Berntsson the Electrician

Like many young boys who grew up on the west coast of Sweden, Gustav Berntsson dreamed of becoming a fisherman.

His mother passed away when he was just six years old and fishing became a welcome escape from reality.

But Gustav never did turn his hobby into a career. Instead, his working life began right here at Lyckans Slip boatyard, where he laboured for three years from the age of 16, making just a few pennies an hour.

In 1940, Gustav got a job at the island’s power station and, when the electricity company’s local operations manager passed away just a few years later, it was decided that Gustav should be sent to Stockholm and train to take over. His new role was to keep him very busy.

Whenever there was a power cut on the island, people would call Gustav’s wife Evelyn, who’d send her husband out to find out what had gone wrong. During stormy weather (a frequent occurrence out here on the coast), the risk of power failure was so high that Gustav took to sleeping, fully clothed, on the sofa, ready to rush out the door.

Any spare time was always dedicated to fishing and, once retired, Gustav spent countless hours at sea. He not only made his own nets and lobster pots but also crafted several boats – a skill he picked up here at Slipen.

If the power should fail during your stay, please don’t try to track down Evelyn, just give reception a call.