URSHOLMEN

On 2 February 1867 the barque Thames was swept onto the rocks off Ursholmen in a south-westerly gale, with heavy snow and icy seas: the vessel broke up and capsized. Two seamen were washed up on the rocks, where they were found in frostbitten misery more than a day later.

Ten men died. The battered bodies of five of them floated ashore, much disfigured. Many ships have been surprised in these waters by icy winter winds and by the strong current from the North Sea. As from 1850, two lighthouses flashed on Koster, but the siting 64 metres above sea level was unfortunate. The light disappeared up there in the swirling snow and mist just when most needed.

In 1891 the Koster lighthouses were replaced by a new pair of lighthouses on Ursholmen. Three lighthouse-keepers lived in the three houses on the island with the black veins of diabase over the bare rock. Fishing and shooting were essential for their support. People who grew up here spoke of how whales sometimes swept into the herring shoal. But they never touched boats or nets. In 1904 the island was rocked by Sweden's most severe earthquake, the epicentre of which was out in the Skagerrak.

Life became a little easier with the advent of a motor vessel in 1930. Telephone lines arrived out here in the forties and electricity in 1960. The northern tower was extinguished in 1931 and the other one was automated in 1965.

If you would like to know more about Ursholmen and the lighthouse, you should visit the island's museum. Please note that Ursholmen is a protected nature reserve.