Bullerö, Swedish Archipelago
Early morning found us cruising in the heart of the Swedish Archipelago, which consists of more than 25,000 small islands and skerries. These are particularly tricky waters to take a large ship because of the shallow depth. Therefore, we had three local pilots on board to ensure a safe passage.
Although the bridge was busy, the rest of enjoyed a lazy Saturday morning after so many busy days. Just before lunch, Rodney Minnott gave us an insider’s view about his life as the ambassador to Sweden under the Carter administration.
After lunch, we landed on the remote island of Bullerö, a name thought to be derived from the Swedish word for boulder. Some of us took advantage of the calm bay to do a little sea kayaking. Others explored the trails of this lovely granitic “boulder” covered with a forest of birch, mountain ash, and pine. A few even tried out the sauna followed by a brisk plunge into the sea.
At one time, there was a small village on the island. The inhabitants were able to do some farming between the bare rock outcroppings and raised a few cattle and sheep. In 1908, the Swedish artist Bruno Liljefors acquired the island and used it for hunting and for finding artistic inspiration. Today Bullerö and its surrounding skerries are protected as a nature preserve.
A special treat was a traditional “lax macka” of local salmon prepared by the preserve’s warden and washed down with beer and schnapps. Once back on the Endeavour, in keeping with the festive Swedish mood, the evening meal was a smörsgabord.
Early morning found us cruising in the heart of the Swedish Archipelago, which consists of more than 25,000 small islands and skerries. These are particularly tricky waters to take a large ship because of the shallow depth. Therefore, we had three local pilots on board to ensure a safe passage.
Although the bridge was busy, the rest of enjoyed a lazy Saturday morning after so many busy days. Just before lunch, Rodney Minnott gave us an insider’s view about his life as the ambassador to Sweden under the Carter administration.
After lunch, we landed on the remote island of Bullerö, a name thought to be derived from the Swedish word for boulder. Some of us took advantage of the calm bay to do a little sea kayaking. Others explored the trails of this lovely granitic “boulder” covered with a forest of birch, mountain ash, and pine. A few even tried out the sauna followed by a brisk plunge into the sea.
At one time, there was a small village on the island. The inhabitants were able to do some farming between the bare rock outcroppings and raised a few cattle and sheep. In 1908, the Swedish artist Bruno Liljefors acquired the island and used it for hunting and for finding artistic inspiration. Today Bullerö and its surrounding skerries are protected as a nature preserve.
A special treat was a traditional “lax macka” of local salmon prepared by the preserve’s warden and washed down with beer and schnapps. Once back on the Endeavour, in keeping with the festive Swedish mood, the evening meal was a smörsgabord.
