August is usually crayfish season in Norway and Sweden. It’s when people can attain a license and catch crayfish in certain freshwater lakes. Last summer, we did just that and spent some magical time in Landfalltjern (lake) until past midnight. The next day, we took the road and visited the biggest inland fort in Norway, the Høytorp fort in Mysen, built between 1912-1918.
Crayfish, or kreps, aka crawfish, is popular summer delicacy in Norway and Sweden. It’s normally boiled quickly, 5-8 minutes, in water with salt, beer and dill (hubby’s recipe)! Then, it’s cooled down, and eaten with fresh lemons and mayonaise. Crayfish is much more smaller than lobster, and thus, fun to catch!
It was our second time to do crayfish hunting. It’s a different lake this time, and we were hoping to have the same luck as a few years back. Obtaining the license was easy using the mobile phone. There were patrols controlling the area when we arrived, reminding the enthusiastic catchers to let crayfish smaller than ca 10 cms go back in the water. It was also still a bit light, although it was past 9pm, one of the things to love with Norwegian summer!
Around midnight, it became pitch-dark. We moved several times around the lake, setting up bait (loose cod on sticks) in the water. It’s important to gather these sticks again when you leave, by the way! After a few minutes, crayfish were seen munching on the fish. Our fishing nets were ready!
It was really a magical moment, as I remember it.. Billions of stars in the sky, and the silhouette of the trees was surreal! Small headlights helped in seeing the tricky crustaceans. There were also a group of teens who came to the lake to swim and, well, have fun. We didn’t really bother each other much.
We didn’t catch as much as we did before – and we let many small ones go. What we had in our bucket was just enough for a small meal, but it’s okay. There’s always next summer 🙂 They’re so pretty when they turn orange.
The next day, we were blessed again with a beautiful sunny day. So, we went eastward and visited Høytorp fort. i don’t really remember much about it now (7 months later), except that there were buildings, old cannons, and some ruins.
To cap the day, we crossed the Swedish border and had some pizza. 🙂
Oh, I can’t wait to see where our feet and wheels will lead us this summer. 🙂 This is all for now! Happy weekend! #spreadloveandpositivevibes
ALL PHOTOS AND VIDEOS ON THIS BLOG ENTRY ARE MINE. (c)
PinayOdyssey 