Kayaking the archipelago of dreams

 

• Nothing else needs to be added. Paddling around the Koster Islands makes us kids again. It is so beautiful, so pristine and so inviting.
  We aim to repeat a favorite. The idea is to go out and paddle just when the rest of the population ends their vacation and returns to the city again. We would like to have the archipelago to ourselves. We like to avoid having to give way to boats or sharing camping locations. We want the beaches to ourselves, we want to walk around naked and carefree and we want to get close to wildlife in solitude and silence.

• But it doesn’t start so good. The line to the ferry in Strömstad that will take us out to the Koster Islands is long. There are families with children, youth groups and the islanders themselves all in a mess. We recognize, however, that 98 percent of these visitors or locals will stay on the main islands of North and South Koster. And in all honesty, paddling there is pretty bad. We instead dream of uninhabited islands, rocky islets and stunning wildlife.

• Philip Davies helps us with kayaks, and pretty soon we have left both people and boat traffic behind us as we head out through the shallow strait where boats do not get through.

• We decide early for this to be a trip without stress. If we find a nice spot we’ll stay there until we tire of it. It is not the quantity of islands we get to that applies on this trip, but how many times we go swimming and simply enjoy.

• We haven’t gotten more than 30 minutes out in the archipelago before we take one long coffee break at Hästholmen, the “Horse island” (If you sign up for the Koster Swimrun biathlon in October, Hästholmen is one of the islands you’ll pass). A long channel captures our interest, so we stay here. Patches of sandy bottom and soft coral make the water turquoise green and it feels as if we are abroad, somehow were transported to tropical waters. We are stuck for a long time. It is difficult to tear ourselves away from the rock formations shaped by the sea over centuries, and moreover, we have an exaggerated supply of pastries, coffee and chocolate.

• To paddle in the Koster Islands National Park is really special. It is Sweden's first marine national park. It has over 12,000 unique species both above and below the surface and we got acquainted with a great deal of them. It really feels that you paddle around in a unique and priceless environment but it also puts tougher demands on the kayaker. Rules are there to primarily help preserve the fragile nature the way it is. You can only make fires in designated areas and you cannot camp for more than two consecutive nights in the same place.

• Already day one offers unique animal encounters. The first is completely unexpected. A mink is running around close to our campsite looking for food. A moment later, the first seals start to show, curiously sticking up their heads to check on the new visitors. Many islands are also teaming with birdlife - that is also something to keep in mind when paddling here; the protection of birds and seals are extensive.

• From mid-May to mid-July several islands are affected by the bird and seal sanctuary, which states that you may not go ashore there. This reduces the number of possible campsites while it is also the most popular period to visit. To paddle in late August was really perfect, we were almost completely alone among the islands. But not completely so. Two people had taken possession of one of the park's finest campsites. Luckily it turned out that they were nice people with lots of paddling and camping experience.

• They were Torbjörn and Kathrine, who run a kayak center in nearby Lysekil in the south. They were there to check up the kayakers around the Koster Islands. The pressure on the habitats from German and English visitors is large and Sweden’s west coast wants to focus on paddling tourists.

• “However, we want to keep it as sustainable as possible. Small groups who know how to take care of nature. We have a network with all the kayaking spots on the west coast and we collectively reject groups that do not behave properly,” says Torbjörn.

• It gives hope for the future. That it is not just the volumes or money that rule here. We are treated to coffee and decide to meet up later in the day.

• Day two
  On the second day we want to examine what is under the surface. And we are lucky as visibility is almost 50 feet and it feels surreal to see the ground down so deep. Mighty jellyfish float past the kayak as we head toward Ursholmen, located far to the south in the Koster Islands archipelago. We go ashore on rocks and once again treat ourselves to way too much “fika” – pastries and coffee. Roger immediately jumps into the water with his underwater camera house while I devote myself to death-defying cliff jumps.

• The world subsurface is inviting and offers unique encounters. If you are lucky you can meet porpoises, nudibranchs and the fearless fish Stensnultra, the Goldsinny wrasse. Another great experience is to test one of the two snorkel trails available on the Koster Islands. One is located at Rörvik on South Koster and another is located at Hasslebukten, the Hassle Gulf of Saltö (Salty island). They are about 700 feet long and just over three feet deep with signs that describe everything you see.

• It is the combination of the high salt content and variety of environments and ecosystems that create the conditions for a rich flora. Koster Islands National Park also has a connection with the oceans’ deep bottoms through the gutter running along the Norwegian coast. It is over 800 feet at its deepest.

• “This is the best paddling day of my life,” exclaims photographer Roger Borgelid.

• We thought we had the best behind us. We could not have been more wrong. It is now the dreams are becoming reality. After miraculously surviving the death jumps, we paddle westward toward Tjälleskär for our rendezvous with the kayak experts. It's probably one of my life's best paddling experiences. The amount of islands, islets and rocks offer a massive impact. We cruise through the trenches, shallow sounds and go around bare islets and merge with minks, seals and birdlife. We stop navigating and go on gut instinct.

• Covers, clothes and life jackets have been shed and I paddle in just Speedo and sunglasses. The water is turquoise green, the sky is blue and the wind barely noticeable. The water surface is still as a mirror and I am enjoying every stroke.

• We meet up with Torbjörn and Kathrine and relax near the water. The cook set comes up and we prepare our meal after the mandatory bath. We decide to set the alarm for when we later have to paddle back to civilization, to stay out as long as possible. Our new friends tell us about a maze-like island we just have to see. We wash up quickly, pack the kayaks even faster and head north toward Måskär to catch one more experience before the last ferry leaves for Strömstad.

• We paddle on the outside of the islands on the way to the Måskär island, out toward the open sea and making us wonder if we’ll reach Scotland first if we would continue paddling. We arrive at the island, which in fact is a fascinating maze of small water basins. It is the most fascinating and odd paddling I have ever done. It almost feels as if the basins were man made. The narrow passageways between them and the vertical walls make the experience somewhat dramatic. It almost starts to become boring but after a somewhat advanced disembarkation we go swimming again. This is a dream location for the snorkler. However, the basins are located on the south-west side of the island so you can easily encounter rough seas with high waves.

• The alarm rings. It is an hour until the last ferry returns to the mainland. We reluctantly return to the kayaks. And begin the journey home.

• Text: Emil Sergel
  Photogragraphy: Roger Borgelid

• Facts
  There are a few things to consider before a kayaking trip to the Koster Islands. It can take some time before you are in the water. We drove up from Gothenburg early in the morning but were not in the water until just after 2 p.m. The ferry from Strömstad to the islands takes 40 minutes and you need to park a distance away so it takes some logistics before all equipment is included.
  There are several facilities that rent kayaks on the islands, but the one with the most knowledge of the archipelago, both above and below the surface is Philip Davies, who has been diving and paddling in the area for almost 20 years. You can bring your own kayak to the ferry but must then pay a supplementary fee. An easier option is to paddle out from Rossö just southeast of the Koster Islands. There is ample free parking on the island and it is an hour's paddling to get out to the islands.
  There is no running water on the small islands in the archipelago, if you run out of fresh water you have to paddle back to South or North Koster.
  The Koster islands are quite exposed to the elements and it does not take much wind for the paddling to be challenging. However, there are also plenty of islands to seek shelter behind.

• How to get there: Either by car and boat to Strömstad or by train from Gothenburg. One option is to drive to Rossö just south of Strömstad and start from there if you come with your own kayak.The two-hour drive up the coast from Gothenburg to Strömstad, passing all the fishing villages and the quaint coastal towns, is an experience.

• Accommodation: The number of campsites are numerous, both on stone and rock. Keep an eye on the bird and seal sanctuary times during certain summer months, which stop you from going ashore on certain islands.

• Suggested routes: There are no gigantic distances or overpasses and one can spend several days of cruising among the islands, or paddle at a slightly higher pace and still see quite a lot in two days. The bays on the west Burholmen offer beautiful campsites.

• Useful links: On www.kosteroarna.com you can read a lot about the general area.
  Kayak rental: Best kayaks and the best knowledge you will find in the new marine diving center. Read more on www.tridentdivers.se
  For maps of the archipelago, see www.utekartan.se
  Planning to join the Swimrun, see www.kosterswimrun.se

• The Koster Islands, Sweden's westernmost populated spot, are located six miles west of Strömstad, Sweden. An archipelago of islets surround the two largest islands, South Koster and North Koster. South Koster has an area of 3 square miles and North Koster an area of 1.5 square miles. The landscape, dominated by smooth bedrock, bears witness to volcanic activity and subsequent wear due to the Ice Age. The rocky coastline is broken by many sandy beaches, the largest being Kilesand on South Koster's east side overlooking the 650 feet deep Koster Fjord.
  South and North Koster are communities with a permanent population of around 340. There is a school, sports hall, shops, church and galleries where handcrafts and arts are exhibited. Both farming and fishing are important, and already during the 1600s Koster exported lobster to Holland. There are several small harbors, popular with sailors from both near and far. Rooms can be rented from the Ekenäs Hotel or from private homes or cabins. There is also a campsite on North Koster.
  An electrically driven ferry operates constantly between the two islands, a distance of 160 feet. As one moves inland, farmland, woods and rich vegetation become apparent and there are many trails. South Koster has a network of roads and paths which can be explored by bicycle or in small golf-buggies, both of which can be rented. On North Koster you can also rent small boats. Restrictions regarding the right of access, Allemansrätten, forbid open fires, and camping is only allowed at the designated campsites. Private cars are not permitted.