tiistai 29. joulukuuta 2015

Mid Winter Light

Mid winter light is very special. The angle of the sun is extremely low and the best months to catch it are December and January.
I  watched the weather forecasts for Kuusamo area during the whole autumn. Finally in the beginning of December it looked like there was slight possibility to have sun shine there. I bought flight tickets to Ivalo where I had my superior off road four wheel drive Lada Niva. I had planned to drive my Lada to Kuusamo where I was going to need it much more during the winter time. At our  Ivalo cottage we would manage with snowmobile through the snowy season. 
The flight arrived at Ivalo at 1 pm and in one hour I was on the road to Kuusamo. It was Tuesday and my plan was to drive that day to Oulanka Research Station, which is quite near Olli Lamminsalo´s eagle hide. 
Distance from Ivalo to the Station is four hundred kilometres or two hundred fifty miles. Driving started nice and smooth, but after two hours of driving, just before City of Sodankylä, started the umber engine warning light blinking. I thought that was because of moisture in the system after two months unused period of the car. But just in case I stopped at a car workshop to check out the warning. That was a quick stop and in half an hour I was on the road again. The weather was nice and dry, temperature little bit below freezing point, but dark because up north the sun doesn´t rise at all at this time of the year.
The driving was pleasant until after an hour and half the driving shaft bearings or gear box started to keep suspicious noise. Eventually I had to slow down speed to 30 km/h or 15 miles/h and continue crawling towards Kuusamo. I decided not to turn to the small road towards Oulanka because it was more than obvious that the car was not going to last much longer. I made it to the Ruka ski resort junction which is thirty kilometres or twenty miles from Kuusamo. For the next hour I was on the phone trying to get a tow truck to take me and my Lada to some local repair shop. That was quite a troublesome task but I finally managed it. 
Instead of the cheap research station at Oulanka I spent the first night in an expensive hotel in Kuusamo. Anyway I was in the eagle hides´ hoods even without any car. 
With help of my friends in Kuusamo it wasn´t a problem and here below you can find pictures from the next two days. First day near Russian border at Lämsänkylä and the other in Oulanka National Park.
The days were absolutely fabulous, the moments when an eagle arrived were breath taking, I enjoyed every minute of it.

 
The weather wasn´t so sunny all the time...

 
...but the views were beautiful

 
and I suppose the White-tailed Eagle agreed upon it

in Oulanka the star was the Golden Eagle



 It left quite soon but would be back...

even in better light


and with a partner



the light was beautiful





there were not so many sunny days in December but I was lucky 


 just before sun set


Olli