Where the river meets the sea - Kalix

w h e r e t h e r i v e r 6 m e e t s t h e s e a
w h e r e t h e r i v e r 7 m e e t s t h e s e a
t h e r i v e r is the lifeblood of Kalix, brimming with vigour and vitality. For thousands
of years it has given generously of its riches and it has become a natural part of our
everyday lives. For centuries the river was the
chief means of travel, winter and summer alike.
Pioneers trudged across the thick ice in their
search for freedom and their own wee bit of
land. Timber was floated from vast forests all
Kalix River is also famous for its f i s h i n g . There is an abundance
of grayling, charr and trout. And naturally plenty of perch and
more than just a few pike. But the greatest challenge has always
been the salmon. Every June, around midsummer, they run up
the river from the sea on their way to the spawning grounds.
In former times every village along the river had its own salmon
fishing rights – of great importance for the villagers’ sustenance.
Grayling tastes best when you
catch it yourself.
At Vassholmen, where timber was sorted back in the days
of rafting, peace now reigns.
the way downstream to the log sorting station
by the sea.
Today, sport fishing dominates and attracts enthusiasts from every corner of the globe
on their quests for exhilarating fishing duels in the river’s foaming rapids.
The forest and its timber have always been important for Kalix. A natural resource
that we treat with great respect and understanding.
f o r e s t r y and wood processing, sawmills
and joinery shops play a decisive part
in the welfare of the community still today.
Rafting workers at the Korpikå dam in the 1930s.
We ought to mention l o g g i n g and rafting. A racy,
colourful epoch that lived on right up until 1977. The log
sorting station on Vassholmen island, just before the river
meets the sea, was the destination for all the timber rafted
on the Kalix River. During the 80 years the business operated
High technology and impressive craftsmanship
turn our northern timber into first-class building
materials and modern, Scandinavian furnishings.
Trees grow slowly here, to become raw materials
of the highest quality.
on Vassholmen, thousands of people from the entire river valley worked together sorting
hundreds of millions of logs. Why not take the ferry Lill-Emma to the historically and
culturally interesting Vassholmen and learn more about the logging epoch.