Retkellä – island hopping

Jurmo on yksi maailman kauneimmista saarista. Se on Korppoon eteläisimmässä päässä, kaukana lähes ulkomerellä.

Maalle astuessa katajan ja kanervan nummimaisen tuoksun tuntee heti nenässään. Saaren pitkälle jatkuvia niemiä pitkin voi kävellä kauas yksinäisyyteen meren keskelle.

Koira seurasi minua jonkin aikaa ennen kuin päätti palata isännän luo. Ehkä se tiesi, että tämä polku ei johda mihinkään.

Walking to the end of the earth

One of the pleasures of living in the archipelago is that other islands are nearby. Going on a trip can happen on a whim, which is a bit luxurious considering most have to make plans for weeks, then pack everyone and everything in a car and drive for half a day and then take the ferry for another half.

This picture is taken in October on the island of Jurmo, one of the southernmost island of the Korpo municipality. The further south you get, the sparser the landscape becomes until it’s only a few rocks jutting out of the sea. And then, just sea.

Jurmo is formed during the Ice Age; it’s a long stretch of moraine deposited on this particular spot. During centuries of grazing the land has become heath and the smell of juniper, heather and crowberry can be felt as soon as reaching the shore of Jurmo.

Aahh, the Jurmo smell!

Walking towards the western tip of the island the land stretches into the sea for a while until dipping under the surface of the water, where the ridge goes on at the bottom of the sea. Where it ends, does anyone know.