Midsummer 2013 in Archipelago Sea

My girlfriend and I went to celebrate the Finnish midsummer in Archipelago Sea. The celebration of midsummer has its roots deep in the Finnish paganism and it is still one of the most important holidays for us. The most common way to celebrate the midsummer is to get close to the nature and relax with a sauna, good food and with a varying amount of alcohol.

First we tried to get a boat ride to one remote island where I knew a lot of flounders lives. I have heard that the smoked flounder tastes good and I wanted to try it out. We also wanted to enjoy the beautiful sights of Archipelago Sea. We didn’t manage to arrange the ride, but we decided to go to the most nearby island which was possible to reach with a ferryboat. Luckily, we chose this way, since we had quite much items to carry 😀 Before the trip we used maps and Google’s satellite images to find a good beach for our camp. We got lucky, since the sights from our spot were really beautiful, the weather was good, I found a couple of (small) flounders and I got multiple beautiful underwater macro images. The nights were calm, while I sat on my picnic chair and wondered about the mysterious world and the life itself. Here, look at yourself and dive inside our marine midsummer of 2013.

Driving towards the Archipelago Sea for celebrating the midsummer. Saaristomerta kohti ajamassa juhannuksen juhlintaa varten.

It was nice to drive to the coast since the weather was good and we managed to leave early. Note: I didn’t touch the bottle during the drive. 😀

MP3 player and a small Nokia speaker for listening music in a car. MP3-soitin ja pieni Nokian kaiutin autossa.

I don’t have a radio in my car, but we used a MP3 player and a small speaker for making our trip more enjoyable. 🙂

Waiting the ferryboat. Lautan odottelua.

Finally, we reached the coast! We waited for the ferryboat ride about two hours.

Polttoöljyautomaatti satamassa.

Playing cards while waiting the ferryboat. Korttienpeluuta lauttaa odotellessa.

On a ferry ride in Archipelago Sea. Lautan kyydissä Saaristomerellä.

Then the ferryboat took us to the sea. 🙂

On a ferry ride in Archipelago Sea. Lautan kyydissä Saaristomerellä.

On a ferry ride in Archipelago Sea. Lautan kyydissä Saaristomerellä.
On a ferry ride in Archipelago Sea. Lautan kyydissä Saaristomerellä.

On a ferry ride in Archipelago Sea. Lautan kyydissä Saaristomerellä.

On a ferry ride in Archipelago Sea. Lautan kyydissä Saaristomerellä.

On a ferry ride in Archipelago Sea. Lautan kyydissä Saaristomerellä.

There is our beach! It was empty and there wasn’t much crowd later.

On a ferry ride in Archipelago Sea. Lautan kyydissä Saaristomerellä.

Our beach in Archipelago Sea. Meidän ranta Saaristomerellä.

A couple of turns from the port, small ride along a bumpy road and we were there. 🙂

The seawater was quite clear. Look at those bladderwracks, I bet there are lots of interesting, hiding creatures!

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A sunset during the midsummer in Archipelago Sea. Auringonlasku juhannuksena saaristomerellä.

The first sunset begins and the sea calms. The silence encloses us.

Our camp at the beach. The lean-to is used for storing our food and gears while we slept in the tent. Meidän leiri rannan äärellä. Laavussa pidettiin ruoat ja muut varusteet, kun telttaa käytettiin taas nukkumiseen.

Here is our camp. We used a tent for sleeping and my lean-to for storing our iceboxes and other gears. Before the trip, we froze some water bottles and all the sausage packages for example. It worked, since our food was still cold after the three nights we spend in the island.

Our camp at the beach. Meidän leiri rannalla.

A sunset during the midsummer in Archipelago Sea. Auringonlasku juhannuksena saaristomerellä.

A sunset over Archipelago Sea during midsummer. Auringonlasku saaristomeren yllä juhannuksena.

A homemade mini grill made from a empty pickle can. Tyhjästä suolakurkkuölkistä tehty pikku grilli.

There were multiple commercial grills available, but we made our own ones from the empty pickle cans. Why to buy something that costs twenty euro and are used only once in summer? Hopefully we didn’t get much tin in our bodies.

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Mosquitoes flying over our camp in Archipelago Sea. Hyttysiä leirimme yllä Saaristomerellä.

There were mosquitoes everywhere! Luckily, they were stupid enough that they didn’t interrupt much when I covered my arms, legs and head appropriately.

A small night snack, a small bottle of spirit, a normal and three herring sandwiches. Yöpurtavaa, pikku pullo viinaa, normaali ja pari sillivoileipää.

A night snack.

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A bunch of mosquitoes trapped in our storage lean-to. Parvi hyttysiä loukussa varustelaavussa.

A bunch of mosquitoes trapped in our storage lean-to.

Me taking a macro image on a beach. Minä ottamassa makrokuvaa rannalla.

Me taking macro images. 😀

A shell on a beach in Archipelago Sea. Simpukan kuori Saaristomeren rannalla.

A shell on a beach in Archipelago Sea. Simpukan kuori Saaristomeren rannalla.

The ferryboat carries more holidaymakers on our island in Archipelago Sea. Lautta kantaa lisää lomailijoita saarellemme Saaristomerellä.

The ferryboat carries more holidaymakers on our island.

M girl friend sitting on a picnic chair in Archipelago Sea. Tyttöystävä istuskelee retkituolilla Saaristomerellä.

It was easy to change the temperature during days. If we got too hot, we would move our picnic chairs under the shadows and vice versa.

A shell on a beach in Archipelago Sea. Simpukan kuori Saaristomeren rannalla.

A shell on a beach in Archipelago Sea. Simpukan kuori Saaristomeren rannalla.

A underwater rock in Archipelago Sea. Vedenalainen kivi Saaristomerellä.

Our camp next to a beach in Archipelago Sea. Meidän leiri Saaristomeren rannan läheisyydessä.

A meadow vetchling on a beach in Archipelago Sea. Niitynätkelmä Saaristomeren rannalla.

A meadow vetchling.

Small, white flowers on a beach in Archipelago Sea. Pieniä, valkoisia kukkasia Saaristomeren rannalla.

An old ship at a port in Archipelago sea. Vanha laiva satamassa Saaristomerellä.

A port in Archipelago Sea. Satama Saaristomerellä.

A red building over water in Archipelago Sea. Punainen talo veden yllä Saaristomerellä.

An old monument of an ancient church in Archipelago Sea. Muinaisen kirkon muistokivi Saaristomerellä.

An old monument of an ancient church.

 An Anoplodera rubra on a oxeye daisy. Rusokukkajäärä päivänkakkaran päällä.

An Anoplodera rubra on an oxeye daisy.

Purple flowers in a island in Archipelago Sea. Violetteja kukkia saaressa Saaristomrellä.

Small, white flowers on a beach in Archipelago Sea. Pieniä, valkoisia kukkasia Saaristomeren rannalla.

A grasshopper climbing on a stem of a flower. Heinäsirkka kiipeää kukan vartta pitkin.

A grasshopper.

Flowers of meadow buttercups in Archipelago Sea. Niittyleinikin kukkia Saaristomerellä.

Flowers of meadow buttercups.

A flying white-tailed eagle over a Archipelago Sea. Merikotka Saaristomeren yllä.

Bummer! We heard a sound of big wings above us and it was already too late to take a good picture from the mighty white-tailed eagle.

Lichen over a rock in Archipelago Sea. Jäkälää kiven päällä Saaristomerellä.

A closeup from the beer head. Lähikuva kaljan vaahdosta.

Yeah! A sunny day and a cold beer. 😎

A local pennon in Archipelago Sea. Paikallinen viiri Saaristomerellä.

A local pennon over a coffee bar.

My girlfriend taking a photo from a bunny. Tyttöystävä ottamassa kuvaa pupusta.

My girlfriend is taking a photo from a bunny. 🙂

A pine cone on a hot road in Archipelago Sea. Männynkäpy kuumalla tiellä Saaristomerellä.

An old ship at a port in Archipelago sea. Vanha laiva satamassa Saaristomerellä.

An old ship at a port in Archipelago sea. Vanha laiva satamassa Saaristomerellä.

A barn swallow sitting on a rope in Archipelago Sea. Haarapääsky istuskelemassa köyden päällä Saaristomerellä.

A barn swallow is sitting on a rope.

A rusty pole on a dock in Archipelago Sea. Ruosteinen rautatolppa laiturilla Saaristomerellä.

A leaf of birch in Archipelago Sea. Koivunlehti Saaristomerellä.

A leaf of birch.

A couple of cows in a meadow in Archipelago Sea. Lehmiä niityllä Saaristomerellä.

“Moo!”

Tools for making rods for tridents. Työkaluja atrainvarsien tekemistä varten.

Making rods for my tridents. Actually, I found the grey one from the bottom of my home lake just before this trip. 😀

A trident ready for the flounder hunt. Atrain valmiina kampelan metsästystä varten.

Ready to rumble!

A flounder got by the trident in Archipelago Sea. Saaristomereltä pyydystetty kampela atraimen kärjessä.

Here is my first flounder! I found only four small flounders during the trip. I believe it was a little bit too late for the flounder hunt, since the big ones were perhaps spawning in the deeper waters. Anyhow, I got what I came to search! 😀

Two flounders got by the tritend in Archipelago Sea. Kaksi kampelaa Saaristomereltä pyydettynä atraimella.

A shrimp on a bottom of the Archipelago Sea. Rapu Saaristomeren pohjalla.

These prawns were crazy with their camouflages! During a blink of an eye, they dived under the sand and almost totally disappeared.

A shrimp hiding under sand in Archipelago Sea. Rapu hiekan alla piilossa Saaristomerellä.

Here is the same camo prawn hiding under the sand. 😀

A sand goby on a bottom of the Archipelago Sea. Hietatokko Saaristomeren pohjalla.

A sand goby escaping away from me. During all the actual dives, I didn’t know how to take a good images from these little fish. For example, when I snorkeled forward they escaped from their tiny holes dug in the sand. They were too far for taking good macro images. Then I realized that the sand goby will return in their holes if I just wait for a while. Just before we leaved from the island I once went into the chill water only with my swimming trunks put on. Then I stayed still and waited the sand goby to come back again. I managed to get a few of good photos, which are further in this post.

A three-spined stickleback in Archipelago Sea. Kolmipiikki Saaristomerellä.

A three-spined stickleback.

My girlfriend and I used a pine as a drying rack for our diving gears. Tyttöystäväni ja minä käytimme mäntyä sukellusvarusteiden kuivaustelineenä.

My girlfriend and I used a pine as a drying rack for our diving gears. 😀

Two flounders salting for the smoking. Kaksi kampelaa suolautumassa savustamista varten.

First two flounders are in salting for the later smoking.

A common gull flying over a Archipelago Sea. Kalalokki lentelemässä Saaristomeren yllä.

A common gull.

Grilling on a beach in Archipelago Sea. Grillaamassa Saaristomeren rannalla.

Grilling some stuff on a beach.

A common gull flying over a Archipelago Sea. Kalalokki lentelemässä Saaristomeren yllä.

“Hey, what’s there?”

A common gull walking on a beach. Kalalokki kävelemässä rannalla Saaristomerellä.

“Me? Nothing! Just walking.”

A common gull walking on a beach. Kalalokki kävelemässä rannalla Saaristomerellä.

“Hmm… Delicious food of humans…”

A common gull swimming in Archipelago Sea. Kalalokki uimassa Saaristomerellä.

“Better go now…”

A common gull flying over a Archipelago Sea and two kayaks. Kalalokki lentelemässä Saaristomeren yllä ja kaksi kajakkia.

“See ya!”

A shell on a beach in Archipelago Sea. Simpukan kuori Saaristomeren rannalla.

A remote bonfire during midsummer in Archipelago. Etäinen kokko Saaristomerellä juhannuksena.

A remote bonfire near our coast. This one was the closest one, the second one we saw was further away. It is an old habit to build a bonfire during the midsummer.

Me and my tritend ready to go flounder hunt in the night of Archipelago Sea. Minä ja atrain valmiina kampelajahtiin Saaristomeren yössä.

Me and my tritend ready to go to the flounder hunt in the night of Archipelago Sea! I tried to search flounders during the night also, if they would crawl in the shallow waters for searching food. It was worth it since I found two more flounders in the pitch dark water.

Me and my free-diving gear ready to go flounder hunt in the night of Archipelago Sea. Minä ja vapaasukellusvälineet valmiina kampelajahtiin Saaristomeren yössä.

Searching flounders by freediving with my trident in Archipelago Sea. Sukelluskalastamassa kampeloita atraimen kanssa saaristomerellä.

Searching flounders by freediving with my trident in Archipelago Sea. Sukelluskalastamassa kampeloita atraimen kanssa saaristomerellä.

Two flounders from Archipelago Sea. Kaksi kampelaa saaristomereltä.

Here are the two last flounders I found during the trip.

My girlfriend and I used a pine as a drying rack for our diving gears. Tyttöystäväni ja minä käytimme mäntyä sukellusvarusteiden kuivaustelineenä.

A moth hanging on the roof of our tent. Yöperhonen roikkumassa teltan kankaassa.

A moth is hanging on the roof of our tent during morning.

Our homemade grill looks like the RD2D. Meidän itse tehty grilli näyttää ihan RD2D robotilta.

RD2D is ready to kick some ass!

Grill food in Archipelago Sea. Grilliruokaa Saaristomerellä.

Yellow flowers growing on a rock in Archipelago Sea. Keltaisia kukkasia kasvamassa Saaristomeren rantakalliolla.

Underwater bladderwrack in Archipelago Sea. Rakkolevää Saaristomerellä.

A straight nose pipefish in Archipelago Sea. Siloneula Saaristomerellä.

A straight nose pipefish. It’s a funny fish I say, like a straighten seahorse. 😀

A straight nose pipefish in Archipelago Sea. Siloneula Saaristomerellä.

A straight nose pipefish in Archipelago Sea. Siloneula Saaristomerellä.

A straight nose pipefish in Archipelago Sea. Siloneula Saaristomerellä.

A straigh tnose pipefish and a broad nosed pipefish in Archipelago Sea. Siloneula ja särmäneula Saaristomerellä.

Two mates hanging out together, a small broad nosed pipefish and a straight nose pipefish.

A small shrimp swimming towards a bladderwrack in Archipelago sea. Pieni halkojalkaisäyriäinen uimassa rakkolevää kohti Saaristomerellä.

A small shrimp is swimming towards a bladderwrack.

A three-spined stickleback in Archipelago Sea. Kolmipiikki Saaristomerellä.

Small shrimps in Archipelago Sea. Pieniä halkoisjalkaisäyriäisiä Saaristomerellä.

A transparent Baltic prawn in Archipealgo Sea. Läpinäkyvä leväkatkarapu Saaristomerellä.

A transparent Baltic prawn. All these neat underwater creatures force me to consider the building of a Baltic brackish water aquarium!

A transparent Baltic prawn in Archipealgo Sea. Läpinäkyvä leväkatkarapu Saaristomerellä.

Small shrimps in Archipelago Sea. Pieniä halkoisjalkaisäyriäisiä Saaristomerellä.

A camo prawn in Archipealgo Sea. Rapu Saaristomerellä.

This one was relatively big!

A camo prawn in Archipealgo Sea. Rapu Saaristomerellä.

This was the only image I managed to get from a living flounder. Can you spot the fish? 😀

A piece of salmon and four small flounders ready to be smoked. Pala lohta ja neljä pientä kampelaa valmiina savustusta varten.

Before the trip, we bought a small piece of salmon, which was smoked with the flounders during the last night.

Hot pieces of coal fro smoking. Kuumia hiiliä savustusta varten.

Smoking a piece of salmon and four small flounders in Archipelago Sea. Lohen palasen ja neljän pienen kampelan savustamista Saaristomerellä.

Hot glowing coals. Kuumia, hehkuvia hiiliä.

Like a small inferno.

Smoking a piece of salmon and four small flounders in Archipelago Sea. Lohen palasen ja neljän pienen kampelan savustamista Saaristomerellä.

Smoking a piece of salmon and four small flounders in Archipelago Sea. Lohen palasen ja neljän pienen kampelan savustamista Saaristomerellä.

The dinner is served! The flounders were good like we excepted. 🙂

A firefly shining its green light in the night of the midsummer in Archipelago Sea. Kiiltomato loistaa vihreää valoaan Saaristomeren juhannusyössä.

A firefly is shining its green light in the night of the midsummer.

Sand goby in Archipelago Sea. Hietatokko Saaristomerellä.

Now here are the images I was talking about. I patiently waited in the chill, shallow water with my swimming trunks and my camera. 😀

Sand goby in Archipelago Sea. Hietatokko Saaristomerellä.

Sneaking back to the home. 😀

Sand goby in Archipelago Sea. Hietatokko Saaristomerellä.

Sand goby in Archipelago Sea. Hietatokko Saaristomerellä.

Sand goby in Archipelago Sea. Hietatokko Saaristomerellä.

“Perkele, go home!”

A dragonfly lost in our storage lean-to. Sudenkorento eksynyt varastolaavuun.

A dragonfly lost in our storage lean-to.

Purple flowers in a island in Archipelago Sea. Violetteja kukkia saaressa Saaristomrellä.

The last macro image before entering into the ferryboat. 😕

On a ferryboat in Archipelago Sea. Lautalla Saaristomerellä.

Here we are heading back to the mainland and the holiday is almost over. It was unforgettable midsummer. I will not mind if this becomes a habit. 🙂

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