11.9.08

Locality 16 (Arendal) Tree swing

Our expedition along Nidelva uncovered the remains of an interesting site. Not far from the outlet of the river at Hisøya, a tree swing had been mounted next to a small pristine beach. Our footsteps seemed to be the first ever, and there were no signs of native tribes.

Access to mount the swing was provided by a series of wooden steps assembled in the tree trunk. Some of the steps showed signs of wear and had clearly not been maintained since they had been constructed.

The site closely resembled the hidden-away look out sites known from Edgar Rice Burroughs' books on Tarzan. Concealed in the foliage, a person could keep a close watch on his surroundings, diving into the river at will to save a drowning virgin.