Many active members live in Södertälje of course but some has a long way to travel and they are indeed valuable to us.
The Perssons. Bengt "Cello" Persson joined the society in 1980. We were short of engineers as usual and somebody phoned Cello, he arrived, had a crush course on the engine and worked as an engineer the next day. And he still does. He works as a music teacher (on the cello!) north of Stockholm and does time as a stoker and engineer on several steamers around Sweden. He also instructs new engineers, even for Ejdern. Annika joined us some 7 years later and 1988 they fell in love and were married on Ejdern a year later. Two years ago their daughter Anna was born and she is now something of a mascot on Ejdern. Annika isn't quite as active as she used to be due to Anna of course. Cello and his family has to leave home the night before, to be in Södertälje in the early morning, as they have 80-100 kilometers to travel and having no car. He combines music and steam in his unique steam calliope.
The veteran from Arholma. Magnus Huldt is one of our most frequent active members, living in the Stockholm archipelago on the island of Arholma. A skipper and a genuine island dweller. Last summer he was 50 and but has already been a skipper on Ejdern for 28 years! For a living he drives big car ferries in the archipelago. He and his wife Agneta live on the island of Arholma since many years and they have a breathtaking view from their veranda. Leisure time he spends driving any of his four boats, working on his property and in his garden or does his duty as a churchwarden on Arholma. We are indeed grateful that Ejdern is included in this tight schedule.
When Ejdern figured in a TV-film some years ago and Magnus was the skipper he was instructed to grow a beard, but in the finished film he was cut altogether. Magnus too has to plan his trips to Södertälje and sometimes he stays the night at his son's place in Stockholm or on Ejdern.
Västerås and Norrköping. Two more skippers, an engineer and two stokers live in different towns 150-600 kilometers away from Södertälje.
