Nereus to Ursholmen

Today we were fortunate to be invited to join a class trip to Ursholmen, the site of the westernmost lighthouse in Sweden.

Not quite sittin' on the dock of the bay... but close.

Tjärno is top right, Ursholmen is red flag. Thanks, Google!

We donned lifejackets and climbed on the Nereus, one of the vessels belonging to the marine lab here in Tjärnö. About 20 undergrads studying ocean biodiversity came aboard, planning to spend the day snorkeling and learning to recognize the local seaweeds.

The Nereus, ready to head out.

Safety first!

On the ride out, the sky was grey and the water was calm. There was just one patch of rougher water, where the boat jumped up and down a bit. The girls stood gripping the railing at the bow of the ship, and screamed together in delight.

Ursholmen means "rocky island" which is funny because all of the islands here are rocky. Ursholmen is part of what's called the Strömstad archipelago, a collection rocky islands too numerous to count.

Time for a rest when you make it to the top!

On the island, the first thing the Swedes did was sit down and have a quick fika. Our friend Gunilla, the course instructor, gave some instructions to her students and they were off, changing into wetsuits and clambering over rocks to get down to the water.

"I am MOANA!" (That's literally what she yelled.)

We didn't brave the chilly water. Instead, we did some rock clambering of our own. We eventually made it up to the highest point on the island, where the lighthouses stand. They were automated in 1965, but before that a lighthouse keeper and a few other families lived out here. I can't imagine what life on this remote, isolated rock must have been like for them.

These few houses are the westernmost buildings in Sweden.

1891. Imagine living out here over 100 years ago.

By noon, the sun had come out and we were hot from our exertions. We laid a blanket on the grass in the shade for a picnic lunch, in the center of the small circle of old houses.

Om... with a mug for fika. Because Sweden.

The return trip was sunnier, but didn't provide any wave-riding entertainment. We saw some seals, basking in the sun on a low rocky spit. We saw countless jellyfish and seabirds. We saw not a single speck of trash in the ocean.

Lighthouse family selfie.

 A beautiful day, in a beautiful place. We are all feeling very thankful to our Swedish friends for inviting us to tag along on this adventure. Couldn't ask for a better way to start the week.