Sketching Minesweepers in Malmö Harbour
Malmö, March 4th 2018
Last weekend I was sketching Minesweepers in -2°C at Malmö Harbour. All in all thirteen warships from six nations were moored at Kolkajen (the old Coal Warf) preparing for their annual joint drill to remove World War II mines that are still lurking on the bottom of Öresund. Öresund is a narrow strait between Sweden and Denmark that is the gate to the Baltic Sea. I read in the paper that they estimate 175 000 mines were placed here during the war and there might be about 10-15% left on the bottom.
Since it was so cold I had planned to sketch from inside the car. But I couldn't get a good angle when I parked, so no excuse... out in the cold to make a quick ink sketch and get back into the car to defrost. Fortunately the weather was calm, and that is pretty unusual for windy Malmö. Ice were hanging from the anchors and the sides of the ships. Some other curious visitors were passing by.
The car hood worked fine as a table for my water bottle. Quickly I realized a plastic watercolor box would be much more practical than my metal box. A pilot were passing by a few times breaking up the ice on the surface of the basin. I had to add that as I colored the sketch. My colors went frostbitten and left cool patterns on the shipsides of my sketch.
When waiting for the first wash to dry and trying to get some blood back into my finger I realized the warehouse belonging to the company I work a was right across the basin. Go figure. I have been there a few times but never on this side.
I left as the sun were setting and the commander called out orders to take down the flags. All at the same time. Here is a photo from the end of the basin before I left. There were two more ships to the right outside the picture. Early next morning this warf would be empty again.
Last weekend I was sketching Minesweepers in -2°C at Malmö Harbour. All in all thirteen warships from six nations were moored at Kolkajen (the old Coal Warf) preparing for their annual joint drill to remove World War II mines that are still lurking on the bottom of Öresund. Öresund is a narrow strait between Sweden and Denmark that is the gate to the Baltic Sea. I read in the paper that they estimate 175 000 mines were placed here during the war and there might be about 10-15% left on the bottom.
Since it was so cold I had planned to sketch from inside the car. But I couldn't get a good angle when I parked, so no excuse... out in the cold to make a quick ink sketch and get back into the car to defrost. Fortunately the weather was calm, and that is pretty unusual for windy Malmö. Ice were hanging from the anchors and the sides of the ships. Some other curious visitors were passing by.
The car hood worked fine as a table for my water bottle. Quickly I realized a plastic watercolor box would be much more practical than my metal box. A pilot were passing by a few times breaking up the ice on the surface of the basin. I had to add that as I colored the sketch. My colors went frostbitten and left cool patterns on the shipsides of my sketch.
I left as the sun were setting and the commander called out orders to take down the flags. All at the same time. Here is a photo from the end of the basin before I left. There were two more ships to the right outside the picture. Early next morning this warf would be empty again.
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