 |
| The party begins... |
Rosenlund Marina has seen better times. It
looks abandoned most of the time although the facilities are spotless, all
doors are open and the flowers are tended to. It claims the pub to be open 8
hours a week and that there is food served on Sunday lunch but we didn’t see
any activity around the place at all, apart from a private function on
Thursday. Suddenly, yesterday (Saturday) after having decided to retire at
22:30 Stephan spotted the barman opening the bar! It took some persuading on my
part to get dressed and to go and have a drink.
Just as well! It was such a lively evening,
which lasted until 2:00 (long after we had retired). A few people who were on
the island for a week’s traditional timber building workshop persuaded the
owner of the marina to open. He agreed apparently after being told that there
would be some 20 people coming.
The two architects had an accordion and a
fiddle and played traditional folk music. After two ‘Gamla Upland Aquavit ‘on
the house we started to be included into the party almost straight away. It was
great to be present.
 |
| Viking master carpenter |
There was a table beside us with some
foreigners like us, but from an eastern country. They could have been Russian
or Polish fishermen, or fish factory workers?
 |
| Almost there |
We were told by the barman, who was born
and bread on the island that since the RS escorts (RNLI equivalent) around the
‘fearsome’ headland of Stad had stopped, the marina lost most of its custom.
There is even a serious proposal going through parliament right now to build a
tunnel across the narrowest part of the peninsula of Stadlandet big enough to
take the Hurtigrouten ships north, thus avoiding going around the headland.
Today, Sunday (5.6.16) we went to see the carpenters who were at the party last night putting up the roof on the frame of house they built in one week, without a nail or dowel and carved out of the wood freehand using a chain-saw and an axe. A Dutch carpenter who was part of the group said that these Viking carpenters where way above his head in knowledge and skills!
 |
| Carved freehand with axe and chainsaw |