Divers hunt for rare oysters in the Swedish icy region

Lotta Klemming decided to give up a career in fashion to pursue oyster diving and never felt any remorse.
In a small boat across the frozen waters of the Grebbestad Islands, Sweden’s west coast, Lotta Klemming walks past mist-covered rocks in search of the perfect spot to hunt for ‘local delicacies’ .

The Swedish Archipelago is home to the wild Ostrea edulis, an oyster whose size and taste is different from other farmed species. Since the 17th century, connoisseurs in Sweden have preferred, hunting oysters in this cold area to serve on the king’s banquet tables. Divers hunt for rare oysters in the Swedish icy region Klemming, 31, is one of the few divers in Sweden working in the icy waters, preparing enough diving gear to collect these 11cm-sized oysters. Sitting in the boat, to cope with the cold Swedish weather, the diver fitted a heavy fur cap down over his long hair, wearing thick wool gloves outside. Klemming and her father, also a diver, Peter, anchored the small boat in the shallow water next to a cliff, checking the air tank before jumping into the water. “Oysters Ostrea edulis has a very strong flavor, unlike other oysters. The unique flavor of the oyster can be best paired with ale or a stout,” Lotta Klemming said. After filling a few baskets, the couple boarded a boat, speeding back to the diving house in the village of Grebbestad. Klemming unloaded the oysters and took them on board to a nearby beach to clean and pack them carefully before selling them to restaurants in Stockholm, Gothenburg. Each oyster usually costs about 7 Euro equivalent to more than 190,000 VND. The woman grew up in a village on the coast near the Norwegian border, where her father and uncle worked as a diver. Before that, she had never intended to join the family business. After going to the city, to pursue a fashion career in Gothenburg, she missed this archipelago so much that she decided to return and try diving 6 years ago. “As a young woman today, you grew up in a world full of judgment and you constantly feel, for myself at least, I feel constantly judged,” Lotta Klemming said. But this is really the opposite here, no one will judge me for such looks. ” Klemming revealed she is currently the only woman to dive for oysters in Sweden. Although the epidemic had a huge impact on the business, as oyster restaurants ordered few orders, she had no plans to leave. Standing on Grebbestad’s foggy dock, Klemming says, “What I always wanted to do every week is dive. You can compare this routine to yoga or meditators.”