Despite our tired eyes, we woke early with the promise of a snowy Swedish day ahead. As promised the days was amazing. Not a single cloud in sight, and the low hanging sun set the snow glistening like a million tiny camera flashes.
We enjoyed a quick breakfast of bran flakes with sour milk, marmalade toast with cheese, and tea. This was wolfed down as there were a great deal more exciting things than breakfast ahead.
Out into the sub zero temperatures we headed. Ragnar was excited to take us ice fishing. Something Laura and I had never done before but we're eager to try. So with the two of us in tow we headed towards the frozen lake.
Laura's mouth was still slack jawed at the beauty of Täby (and mine, although more familiar with Sweden was still equally droopy!)
Reaching the lake we walked out onto the snow covered ice towards what was an easy spot to begin the Great Pike Hunt of 2017.
Ragnar put down the tackle box/fish bucket/ seat and picked up the second biggest drill I has ever seen (only losing to the 12m long, 40tonne drill rig I used to work on back in my Industrial Abseiling days)
The drill was like a traditional carpenters hand drill on steroids. This was dropped, percing the ice, then cranked at high velocity until the bottom dropped out indicating you had cut through the sheet.
The ice was around 300mm thick (passing the Canadian Graeme Quickfall's seal of 'you can go out on the ice' approval)
This line went in, and we waited.
The way to catch Pike is to jig the line up and down, then rest for a second before repeating.
No luck.
So we moved on to the other side of the lake, crossing the snow plowed skating track, and trying not to mess up any cross country skiing lanes.
This time we were sure to catch a something.
In went the drill, down went the line.
No luck.
Next stop was the place to be. This time it was my turn on the drill. Not as easy as it looks. I think I must have been the wonkiest driller on the lake. Finally though, success! We caught something. A tiny little fish about the size of my pinky finger. Although that's not the point. The point is we went ice fishing, and we caught a fish. That my fine reader is called success.
Laura and I each dropped a line after this thinking our luck has changed. In the end it hadn't but we didn't care, the best part was spending time out on an amazing frozen lake; watching the skaters, feeling the crunch of fresh snow under our boots, hearing the bouncing, drum-like sound of the ice expanding.
It was time to leave the ice and head to lunch. We were to meet Ragnar's brother and partner, as well as his parents Kirsten and Lars.
We pulled up to an amazing restaurant situated on what would be the water front if the water wasn't in a state of suspended animation.
In we went and were warmly greated, hugs were exchanged, and people introduced.
Then the main event! This was no ordinary restaurant (at least from mine and Laura's vantage points)... this restaurant had smorgasbord; sil, gravad lux, köttbulle, knäckebröd med ost, potatis gratäng... the list goes on, and the stomach fills up!
The company along with the beer and the food and the view and the conversation all made for one of the greatest dining experiences We could have asked for.
This was not something that we wanted to end. Alas we were to retire with full bellies back to Kirsten and Lars' for te och kaffe. We spent the time looking through old photo albums, circa 1880s - 1950s, and discussing family heritage. Photos of my great grandmother as a child through to marriage theough to min Morfars graduation. It was a wonderful and educational afternoon.
Unfortunately we eventually had to say goodbye, but the excitement was not over yet, as Laura and I (kindly guided by Hakan; Ragnar's brother) drove into Södermalm in Stockholm to see Fredrik, Helena, and Sofia (more relatives and good friends from Mum's side).
As it was later in the day we just managed to catch the most spectacular sun set with our new hosts. Over looking the Archepelego the sun blazed. Brilliant silhouettes of the hill top buildings bid farewell to the day.
And soon we would too, ready for our first Stockholm day to follow.
Ice Fishing - definitely counting that as a 'first'
There's a lake under there somewhere...
Labels: Sweden 2017
