When walking on the beach, you might stumble upon a bottle that has been washed up on the shore. You will probably pick it up, as you know that beaches should be kept clean, and it stimulates your curiosity, as these bottles sometimes hide unexpected treasures – letters. Those should definitely be read because they might lead to someone in need, waiting to be rescued. Other times, they carry invites to visit, regards to old friends, or function as sort of imaginary bridges between residents of different islands.
In fact, one message in a bottle might even unite nations. The islands of Western Estonia have many incredible places that make you feel as if you are travelling abroad. With one “breath”, you can visit Italy, the Netherlands, Great Britain, Africa, the Caribbean, and Sweden. Those who have once gone to explore the world, will surely agree – there is no place at all like the Estonian islands where different parts of the world all seem to appear together. Whatever you might need, you have right here.
Message found on the mainland coast at Häädemeeste
57º 48´ N, 23º 15´ E
To you, whoever you are that found this bottle – thanks! I have got into trouble at sea and am hoping that someone will find me with the help of this letter. As to how I ended up in this strange place is a long story. I will begin by describing my location.
I woke up on a sandy beach, a completely empty paradise around me. Trees lean out over the water here and there, providing some shade, but other than that, there’s a clear blue sky above me and the weather is hot. When walking around, I got the first sense of the singing dunes. At first, I didn’t realise what it was, but eventually it hit me. I took a closer look at my surroundings and figured I must be on a Caribbean island. I saw some fisherman on the horizon, tried to shout something at them to get their attention, but they were too far away. As I walked along, I found a blue towel with a white cross on the sand, a straw hat, a book, and sunglasses, but their owner was nowhere to be found. I moved on. I tried to yell something at the fisherman again, this time in my flawed Spanish, the fisherman still didn’t hear me. I gave up and stumbled towards the forest – maybe there’s a village there, where I could find something to eat, drink and some help. The silver lining in all this was that I had always wanted to go on a holiday to Latin America – I had never been here before.
Eventually, I discovered a narrow winding road that went up and down through the hills into the unknown. “All roads should lead somewhere. I must simply be patient and carry on,” I thought to myself. After some time, I saw a distant village between the palm trees. Although, now that I think about it, they were pine trees, which seemed odd for Latin America. The village was also funny, as if it was from a different time centuries ago. Something was familiar about it, but I couldn’t quite tell what it was. Finally, the buildings and squealing children reminded me – oh yes, it must be Sweden or Åland. It looked like Bullerby village! There was even a dog exactly like I remember from the books. I found a warm apple pie on the edge of a well, and since I was very hungry, I devoured it. I then continued my journey and waved to a girl in the nearby garden, just as a vehicle stopped next to me. I suppose they thought I was hitchhiking. They pointed to the back of their pick-up truck, and I obediently climbed in. “It will get me somewhere,” I thought. Since I don’t speak Swedish, I didn’t bother explaining my situation.
The men in the truck were in quite an upbeat mood and it seemed like they were either going fishing or coming from the sea. Either way, the back of the truck was full of fishing gear like nets, and it was a comfortable place for me to lie down. The truck had only been driving for a few minutes when we were already at the harbour. There was a lot of bustle, and for a moment it felt like we were in some big city. Taking a closer look, there were only a few men with boxes of fish, a boat was coming in and some twenty locals were waving at it from the quayside. I was so tired from my journey, that all I wanted to do was freshen up, and so I self-indulgently jumped into the water by the beach that was right next to the harbour. I saw some seals further away, their heads curiously poking out of the water. As I swam closer, I realised they were actually mermaids. I was mesmerised and floated in the waves, staring at them while they climbed to the rock shore. “They must have just been girls,” I thought, as I came back to my senses. Local girls climbed over the rocks in the harbour and stepped onboard an odd boat, from which loud music and cheering was coming from. I decided to follow them – surely I would get some help from the crowd. I figured it was definitely Denmark – I had seen those free-spirited Danes before. Luckily most of them speak English.
I climbed out of the water, shook myself dry and got dressed as fast as I could. I was still pulling my shirt on as I stormed towards the boat. I saw the sailor already untying the ropes. It could very well be my only way home! I made it at the last moment. Someone gave me a hand and pulled me in as the boat was already gliding along the water and the harbour grew distant. I was breathless and could only nod to say thanks. They must have noticed my confused state as I was catching my breath, because all of a sudden I was handed the biggest and most colourful cocktail I had ever seen! I took a sip and immediately felt so relaxed that I sank into a beanbag chair. The boat had gathered speed and was now roaming at a fast pace across the smooth water and people on the deck had started dancing. I figured why not just enjoy the ride!
It was a crazy fun trip! We danced, drank litres of water and bright refreshing drinks, tasted delicious snacks, and laughed as if we, the travellers on board, had be hired as the audience of a comedy show. At one point I realised we were heading back to the harbour. I read the harbour sign – it said RUHNU. It took a few moments to figure out what place it could be, but then I got it – it’s that Planet Ruhnu I’ve heard so many stories about! Now it is clear to me that here, “lost at sea” is where I need to stay for a while. So whoever finds this letter – please do not hurry to rescue me! It’s enough if you let my loved ones back at home know that I’m alright and they don’t need to worry. Or, you know what? Tell them it’s great here! I have Ruhnu syndrome and that’s ok.
M.E.
Message found at Tuhkana beach on Saaremaa
Hello, Raul!
What are you doing on Saaremaa? When are you coming over to Hiiumaa? I have already put together a whole programme of what we could do. Come and I will show you the world of Hiiumaa!
Firstly, we could go see Hiiumaa’s Stonehenge. These are actually the stones commemorating an ancient agreement (Põlise leppe kivid) or a place called Otimägi in Pühalepa village. But they are similar to Stonehenge, because they are Estonia’s largest megalithic construction just like the Stonehenge is England’s biggest megalithic construction. No one knows exactly why those stones are here, nor even from what era. Some say that they are from the 2000. However, some believe them to be from the 18th century, from the time of Count Otto Reinhold Ludwig von Ungergn-Sternberg. The villagers were hungry and in need of grain, so they went to ask the count. The count gave them grain, but later said that a pyramid must be built as a sign that the estate is kind enough to share but doesn’t give anything away. It is also thought that it could be a stone grave and that someone has been buried underneath it. I remember how I climbed these rocks as a child, imagining that the straw lying around was human bones. One tale tells the story of how fishermen carried these rocks here to have good luck out at sea. Another story says it used to be a village square where people came together to discuss village matters. But there is yet a third story, which I remember most vividly from my childhood. It says that the Devil didn’t like it that people started building the church at Pühalepa. He wanted to crush it with stones. He started throwing large stones down from the hill at Õunaku, but all of them missed and went past the church. However, his throws were consistent enough for the rocks to land in one place. One thing is sure – it’s generally considered to be a holy place. Last summer, a wedding was held here. The white ribbon is still tied to the sign by the road. I like the idea of a marriage formed in a place like this very much, because what other agreement in life is as profound as marriage.
In the summer, it smells like dry hay here, in spring like cowslips, in autumn of wet soil, and in the winter… well, that depends on the winter. But it’s always fun to climb on the rocks and if you’re not too faint-hearted, bring your kids – they will love it here!
You probably know that Hiiumaa has its own Eiffel Tower. But it also has its own Sahara Desert, Venice, Provence, and church domes. We even have a Grand Canyon, and if we look hard enough, we can probably find a Leaning Tower of Pisa, but I would much rather take you to our Alps instead. Western Estonia’s highest peaks are the Korbi hills at Kõpu. If you love mushrooms, bring a basket with you because you will find them here. Once, we came here on a mushrooming hike with Muku Hiking Club. Hiiumaa’s most famous mushroom expert, Margit Soone, said that there were not many mushrooms, but we still managed to find over 30 different types! If I’m not mistaken, 17 of them were edible. One of them, Birch polypore, was also growing on trees. Previously, I had only seen it packaged up in an expensive way in stores, but here it was simply growing on trees. But the Alps are lovely even when you’re not looking for mushrooms. You simply must wander around. Go up the hill at first, then come down, then climb up almost completely vertically again. Then, walk along the winding road through the forest until you get to a small meadow. From there, you will see the top of Kõpu lighthouse. We can have a sandwich break there. After that, we’ll go downhill again, continue walking a small pathway and then turn right. We’ll end up between ferns that are so majestic they reach your hip. It reminds me of the Amazon rainforest there. We have to walk straight through there, from underneath mossy trees that have been broken down by storms, until we reach another meadow, where greenish-grey mosses and fields of purple heather await. This is the final destination of our hike. I know you don’t know exactly which winding road, narrow pathway, or right turn I mean, but you will find your own. And maybe we will even find a third one when we go together.
You are probably wondering if I’m going to take you by the sea or not. Of course I am. After the Alps, we can go and visit Hiiumaa’s Atlantic Ocean at Ristna. Or Hiiumaa’s Gold Coast at Prähnu. Or even drive to Hiiumaa’s Bali at Tõrvanina. You won’t see a sunset there, but you can see the sunrise. We could set up a tent there, let the morning sun wake us and go swimming in the sea first thing in the morning. I generally don’t like sleeping in a tent, but to wake up to the water shimmering in the sun and the sea calling: “Come dive in!” – that, I love. This beach is very special, because it has what we call “sakkad” – the roots of tree stumps that emerge out of the ground. The forest here almost reaches the sea and at one point, the shore breaks. Every winter, the sea pulls a tree from the shore, but the roots are left in the sand. If you come here with your children, they will enjoy playing between the roots. They are perfect for creating a true secret world! But you must allow them to climb around and get dirty.
These are the plans. What do you think?
I think you should already be on your way!
Best
Piret
Message found at Sõru shore on Hiiumaa
Piret!
I am standing here in Pammana on Saaremaa and I’m looking towards Hiiumaa. How cool it would be if there were a bridge here connecting the two islands. I could always go to Hiiumaa and from there, you could always come to Saaremaa. But there is no bridge. At least not yet.
When was the last time you were here on Saaremaa, anyway? I can’t remember a time we met here. I thought I would try and explain to you how nice it is here. As a side note, I will add that I am well aware that “nice” is what Hiiumaa residents always call the Saaremaa people.
I’m wondering where I would take you if you came here. Of course we could do a traditional “milk round” and visit the Saaremaa tourism holy trinity: Kaali meteorite crater, Panga cliff and Angla windmills. But no. They are all interesting places, yet too ordinary.
Let’s go for a trip around the world. Close your eyes, please.
Think about the Netherlands. Do you see any windmills? Quite close to the harbour to where the boat from Hiiumaa brings you, there are several windmills – Angla windmills. Four of them are gantry windmills, which are common to Saaremaa, but one is an authentic Dutch windmill. By the way, the windmill is one of the symbols of Saaremaa. Only a hundred years ago, nearly every household had their own windmill. Travellers passing through Saaremaa have written about how standing in the middle of an empty field they could sometimes see even twenty windmills at once. Time has not been kind to them though, and now they mostly remain a thing of memories, except for those right here in Angla.
From one islander to another, there’s no point for me to come and brag about our lighthouses to you. But we do have one that is different of the ones you have – a crooked one at Kiipsaare. How crooked you might ask. A little bit like the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy. However, the lighthouse’s position is very much dependent on the sea, because occasionally, the lighthouse can straighten out completely. Kiipsaare lighthouse is located at the tip of the Harilaid peninsula, and you need to take a little walk on a beautiful pathway to get there. The sound of waves in your ears and greenish-blue sea around you make it feel as if you were walking around by the Mediterranean Sea somewhere – only slightly more beautiful. I know that you have already thought “oh, these nice ones – as you refer to us Saaremaa people – building a lighthouse in the middle of the sea”. It seems unbelievable, but only a several decades ago, Kiipsaare lighthouse was standing on solid ground. Nature has simply worked its way around it.
When we hike back, try and slide your foot across the hot sand at Haagi Lõugas. Can you hear the sand singing? You can find the same kind of sand on the Nida peninsula in Lithuania, at Dueodde beach on Bornholm or… at Luidja on Hiiumaa.
When it comes to songs and singing, Saaremaa has a funny story. Most Finns think that Saaremaa’s most famous song, “Saaremaa Waltz”, is of Finnish origin. That’s because when the famous Estonian opera singer Georg Ots performed it in Finnish 70 years ago, it sounded so authentic that no one could tell he wasn’t Finnish. When the Iron Curtain fell, people from Finland came to explore Saaremaa and consequently the Finnish tourists of the 90s era were nicknamed “Saaremaa Waltz generation”.
It is also worth mentioning that the author of the lyrics of the waltz, Debora Vaarandi, was, in fact, from Hiiumaa, but she spent her childhood on Saaremaa.
Please also note that if you learn that song and sing it along loudly, we Saaremaa people will accept you as one of us right away. You already have a proper Saaremaa name anyway. Nice!
And those sunsets. Take any tourism catalogue from any corner of the world and you will find that the sunset at Harilaid is in no way inferior.
Saaremaa has its own end of the world as well, you know. A kind of place that if you continued going from it, you would cross paths with nothing else for a while. Eventually, however, you would reach Latvia. That magical place is the Sõrve peninsula. A trace of Kuramaa beach can be seen in the distance. It’s not far, some twenty kilometres maybe. For the ship Suur Tõll, this distance would be nothing. Sõrve peninsula has Estonia’s most visited lighthouse. Its light is the most powerful of any around the Baltic Sea.
You shouldn’t be too surprised if you met the king at Sõrve. No kidding. Half of the Sõrve peninsula is the Torgu Kingdom, which has its own flag, coat of arms, currency, anthem, and a king, of course – His Majesty Kristian I. He is not much different from the monarchs of Sweden or Denmark.
Alright, this Saaremaa joke might cause some confusion, but it’s true that about 30 years ago, the locals used this playful idea of a kingdom in pursuit of serious politics, to draw the Estonian government’s attention to their problems. The kingdom, however, lives on in its own way and it’s fun to think that this is Europe’s easternmost monarchy.
There is another reason for which Saaremaa is special. It’s the fact that we don’t have any mountains, but we do have similar curvy serpentine roads like you could see in Greece, for example. Our serpentines are on flat land. There is an 11-kilometre-long road between Lõmala on Saaremaa’s western coast and Kaugatoma, which has no less than 68 turns! You can walk the distance or ride it by bike, but the most fun way is to drive it. If you get into a good rhythm, it feels like rocking in a cradle – in from one curve, out from another. No wonder that we have a rally world champion, given that basically there is Estonia’s most legendary rally stage in their back yard.
Oh, we have plenty of interesting places! But right now, our time is up.
Open your eyes and come to Sõru beach. I’ll be waving to you!
Raul