The Baltic's Mysterious Island – Christiansø

Christiansø has no equal… About 10 nautical miles from Bornholm lies the small Ertholmene archipelago. It is made up of 6 little islands: Christiansø, Frederiksø, Østerskær, Vesterskær, Græsholm and Tat. People live on the first two, and gulls on the rest.

The largest of the islands, Christiansø, is just 700 metres long and 430 wide. On it stands an old fortress from 1684, looking exactly as it did in the days of King Christian V. It was he who commissioned the building of all the fortifications, defensive walls and cannons on the island. All the islands, as well as the buildings, fall directly under the Danish Ministry of Defence.

In the strait between the neighbouring islet of Frederiksø and Christiansø, a harbour was built. You can get to the second island via a drawbridge. Right by the harbour we find the administrator's house from 1735. The governor of the Danish Ministry of Defence holds office there. Interestingly, this man is at the same time the lighthouse keeper in the Store Tårn tower.

Today about 100 people live on the two islets. In the middle of the islet we find a school, a small campsite (for about 20 tents) and a church, which until 1821 served as a forge. Near the school we find a large tank for fresh water. It collects rainwater, which here is "worth its weight in gold", since the islands have no other access to drinking water.

In 1684, construction began on a sea fortress commissioned by King Christian V. The walls, towers and main buildings and fortifications are built of granite, of which there's plenty on the island. From this part of the island a view opens up over the whole area.

Because there are no cars, large numbers of people or predatory mammals on the island, it is an excellent breeding ground for the likes of razorbills, eiders, gulls and guillemots. There are over 10,000 pairs of herring gulls on the grounds. Walking over the rocks, you have to watch out for them. The birds can fiercely defend their nests and attack tourists.

Gaden — a little street on Christiansø between the buildings of the former barracks.

The island's residents, from about 50 households, raise poultry, birds and rabbits. Keeping cats and dogs is forbidden, so they don't contaminate the drinking water. Satellite television is available in the homes. The dishes are hidden under the roofs for the sake of environmental protection. Every other Sunday a pastor sails over to the island from Bornholm to lead a service. About 20 children study at the school, and when someone falls ill, an "ambulance" in the form of a cutter sails to the island. In the event hospitalisation is needed, a helicopter flies to Christiansø from Copenhagen.

Christiansø is a truly fabulous place, a place from which I send a postcard to Gwiazdka, to whisk Her away here someday and rock together on a swing… In the evening we set sail for Sweden, to Karlskrona.