels. He isn't really positive about the seals...but otherwise really nice. There's a debate going on about the problems.





Killingsholmen

Landing at Billdalsbadet

Back from a fantastic trip, not dramatic at all, just lovely scenery and comfortable paddling.
A day to remember. Why not listening to U2s Peace on Earth while reading this.

Outside Billdal 13 Nov 2011

Outside Billdal 13 Nov 2011

I had to go out paddling today. Two of my paddling friends were out yesterday and had a marvellous paddling. Today, Father's day here in Sweden, I got the opportunity to go out for a couple of hours. My intention was to go paddling as far as I could in one direction, in this case south, and then back, but soon that idea was changed into a more calm day within the inner archipelago with some photographing and Rock Gardening. The sea was so calm, like a mirror, totally the opposite from the week in Anglesey!


Having passed the first islets I came to Saltkärlen. This is a pretty big islet, at least in comparison to the other ones outside Billdal/Kullavik. On its east side there's a few smaller beaches where you easily can land your kayak.

After encountering these rocks mirroring themselves into the water, I paddled close to the rocks. One of the advantages with going close to the shore is that you sometimes find astonishing ART. 

 

This time I found a dead bird that had been eaten and left on that actual stone that was in the water. I couldn't help thinking about what kind of bird that had had that delicious meal . What a nice spot he/she had chosen and how religious it seemed.

On the rock behind nature had painted this face (my son thought it looked like teddybears, well, why not...)

and together with the dead bird, ...

I stayed close to the rock trying to find some stones to pass and look for spots for next Rock Gardening session. The passage above is now and then possible to pass, but this time I could just look at it. Heading towards Stora Lövö (if translated into English: Great Leaf Island, interesting) I met a seal. Unfortunately it didn't allow me to come close enough for a good picture (no fish in my kayak!), but it's always fun to paddle with a seal for some minutes playing hide and seek.

I headed towards Lilla Lövö and into the little bay on its west side. There's a bit of Rock Gardening possibilities and also a nice place to bring people if easterly winds and you're looking for a sheltered place. If you then paddle along the west side of Lilla Lövö you will find almost directly a small passage on its southwestern side. It's really narrow to get into the little lagoon but today it worked out fine, with the assistance of your hands in order not to scratch your kayak too much. On the picture below you can see from where I came. The reason for going into the little lagoon is more like just for the hell of it.

The little buoy was probably of no importance in this area, but I found it very neat and showing a bit of pride dancing in a slow fox mode on the tiny incoming movements created by me and the Albacore.

Time passes too fast and I had to go back in order to have lunch. On my way back I came across a few nice Rockpaintings and also the fact that at the moment the water is brownish depending on algae, but that is not very common in these waters, especially not this time of the year.

Well, I finish today's paddling with a picture of the passage between Norra Småholmarna. By the way, the temperature was 6 degrees Celcius. I didn't roll today, but last weekend it was quite refreshening, you surely wake up. Plan to do it on New Year's Eve without wearing my dry suit...could be something looking forward to!