july-2011

FISHING TRIP
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Gone fi shin’
Ekenäs hotel can arrange
various fi shing trip
packages, including crab,
crayfi sh and mackerel.
Trips start at SEK890
(€97) per person, for
crab fi shing and a picnic
lunch. In Grebbestad,
the Karlsson brothers at
Everts Sjöbod run several
trips, including oyster
fi shing, which costs
SEK690 (€75), with an
optional oyster-opening
course onboard for
SEK250 (€27).
bay watch
A view from South Koster
We tuck into some of west
Sweden’s fi nest seafood –
caught fresh that day
transport for the 400 or so permanent residents.
We pedal to the north side of the island, where
we find two buildings: a ferry terminal and a
bar, Johan’s former workplace. He’s sitting on a
terrace, catching up with friends.
“My grandfather lived on South Koster until
he was 92 and he never visited North Koster,”
says Johan as we marvel at the midnight
sunset. “These islands are at war!” We laugh
– the north island is no more than 50m away,
within earshot of a choice Swedish insult.
By buggy and by bicycle, we move en masse
to the Blu Bar, a lovely pine and oak venue so
hidden it seems surprising anybody finds it –
then return to our hotel for a party, rural Sweden
I make a mess of the
fi rst few shells, but
the press-nudge-twistli
technique soon
comes together
style. The whole island appears to be here,
dancing to Madonna and drinking schnapps
until the start of another long summer’s day.
It’s a day that finds us a little worse for wear,
and the lack of pickled herring at the breakfast
table feels like a betrayal of biblical proportions.
But we pick ourselves up for the ferry back to
Strömstad and the stunningly scenic drive to
Grebbestad, home to 90% of Sweden’s oysters.
We head to a yellow sea hut perched on poles
above the water. It’s home to a fishing tours
business called Everts Sjöbod (tel: +46 (0)70 672
5208), run by the Karlsson brothers, Lars and Per.
It becomes quickly apparent that the
brothers, born and raised in Grebbestad, are
standing on a goldmine. Lars sweeps his
net through the shallow water where their
boat is moored and heaves up six oysters,
each of which could sell for £10 at a top
Stockholm restaurant. When we’re at sea
on their wooden boat Per hands me a knife
and gloves, and teaches me a key life skill. I
make a mess of the first few shells, but the
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