Hiding a powerstation

On the Ertholmene islands every modern thing like power is hidden or integrated into existing structures. This is the look of the building housing both the power station, toilet and bathing facilities for both campside and sailors – even the people in the small huts use the facilities here

The “vagten” building on Christiansø

Watercolor and text by Frits Ahlefeldt

It was late that night, we had been up for hours longer than normal as the old fishermen had been playing live music all had been dancing and talking. Now we were heading for bed, but first we had to brush our teeth and get all ready. All this takes place in “vagten” a large yellow building that houses both washrooms and toilets.

It is not a long walk from the tent and to the building, we follow a narrow footpath and then a wider pebble path towards the small village around 200m. away. It seems longer. Everything seems longer here, stretched and you forget have micro small everything is.

Walking along the path we face the 200 years old lighthouse, up the top of the huge round defence tower called “large tower” My daughter takes my hand and look down. several frogs and toads are out in the warm night looking for insects and we need to be careful not to step on any of them. We can still hear the music playing and people singing along to the old songs.

Looking up it is the most amazing star filled sky, can even see the milky way stretching above us.

So many times we have made this walk, it is how the day starts, and how it ends, heading up to the large yellow building with the weak hummer in the background from the powerstation at the other end of it, giving power to the small village and the lighthouse

See all watercolors from my Christiansoe collection here

keywords: Ertholmene, Christiansoe, Christiansø, Baltic sea, architecture, buildings, art, akvarel, Denmark