Archive for the 'Geographics' Category

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Jeppe Is Safety Checked…

Published on January 12, 2009 in A Great Adventure, Geographics, Personal and Tim. 0 Comments

…in order to turn him back into being a British resident. Jeppe originally was British in his earlier life, while cruising the streets of London. A Swedish family had owned him, while they temporarily worked in the U.K. capital for several years, and then brought him to Sweden and registered Swedish. Because of changing circumstances, the family decided to sell Jeppe and that’s when we became owners. We needed Jeppe for our adventures on Shetland.

jeppemot_01Photo: Jeppe gets a lift at the MOT station in Lerwick, Shetland

British vehicle laws allow EU visitors to have their vehicles on English soil for maximum 6 months in a 12 month period. Jeppe now has to be “reborn” to a British subject again. To do this is a minor wall of bureaucratic procedures to contend with. Besides filling in registration papers and a custom declaration, for importing vehicles to Great Britain, Jeppe must be safety checked and approved for this country’s regulations and demands.

So, this blog could cover Christmas time or New Years or there of. Instead, Jeppe has been to MOT inspection, which is basically similar to “bil besiktning” in Sweden, or safety checked.

Jeppe had a time just before Christmas. He did not pass! Apparently, two rust hole had come about underneath him and these had to be welded. So, they holes were quality welded by the fabulous Burra Motor Repairs and a new time was to be made. Unfortunately, Christmas and the festive season put a stop to Jeppe’s anxious ambitions for approval and it wasn’t until Jan. 5 that Jeppe received his approved MOT certificate.

jeppemot_02Photo: Two rust holes stopped Jeppe’s immediate MOT approval and a welding job was needed.

Now, he’s waiting to receive confirmation of British car insurance and then he’ll send in a package of papers and forms, all must be original and not copies, to the DVLA offices in Aberdeen. Hopefully, this will go quickly and we’ll keep everyone informed about Jeppe’s British return.

The Shortest Shetland Day…

Published on December 21, 2008 in A Great Adventure, Geographics, Personal and Tim. 0 Comments

…of the year and all one can write about is the weather. Must be the number one topic Shetlanders, and many more, can speak of, as the sun crosses over the islands on its lowest journey of the year.

And, yes, we did have sun today. Above 66° longitude, the day in northern Sweden is just a few hours of blue twilight before the sun tuckers out, sighs and quickly plunges deeper under the horizon. Had it even had the time to be faintly noticed by the frigid occupants of the north? Doubtful!

Yet, Shetland had clear skies this morning. The isles could wink upwards and easily break out a smile seeing that the sun was definitely in its sky. Not under the horizon. Not just a hair teasingly over the horizon. It was a good 15° or more over it and stoutly bragging its presence. The temperature was a blossoming +9° Celsius in places and the shortest day of Shetland started out beautifully…until about midday.

It was at this time that the angry, roaring and infamous Atlantic winds came in from the southeast. Like weather Orcs, the clouds streaked forward across the sky, occasionally consuming the sun and plowing out a path that the wind charged along, whipping up the ocean waves and spitting out froth in its wake.

Force 7. Then, force 8 followed with force 9. Around two in the afternoon, gusts of a possible force 10 sunk its teeth into the water due west of Hamnavoe. The waves smashed onto the outside barrier reef only to be spat across the land and waterfall downwards on the eastern bank, like a broad river of salty rapids, only to recruit again with the water in the boiling bay beyond. So quickly did the wind smash into Shetland today, that some said it was the worst of the season, as they gazed through west-facing windows in the shelter of their houses.

And, what do two north dwellers do? Do the stay home? Do they retain shelter in their “granny flat” and no brave the winds? No! They were no scared of the weather Orcs. They jumped into Jeppe and headed westwards to visit good friends and had an immensely fun day visiting Papil, giving small seasonal tidings and wishing a very Merry Christmas. A super day, as Shetlanders would describe it.

But, afterwards, when the winds were at their worst, what did our two north dwellers do? Did they frantically head back to the flat and its dry comfort? Absolutely not! They headed for their wonderful Meal Beach and went down to the shoreline, now completely covered with waves. Almost grasping for handholds, so as not to be blown backwards from the wind and swept across the mud of the hillsides or roll across the grassy fields (as one or two sheep had observantly done) they reached the frothy beach and… searched…for a piece… of weathered rope!

Because of the wind and the cutting rain, no photographic documentation can reveal the adventures these two north dwellers had on “shortest day of the year”. They almost giggled with glee. Good day! Great friends! And, unusually stormy afternoon winds to playfully go to the beach in! Ah, well…who would’ve thought?

PS- Five minutes ago as of this writing, we had thunder and lightning in the Shetland skies. Cool?

Talking about Shetland climate…
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Photo: Although not connected with the text, an example of a Shetland garden and it’s green state for December…
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…and the garden can still boast of a few roses still

Språk.

Published on August 9, 2008 in Brita and Geographics. 0 Comments

I går kväll var vi och lyssnade på Lerwicks motsvarighet till Låtar och skrönor . Det blev en trevlig kväll där tre äldre gubbar berättade skrönor och två yngre förmågor spelade shetländska låtar på fiol och gitarr. Det som slog oss då var något som vi visserligen visste men inte riktigt hade tänkt på, att den shetländska engelskan har ett stort inslag av skandinaviska ord. Ordet hus hade vi redant observerat, man säger alltså hus och inte house. Nu lade vi märke till ännu flera ord,t ex ko, besman och sluss i betydelsen dammlucka. Det finns dessutom en alldeles egen dialekt/språk här som en del shetlänningar pratar sinsemellan, särskilt de äldre. Det verkar helt omöjligt att förstå men skulle kanske bli begripligt om man fick lyssna ordentligt i stället för att bara höra brottstycken då och då.

Al Gore received the Nobel Peace Prize…

Published on December 10, 2007 in Geographics. 3 Comments

…in Norway today and, with his work in enlightening the world of climate change and potential global catastrophe, we living in Lapland are experiencing what can be, at least on a short term observation, a change in winter. At this writing, there is more snow than “normal” on the ground in the forests at the Arctic Circle in Jokkmokk. Not that I’ve made exacting yearly accounts of snow depth while living here, but last week was probably the first time I tackled snow depth with my snowblower four out of six days. Strangely enough, a snowboarding competition that was to be held on the Dundret Hill in Gällivare had to be cancelled because of too little snow.

Perhaps with reporting on this unfamiliar condition we are having, it is important to point out that the scotch pines and spruce are heavily ladened with snow. Usually, we have some 20-30 cm (less than a foot) of snow on the ground just before Christmas and have had some mild temperatures that bring wind blowing the trees clean of snow. This hasn’t happened.

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The season changed from late fall to a justifiable winter with three days of constant snow and continued collecting to some 60-65 cm (appmx. 18-20 inches). This amount has mostly clung to the bows of the trees and there has been frequent finds of stout tree bows breaking off and falling to the ground.

For myself, after living on the same property for 30 years, I found the top of one scotch pine on the ground and several arm thick branches for the first time. Other places nearby, whole trees have given up and laid themselves to rest due to the weight of the snow. And, looking at the house roof, I’d say that I have to start shoveling off the snow two-three months earlier than normal this winter. A task I share with many who I’ve spoken with and share the same opinion concerning the winter and what’s happening with the sub-arctic climate.

Fortunately, snow in Lapland is as common as getting up in the mornings and only promotes a conversational topic when a little different. It’s still beautiful, but thanks to so many people like Al Gore, there’s a change happening out there. (Someday, I gotta hike past some glaciers in Laponia and compare them with my pictures from twenty or so years ago…if they’re still there!)

resize-of-mountainview07.jpgPhoto: Palkat Glacier, Sarek National Park 1978

PS- I’m becoming keenly aware of the carbon emissions that my snowblower spits out. I guess I’m a bad person. Perhaps moving to a “less snow” place in the world would be beneficial to the climate and I also wouldn’t have to spit out tons of smoke from wood heating? Hmmm…an interesting thought to ponder on…

Snow Is Often Considered…

Published on November 20, 2007 in Geographics. 0 Comments

…a very beautiful thing, all white, crisp and somewhat romantic for most people. It brightens up the winter season and provides a variety of recreational opportunity. In Lapland, where winter only allows a few hours of twilight and the rest of the day is night, snow makes things lighter and the midwinter days easier to live with.

resize-of-winterforest02.jpgPhoto: Snow is mostly beautiful

But, for some living in a four season area of the world, snow only represents trouble and irritation and many in the U.S. become snowbirds and eliminate the problems snow causes by just leaving for southern areas and wait for it all to go away before returning home. Those first snowflakes mean drudgeries like shoveling snow, scraping icy windshields, icy walks and roads, wet clothing, cabin fever and, worst of all, just being cold!

I’ve seen these people driving their cars home from work in a wet snow flurry. Their knuckles turn white as the crouch down behind the steering wheel. Faces are tight and grey as they literally creep along at a snail’s pace convinced that the slightest false move will throw themselves into a ditch or smack their car into the mile long car parade in front of them. They get home, rushing into the house, and shake themselves off uttering how horrific life is with snow and vowing to never go outside again. They stare out a window, as the snow piles up outside, and contemplate how life during the winter is worse than hell itself. Why do they suffer?

The answer could very well be that these people have never learned to live with snow. They have acquired snow values and misunderstandings from parents or peer group and have never learned how to be friends with snow and, probably very often, they quickly shed this thought off by wimpingly saying…”I don’t wanna learn to be friends with snow”…which, really, is the basic problem. Not wanting to learn!

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The Saami have some 300 words in their language for snow and each represents different conditions of snow or snow conditions in relation to Saami work and life. Dry snow, wet snow, crusty snow, old snow, new snow, new snow on old snow, fresh snow, packed snow, snow on ice, snow with layers of ice, snow that can be walked on, snow that breaks through, drifting snow etc etc.

The best way to learn about snow is to play with it, doing this often. By playing with or in snow, one gains experience with the different types of snow and one can readily and enjoyably adapt to snowy conditions allowing more opportunities in being outdoors.

resize-of-snowsculpturing01-copy.jpgPhoto: Snow sculpturing is one form of playing in snow. Here, snow sculpturing in Kiruna, Sweden

The proper type of clothing, possibly lightweight, wind resistant, water repellent in combination with fleece or wool in different layers, can be chosen and used during outdoor activities. Take layers off when working hard and sweating and put them back on as you cool off. If you get chilly, start moving. Kick holes in the snow to keep feet warm. Move around until you feel comfortable.

Consider snow in all its forms and make games with it. Play! Start today and learn to re-adjust your attitude to this natural phenomenon. You will soon understand that snow has advantages as well as learning how to cope with the stuff and make life a lot easier and more fun.

A Tourist from Belgium…

Published on October 18, 2007 in Geographics. 2 Comments

…by the name of Gabby, participated in one of my historical tours this last summer and expressed a disappointment with Jokkmokk that there weren’t any well-marked paths near the town that visitors could walk along.

Well, I’m glad to say that just recently the newly inducted “Mill Creek Trail”, or Kvarnbäcksleden, now stands prepared to welcome walking anxious visitors who also want to learn about native plants and such.

Photo: When walking the new “Mill Creek Trail” in Jokkmokk, you may discover things like a giant ant hill

The trail covers the distance from Skabram Lake to the Little Lule River, a walking distance of just under 8 kilometers. Along this trail, of which part of it goes right through a residential area of Jokkmokk along the Talvatis Lake and past the Botanical gardens, the visitor will find some 20 signs explaining about interesting plants, common for the area, or even one or another special plant. Binoculars, for birds, and a camera are recommended equipment for the walk. Why not take along a picnic lunch?

Now, when visiting and wanting to jaunt in the bush, I could think that taking the whole trail would be fun but, as each end is a distance from the central area, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to start in the middle and walk one half one day and the other half another day, doing round-trip walks each time.

So, Gabby and all other Belgiumonianites…Welcome to Jokkmokk’s outdoors and have a great walk!

The Lapland Winter…

Published on October 17, 2007 in Geographics. 0 Comments

…brings out snowmobiles. If I’m not mistaken, Norrbotten and Västerbotten have the most snowmobiles in Sweden and, with winter and snow knocking at our door, these machines will soon be buzzing the forests, lakes and mountains. As a visitor, it is tempting to rent snowmobiles or participate in snowmobile activities, unless you’re ecologically minded. But, in all likelihood, you will hardly be met by a tour guide or tourist bureau that explains about snowmobiling and the Right to Public Access.


Photo: Snowmobiling along a marked trail in The Tarra Valley

As I wrote before, organized outdoor activities by tour operators, travel agencies, hotels, camping and cabin businesses etc., and there’s a lot of them out there, must have written permission from landowners to conduct outdoor activities on their property. These operators even include EU or foreign businesses conducting activities on land in Sweden for any activity on any land in all seasons.

Besides snowmobiles, commercial businesses organizing outdoor activities with dog sleds or just ski tours are regulated by this same requirement. A commercial operator should inform their participants about driving laws and safety with snowmobiles or ATVs.

You must be at least 16 years old and have a special “drivers permit” or be adult age with a legal driver’s license to drive snowmobiles. Also, snowmobiles are not allowed to be driven on bare ground, patches of bare ground, over new tree planting areas and drivers must show strict carefulness in not damaging trees, plants, fences, private yards etc. Use snowmobile trails marked on maps.

Photo: All tour operators must have written permission for commercial outdoor activities from landowners

Snowmobiling is not allowed within national park boundaries in Laponia other than the Saami, park wardens engaged in work or others with special permission. Please respect areas that are set aside for reindeer work and calving areas that are outside the parks. The local police, snowmobile clubs or regional government have this information and will help you with your plans.

Now, this may seem harsh, and especially when coming to Lapland and seeing that the “natives” do or say otherwise, but many regulations are for preservation. In this case, to preserve as much natural beauty as possible in respect for landowners so that others in many years ahead may also enjoy being outdoors.

So, when visiting, ask if your tour operator has written permission from landowners. Ask to see a copy (they are required to always have a copy at hand during tours). Promote good practices and common sense and don’t be misled by “local customs”.

Otherwise, be careful out there! Be responsible! Don’t drink and drive.
Snowmobiles have killed!

BLOG POWER…

Published on October 7, 2007 in Geographics. 0 Comments

…flashed through my mind as I drove past the Arctic Circle a few hours ago and noticed that the scrap there (see my earlier blog) had mysteriously disappeared! Simply amazing! I had to be fair to the Morjärv Clown and documented the site as it was today.


BLOG POWER?

Now, I don’t think he took the three hour one-way drive from Morjärv to just pick up his sh__t without taking his trailer of reindeer horn and decaying reindeer skins. My guess is that an anonymous person, with similar feelings about the site as I have, decided to clean-up before some serious snowfall came.

But, I’m fairly confident the clown will be back next summer. Just a thought…either I’ve developed unusually strong skills with PhotoShop or BLOG POWER really does work!

The Arctic Circle…

Published on October 6, 2007 in Geographics. 4 Comments

…has always been a special geographical highlight for me. From growing up in Ohio and reading about northern explorations by strong minded people who were engaged with discovering the northern polar icecap, developing visions of open spaces and miles of white rugged ice or imagining a harsh and challenging environment with unprecedented opportunities for adventure I would have shaken my head in disbelief that I would one day have the fortune of actually living near the Arctic Circle.

This is why it is difficult to explain the total disappointment I have with an individual who I’ve had a disgusting distant connection with these past few years.


The Arctic Circle along the Inland Railway

This individual, whose name will not be hung-out in cyberspace by me, comes to a part of the Arctic Circle on a nearby graveled back road during the summer. He arranges his house trailer some ten meters north of the circle, erects a crude, ugly and unattractive calamity of a selling booth and literally squats the summer selling appallingly low-quality reindeer horn and “souvenirs” to tourists that jump off the Inland Railway train on its way northwards. This year, he tried to arrange fishing and “bear observation” trips. He comes from Morjärv and does not have permission from the land owner to carry-out his enterprise…here, for most visitors, a geographically significant place.


The Morjärv Clown leaves his calling card…again!

Now, it’s important to note that Sweden is one of few countries in the world having a Right To Public Access. Another great country is Scotland. This right allows everyone to use, with responsibility, the land area of the nation. But, there are some points in this law that are interesting and should be noted by everyone visiting the north… especially in regards to the Morjärv Clown.

Firstly, when using the natural surroundings, it is expected that everyone takes home scrap and waste! Secondly, people using the land for commercial enterprise, in other words tour operators, guides or salesmen that are gaining profits from their businesses, must have the landowner’s written permission to do so. This includes overnight stays by the tour operators, salesmen etc.

The Morjärv Clown has openly and nonchalantly disregarded these laws for many years. I have reported him to the police but the manner of which Swedish laws are formulated or the work load of the local police have allowed the Morjärv Clown to continue getting away with breaking the law.

I would like to suggest a solution here. The man makes money from the train passengers. If the Inland Railway passengers would refuse to get off at the Arctic Circle or the Inland Railway itself would process against this man, then he could probably be stopped? If more people would report this man to the police, then perhaps something positive would turn out from this action?

I’m sure other incidents and examples of this nature can be shared, but I’d like to see the Arctic Circle continue having the adventuresome significance it has for everyone in the future without it being blemished by a clown and a joker.