To reach Smøla from our cabin we have to drive for about 25 minutes, and then take two ferry rides. We woke up Monday morning to a bright, smiling northern summer sun, had breakfast on terracce, made some extra coffee to bring with us, and started our adventure. First stop was already on the ferry quay with coffee and home made waffles made by a local lady - we were well prepared for the day.
Smøla is a small, flat island, or rather thousands of small and bigger islands out in the North Sea, south west of Trondheim. I haven't found out how many people there are living there today, but I can guess that there are a couple of thousands liveing there all year round, alot more during the summer months.
Our day was beautiful, and the island showed it's buttered side as the locals love to say. But life isn't always like this. Smøla is and has always been an island for fishermen, and when you live of your fishing you are bound to go out with your boat no matter how hard the wind blows.
The first thing we met when we boarded the island was Edøy Old Church and the churchyard on it's western side. The church might be more than 800 years old, and is beautifully restored in stones and red painted wood. Through the centuries the church has seen everything, joy and sorrows, baptism and funerals, the shy smile when a young woman gives her yes to a young man, the tears when the same woman are there years later, dressed in black, following a coffin.
Driving around we realised that the island hosted alot of small graveyards, old and new, telling stories about fishermen who were forced to give their life to the sea, stories about fright, unsecurity, loss, mothers losing young sons, wives losing husbands, children losing fathers
I embrace my beloved ones, thankful that I have them all close to my heart, send a thanks to God for the blessings he give me every day, and send a thank to the people who have walked before me, making my world a peaceful,sacred place. And I send another prayer to God for peace for all people.
