This post is to provide more details on our camp accommodations. Nobody can deny Ingøya is a wonderful place. Captain Joakim confirmed, “there is something special about this island. Everyone always wants to go back.” The island itself offers a variety of beautiful scenes, diverse nature, excellent fishing, three tall peaks good for hiking, and of course, a healthy population of live and dead Arctica islandica. Who could ask for anything more? Oh yeah, Thorleif’s boathouse and apartments are basically a resort, complete with a large common area, internet, seawater hot tub heated by wood stove, lab space, and easy access to boats and vehicles. This place is a jackpot of a field site.
Julie does most of the planning for meals and sets us up very well. For breakfast we have things like müsli, yogurt, toast, and tyttebær jam. We usually pack lunches that may contain PB-and-Js, tuna salad, cheese, salami, raisins, apples, and/or leftovers. Dinners so far have been spaghetti with reindeer Bolognese and salmon potato casserole with salad. We also plan to have tacos, catch of the day, and Indian curry for future dinners. Best food in camp!
At camp we most commonly run into Thorleif or Dmitri (Thorleif’s wingman and speaker of many languages). Anne (Thorleif’s wife) comes over for a few days but her and Thorleif have a house in Havøysund where they live. There are 24 year-round residents on Ingøya. Most houses are clustered in the town of Inga, but several other houses dot the island. The town has a church, school (no longer active), fish processing plant, and grocery shop.
Every season hosts a different attraction for visitors. Tourist fishing season is winding down. This week begins goose hunting season. The hunters head to Gøsoya at around 6pm and can hunt until 8am. Remember, there are really only a couple hours of true darkness this time of year. Now, every time we walk through “the lab” we run into goose carcasses in various states of dismemberment. It is also the right time of year for picking cloud berries, Sam brought in a whole bunch on his last hike. In past years, we have been here during seagull egg season and even once during the commercial fishing season (begins February).
We try our best every year to make sure we catch some fish for dinner. It’s really not hard to do unless you’re Al and catch barn doors all the time (i.e., halibut). Or maybe it’s a snag. Regardless, it’s usually a pretty good workout.
An assortment of some goods goods the pantry.
Sunday night dinner.
Michael chases geese from the drive in to Thorleifs. May 2015.