29 June: Jump!
- “Come on, you chicken! Just do it!”
- “No, Mum, I don’t want to!”
- “Oh, you stupid! Can’t you hear Daddy calling down there? Now, just jump!”

The little guillemot looked down from the rock ledge and was scared. It hadn’t thought of the fact how high up their nest actually was placed. Three weeks it had lived in comfort and safety with his Mum and Dad on this tiny piece of rock together will all his bird friends. They had been relatively safe from the great big dangerous gulls, which were flying by, patrolling to and fro with an eye constantly on the guillemot community. It was nerve-racking to watch these giant birds of prey, always looking for unattended eggs and vulnerable guillemot babies.

- “If you are not good and well-behaved you will become gull grub” it had heard its Mum say numberless times. With fear, it had then followed the shadow of these huge hunters as they passed by their ledge; luckily on a safe enough distance. No, it did not want to come on their diet. They looked frightful.
Our little guillemot baby had been fed quite well during the few weeks of its juvenile life. Three weeks, it had been eating as much as it could and its parents had fetched more fish for every one it had swallowed. But during the last two days it had not received any food at all and it suddenly felt very hungry.

- “Mum, why can’t I get any fish, please?! I’m hungry”, it cried, and tried to repress its Dad’s calling from the sea.

- “My dear love, you are big enough to catch your own fish now. Your Dad will help you and show how to dive down deep under the surface where the best fish is found.”.

- “But Mummy, there is nowhere to dive here!”

- “Exactly! That’s why you have to jump down to Daddy, who is waiting for you in the water! So, my love: Jump!”

The little chicken could not believe what it was told, nor did it understand why his Mum suddenly had become so cruel. No food for two days and now she urged him to jump out into the void where all the sea gulls were flying.

- “But Mum, the gulls!”

- “Don’t worry, they won’t be able to see you. It’s late at night and almost dark. But it’s Midsummer, so you don’t have much time until dawn. You better be quick!”

The little chicken tried to find new arguments, but before it had thought of a new reason not to leave the cliff, his Mum had already given him a light push and he was helplessly falling down the cliff. Desperately and instinctively it tried to spread its tiny wings, but that was as useful as if Jessica or Jonathan had tried the same. They were still far too small to carry his well-fed body. Even though it might believe it was flying vertically, it really was more like falling down like a stone.
With a bang it hit the stony beach and landed on its breast. Luckily it was thick and soft from all the eating. It wasn't hurt too much, nor did it break a single bone. They were of cartilage and hence unbreakable. 99% of all small guillemots survive the crash-landing after their vertical “flight”. More chicken are actually caught by gulls, even during the actual fall, than by the hard crash onto the stony beach. Of course, our little three weeks old chicken didn’t know that. It shook its head in confusion and wondered what to do next, almost surprised that it was still alive. Then it heard its farther calling in the water and started to walk, or better run, in that direction. A shadow above revealed that it was not safe, yet. A threatening gull approached flying low to see better, but it was lucky; it had reached the sea and swam to its Dad in time. Swimming was so much easier than flying, it thought!
Indeed, guillemots are far better swimmers than fliers. They need a long runway and hence prefer taking off from the sea. That is also why they like to breed high up on the vertical cliffs. Starting from their nests is made by throwing themselves out into the air and then, when enough speed has been picked up, they can level out and plane horizontally towards the sea. That’s where they really belong. Adult guillemots are great fishers and can dive down to 60m.

Our guillemot chicken was glad to see his father again, and so was he. Guillemots only lay one egg per annum and get sexually mature not until in their fourth or fifth year. It was the first time that he got father and loved this little baby more than anything else. Well, and his guillemot-girl, of course, with whom he would stick together for the length of his life, he reckoned. Guillemots are very true partners.

Slowly father and child swam away from their home island, Stora Karlsö (the “Great Karl’s Island”) in the Baltic. Not far away, they could see Lilla Karsö in the distance, where also many guillemot breed. Actually, approximately two third of all guillemots in the Baltic breed on Stora Karlsö and more or less the rest on Lilla Karlsö, making these twin islands off Gotland unique.

Father and child were now on their way south and would not return until the following spring. The chicken looked back once more and thought of its mother, but his father resolutely continued to paddle in direction south. He knew they would meet again, but his guillemot-girl had first to protect their nest, so they could return to the very same cliff the following spring. She would follow in a month time. Father and child had to swim, since the little chicken could not fly, yet. It was a long way that lay ahead of them. They headed all the way for the north coast of Poland in the southern Baltic where they would pass the winter.
We could watch them disappearing in the distance as we lay on the top of the cliffs looking down onto the bird community. I gave a thankful thought to Mr Willy Wöhler from Gotland. In the middle of the 19th century, hunting birds for sport was very popular. Birds became moving targets for gentlemen who proved their masculine qualities by killing these for fun. Mr. Wöhler understood that this had fatal consequences for the birds, especially on Stora Karlsö. This was the major, if not the only place in the Baltic for the Guillemots to breed and they were very vulnerable to hunters as they sat their rock ledges. In 1880, Willy Wöhler counted no more than some 20 couples of guillemots, which still were left. Together with some like-minded friends, he decided to launch his company called “Carlsö Jagt- och Djurskyddsförenings AB”. The company’s aim was to save the birds and hence bought the entire island. As an immediate step, the company forbade bird hunting.

This turns Stora Karlsö into the worlds second oldest natural park; only Yellow Stone Park in the USA is older.
Actually, the “Carlsö Jagt- och Djurskyddsförenings AB” still owns Stora Karlsö these days. Mr Wöhler’s natural preservation had effect: Today more than 7.000 pairs of guillemots breed every year on the island together with another 7.000 pairs of razorbills and 250 other species.

During summer, it is not allowed to come closer to the island than 500 m. With one exception that not many sailors know of: in the northern bay, there is a little jetty and at the outer end there is 2,4m of water. In calm weather or winds from the southern quadrant it is possible and allowed to land, provided you have asked for permission from the guard on duty (tel: +46-70 32 37 240). Only one yacht makes the effort to come every second day or so and as long the boats are limited in number, they are welcome, even during summer.
Moored at the jetty in the northern bay of Stora Karlsö
Talking to the ranger on Stora Karlsö.
Further to the ranger himself, numerous bird watchers and nature lovers find their way to Stora Karlsö. They take the little ferry from mainland Gotland, and then stay overnight in one of the little huts, transformed into hostels. Even a small restaurant for hostel guests and a tiny museum exists. If you ask, also yachties may join the meal in the restaurant. We did, and enjoyed a true Swedish Midsummer’s “Smörgåsbord” with herring and salmon.

Not all huts offer fresh water. Instead of showering, a swim in the Baltic solves that problem. We preferred our own hot shower onboard and postponed the swim until the water has reached somewhat higher temperature than the current 14°C (57F).

So let’s forget about the water temperature in the bathroom on Stora Karlsö. A more noteworthy and gratifying detail on the island’s bathrooms is the fact that one of the outhouses recently has received a prestigious appointment. STF, the Swedish Tourist Association, has elected one of Stora Karlsö’s outside lavatories as the “Best Toilet View of Sweden”.
Jessica checking the water temperature at the local "bathroom" to one of the hostel huts.
Of course, we had to try this attraction and luckily, it was just what Karolina was looking for after a long hike over the island. We made the walk up to the old light-house and found the outhouse on the western end of the old engine building close to the cliff. The door was two-pieced. Karolina opened both halves and climbed up high onto the throne. She closed the lower part, hence providing necessary privacy, while the upper part of the door could be kept open, providing the most beautiful view overlooking the sunset over the Baltic.
Karolina trying out the awarded "Best Toilet View of Sweden".
The old light-house was still doing its duty showing the way to seafarers, but at the same time it was also transformed into one of the hostels for bird-lovers. It must be a special feeling to stay in a light-house with the light sweeping over the heads every night. This is the hostel getting water from a well and hence it even has a shower. On the other hand, the light-house is said to be haunted.

From a distance, it does looked like a small castle with the lighthouse built into the main building. It is lavishly fitted out and I was impressed by how much effort was invested to make the lighthouse look nice, both from the outside as well as from the inside. I asked why so much was invested in decoration for a light-house, but I was told that adornments really were not the big issue. Imagine: The entire building including the tower once had cost 30.000 crowns. But the lens for the actual light, which had been fetched from France, had cost no less than 16.000 crowns!
The lighthouse one Stora Karlsö
The lighthouse was designed by Mr. Höjer, who shortly thereafter met with Gustav Dahlén. Together they designed the famous AGA-light-houses, which revolutionized the light-houses of Sweden and was the beginning of the Swedish renown gas-company AGA.
The original lense which cost one thrid of the entire lighthouse project, when it was built in 1887
The history of this little island off the coast of Gotland stretches far back to pre-historic times. Archeologists love coming here finding remains in big caves around the island, dating from the stone-age to the days not long ago.

During all years, Stora Karlsö has been used as a fishing base and the village reached its peak in the early 19th century. No less than 70 fishing huts were spread over the island. Two of these survived the ravages of time and are still standing strong. They look as if the old fisherman was just out for the day and would return any minute.
Father and daughter waiting for the fisherman to return outside the little fishing hut dating back to the early 19th century.
The rules of the fishermen some 150 years ago were simple but unequivocal as with the rules of the sea. If you were caught having stolen something, you were punished by having to stay the night on a tiny stone out at sea. Sleep was not to think of and, for sure, it must have been cold and hard to sit there waiting for the morning. But that was nothing compared to having stolen a bailer, you know the type of bucket you use for emptying the water out of a boat. To get such an essential safety equipment stolen allowed to strike a hole in the thief’s own boat.
Old fashioned punishment as seen on a painting in the little museum and its real equvivalent in the northern bay.
Thrilling stories on an interesting island with unique nature. To find pearls, one does not have to search very far. Home-water sailing is not too bad, after all, despite the fact that we also long back to bare-foot sailing in the tropics.
Jonathan and Jessica enjoying the sunset on Stora Karlsö