At this point we must tell the truth: Märket was empty from Tuesday to Sunday for five days. Why? Because most volunteers want to come to Märket in July (specially the second week) or in September (when the season is already over)!

We have promised to keep Märket manned through the summer, but we didn't manage to keep that promise. Our deepest apologies. This will not happen again.

So folks, if You want to help Märket and not to think the best holidays, take Märket's needs into account! We faught until the last moment to keep Märket manned through last week, but that was not enough. The last guards wake taken home on Tuesday. And there was no reserve.

Finally today it was time to take the brave new shift to Märket. Again Mr. Granbergs help was crucial: there was swell and some 7 ms southern wind, when he managed to drive the boat to the Eastern lagoon. In other case Pekka had promised to swim to Märket to get a rowing boat to get the ladies on land. He didnt need to do that!


Aino and Emmi on the first steps of their lightkeeping duty.

Aino, Emmi and Riikka were the new lighthouse keepers, ready to start work. But before that they plus Pekka and a member guest, the legendary cycling encyclopedia of sea life, Mr. Mikko-Oskari Koski carried the heavy new gas driven fridgerator from the southeastern point of the island to the house. Uh, what a task, but it was done.


A piece of modern day life, in the form of a new fridge, lands on Märket - laboriously. Aino, Emmi, Pekka and Mikko-Oskari carrying.

Luckily there was no signs of vandalism on Märket. Maybe that is to thank the watching eye of the frontier guard on the roof...

After a furious breefing by Pekka the ladies were left alone. Their first night was to become warm and the dinner was goming ready in the grill. New dirty and other tasks were waiting them in the morning.

Greeting from Märket again
by Pekka V