Visit to Market Reef in May 2007 |
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This page has a four and a half minute slideshow of my helicopter visit to Market Reef on May 27, 2007. These 76 photos are one of the most extensive sets of Market Reef photos on the Internet. Market Reef, a tiny island shared by Finland and Sweden, has a unique S-shaped border. Amateur Radio operators consider it one of the most prized "countries" to work. My late father was a Ham for over 50 years. To make my visit, I flew from Helsinki to Mariehamn, the capital of the Åland Islands, a Swedish-speaking, autonomous region of Finland. The best way to reach Market Reef is via a 15 minute helicopter ride from the airport in Mariehamn. I used the services of pilot Kenneth Krogius, a friendly professional who was waiting for me when my jet arrived. The helicopter flight takes about 15 minutes. Kenneth's cousin joined us for the flight in a super clean, modern helicopter. Market Reef is a speck of stone with a lighthouse. It is normally uninhabited, but there are volunteers in the summer. Both of them greeted us when we landed and made us feel right at home. They gave us a full tour of the lighthouse, which is in need of renovation. I spent an hour on this wind-swept skerry enjoying the hospitality and the unique experience. All five of us were busy taking photos. The return flight was uneventful and I made a number of aerial photos of Market Reef and the Åland Islands. The slideshow (6.7Mb) takes about a minute to load. When the background changes to black it is ready to play,
click on the small arrow on the bottom left side of the slideshow to start. If desired, click to pause or resume. |
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