Hailuoto

Hailuoto [ hɑi̯luɔtɔ ], Swedish KarloE is an island in the Gulf of Bothnia to the west of the city of Oulu. It has a diameter of about 35 km and is inhabited by 989 people (as of 31 December 2012). Hailuoto forms its own community of the Finnish countryside Nordoesterbotten.

The island is about a third bird sanctuary. It can be reached from the mainland by a road network belonging to general and therefore complimentary ferry trip from the harbor Riutunkari in Oulunsalo. From November to April, the lake is frozen and you can go about December to March on an officially audited ice road to the island. Hailuoto is today the only permanently inhabited island north of Finnish Åland, which has no fixed link to the mainland.

The natural vegetation of the island consists mainly of pine and birch trees and is characterized by the very low rainfall (about 300 mm per year ) is quite limited. The light coniferous forests of Hailuoto, however, offer a good ground for natural berries. The pure and because of drought -poor sandy soil plants also allows the growth of lichen.

History

Hailuoto began to form as a result of postglacial land uplift of some sandbanks about 2000 years ago. Was settled that still small island at the beginning of the second millennium by fishermen (Eng. " Strömlingschäre " ) named their new place of residence Haililuoto after the common Fangfischart.

In spite of these separated from the mainland location attracted Hailuoto to new residents with fishing and hunting opportunities in the growing season and the mild, almost frost-free climate. Many new settlers came from the eastern Finnish-speaking areas on the same width, even from White Karelia, where agriculture was often adversely affected by frost.

Until about 200 years Hailuoto was in three islands, the main island of Luoto (German " small island " or " skerry "), which is rich in birds, by Kirkkosalmi (Eng. " Kirchensund " ) separate Hanhinen (Eng. " geese land " ) in the southeast and the sandbar Santones divided in the east. The land uplift has the parts connected so that even Santones, now a promontory, for about 60 years is also accessible at high tide. The Travel Port is now in the eastern tip of Huikku Santones.

On the island was until 1968, the oldest continuously used wooden church in Finland. This built on the site of a medieval chapel in 1620 church with paintings by Christian Will Brandt (1659 ) together with the free-standing baroque bell tower (1760 ) burned down by omission of fire safety rules of tourists. The new modern church ( architect: Matti Aaltonen and Irma ) next to the ruins date from 1972 and was expanded in 2001.

Shipping to mainland

The regular sea between mainland Hailuoto and exists since 1920. At that time the passenger ship HL Hailuoto opened the daily flight to Oulu by the then travel port Ulkokarvo, ie Petsamo in the vernacular also. The crashed several times and once sunken ship was replaced as the main vehicle through the first ferry L / A Merituuli in 1968 and commissioned in 1972 from circulation. Today it is dry in Lumijoki and serves as a summer café.

The present main ferry L / A Merisilta is the third and the successor to the L / A Merilintu. Since 1996, the traveler also serves the ferry side L / A Meriluoto in high season. The ferries are not provided because of the short distance with cabins (except storm cabins) or restaurants, but a stay on deck is possible while driving. On the two ferries is the traveler's freely accessible WLAN panOulu available.

The distance between the passenger ports Riutunkari ( Oulunsalo ) and Huikku ( Hailuoto ) is about 8 miles and the trip takes about 25 minutes. The ferries are free for all travelers. The year-round residents of the island have right of way on the ferry.

Ice road

A rare in Finland special feature is the ice road, which is cleared in winter on the frozen lake between the travel ports of Oulunsalo and Hailuoto. When the ice reaches a certain thickness and load capacity, the ice road for use on public roads will be opened. Other conditions for the opening are the sufficient flatness and tear and water use of the ice surface. During the period of use of the ice road, the ferry runs limited.

The ice road is one - just as the ferry - to the general road network in Finland. Therefore, apply to it the general road law and the traffic insurance. The speed is limited to 50 km / hr. Also, distances between vehicles and the respective maximum permissible weight of vehicles with traffic signs are regulated.

Economy

The residents of Hailuoto work mainly in the service sector and industry, of which the former his season high by about 550 cottages and numerous shorter visits to the island in the summer has. One last big investment in tourism in Hailuoto was the conversion of the pilot station in the western harbor Marjaniemi into a tourist center.

The conventional forms of employment agriculture and fisheries are still operated by about 25 % of the population. The once very important sheep with her big markets but almost completely disappeared. Hailuoto is famous for its pure quality and lichen that is collected, for example, for gunpowder and decorative wreaths.

Approx. 25% of workers are employed on the mainland, where they often also have a second home. The unemployment rate on the island is about 12 %.

Villages in Hailuoto

Järventakusta, Kirkonkylä, Koivukylä, Marjaniemi, Ojakylä, Pöllä, Ulkokarvo, Vaski.

Other islands and islets of the community Hailuoto

Hoikanriisi, Isomatala, Kengänkari, Mustakivi, Santosenkari ( Santos - Hoikka ) Pikku - Hoikka, Ulkoriisi, Ulkolaidanmatala, Väliteonkarit.

Lakes on the island Hailuoto

Haaralampi, Hannuksenlampi, Hannuksenrantalampi, Iso Sunijärvi, Kaakkurijärvi, Kangasjärvi, Kaunislampi, Kestinperä, Kurajärvi, Maasyvänlahti, Mäntylampi, Nuottajärvi, Pajuperänlampi, Pikku Sunijärvi, Pitkäjärvi, Riestenkulju, Simpukkalampi, Syväkulju, Valkjärvi, Ämmänarkku.

Daughter of the island

• Anni Rapinoja, ( b. 1949 ), Finnish artist

Lighthouse Marjaniemi in Hailuoto (1871 )

Old ship travel HL Hailuoto

Ferry Merisilta

In addition to ferry Meriluoto

Coniferous forest with lichen in Hailuoto

New Church of Hailuoto (1972 ) after removal

Old wooden church burned Hailuoto (1620 ), 1968

Building of the youth association in Hailuoto (1923 )

Sources / Links

• English-language information of the region
• Finnish side
• Images from Hailuoto by Matti Grönroos