Ratan for midsummer, 22 June 2019

Ratan is a small island 20 miles north of Umeå and providing a good shelter for most winds. This will be the first time in almost a months that we see more than one boat at a time. Yet, none of the boats in Ratan are Swedish!

Belisama dressed for midsummer 

 This is the first time that Belisama pavoise. It took me a while before identifying the correct order on a French boat for displaying the flags... It should be:
           - from the foot of the jackstaff to the masthead: E, Q, 3, G, 8, Z, 4, W, 6, P, 1, I, Apercu, T, Y, B, X, 1er substitute, H, 3ème substitute
           - from the masthead to the foot of the flagstaff: D, F, 2e substitut, U, A, O, M, R, 2, J, 0, N, 9, K, 7, V, 5, L, C, S

Note that order changes according to countries and some countries do not specify an order.

But we were not in Ratan just to show off...


Ratan is considered to have been the best harbour in the Bottenviken for many century, explaining its development. A pilot station was established in 1760. The golden age of Ratan was when the toll service for the cities of Umeå, Piteå, Torne and Luleå.

The old marigraph was installed in 1891 to measure and record the level of the sea in the harbour of Ratan. It stopped its activities in 1965 and was replaced by a modern marigraph.

The old marigraph in Ratan

 The old marigraph was connected to the harbour water by a small canal which has gradually become dry.

The marigraph, from the harbour.

There are several watermarks made on the rocks of the coast of Ratan. The one below dates from 1749.

The 1749 watermark made by Samuel Chydenius, more than 2.5 metres higher than today water level.

The picture below shows the new marigraph, as well as additional water marks made in 1848 (the whitish line on the rock below the marigraph).

The new marigraph and the 1848 water mark.

View of the Ratan sound and the new marigraph

The pilot house on Ratan island

The compass rose in Ratan. It points to the North-East.

There are many labyrinths along the Norrland coast. They all were built by fishermen, supposedly for protection from the treacherous winds. The labyrinth is close to the Ratan beacon, from which the pilots were watching. It was constructed in 18928.

The labyrinth in Ratan

Another labyrinth on Ratan

Rainbow reflection