Wednesday 20th April - Scandinavian Silver Eel

Early start for Hakan and I , on the road at 8am heading down to Helsingborg, another 180km.  Got to Helsingborg fine but struggled to find the Eel farm on a huge industrial complex, it had been a few years since Hakan had been there.

After some frantic mobile phone instructions we got there, a more unlikely place for a fish farm you would never see, next to a huge sulphuric acid manufacturing company.

We were welcomed by the Director, Dr Curt Gelin and senior Aquaculturist, Richard Fordham into their spotless offices.  We were treated to a light snack of smoked eel on a sort of Rye bread, a light beer and some much welcomed coffee.  After general introductions we were given a power point presentation by Curt and Richard about their business.  After about and hour we were on slide 3, such was the volume of questions!!!!!!  Curt promptly decided we needed to go to lunch.

Once again we were treated very kindly and had lunch paid for in the local industrial estate cafeteria.  I was quite surprised how tight security was, we had to check in and out with our cards through turn-styles.  After lunch we continued on with the presentation, fascinating stuff, loads of discussion about stocking.

Then it was time for the tour!!!  Curt showed us his on growing tanks, we weren’t allowed to see the weaning as this was under strict quarantine.  Even the lads working on the weaning were not allowed to work on the on-growing side until the all-clear was given after 10 weeks.

The eels were amazing, 80,000 in a 2m tank.  I was able to clearly see the design and function of the tank, Curt was very generous and honest to let me see every detail and take pictures.

The large oval on growing tanks were amazing, with eels of different sizes up to 100g.  What an awesome sight when the feeders went off, the eels were literally “snaking” out of the water to try and reach the food.

After seeing the rest of the rearing unit, the grading devices and filter systems, it was time for us to go.  These people were so kind to give up most of their day to show us around and talk to us so open and honestly.  I will have to write and thank them personally.

So, on the road again, have to drop Hakan off at Lund to get the train back to Stockholm, it has been great to meet him and he has been so kind, then on to Malmo airport to drop off the car.  All was done about two hours later so then it was a case of getting a bus and train across to Copenhagen  to stay at my pit-stop hotel before meeting up with my wife and family who were coming over to join me for a few days in Copenhagen, cant wait, have missed them so much.

Got to the hotel with a shuttle bus at about 8pm, settled in and began to write up notes and continue blog.  Had enough by 9.30 so headed out for a beer.  The only place open was a rather dingy looking bar in full swing on a Karaoke night.  Well settled down in a corner to read my book, Tom Forts “Book on Eels” but the noise was somewhat distracting.

In the end I decided “if you can beat ‘em…..” so I signed up for a song.  After 15mins, Joe the bar man gave me the thumbs up and so I proceeded to belt out a very passable version of  Franky Valli’s “Can’t take my eyes off of you”.  I’d like to think I exited to rapturous applause, high fives and many a back slap but in truth I think I slunk away pretty much anonymously.  Ah well, there goes another career that might have been!!!

Well tomorrow my family arrive can’t wait, then a couple of days sightseeing in Copenhagen.