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Sailing in Turku Archipelago
The Archipelago Sea off Turku in south-west Finland, one of the largest island groups on earth, a maze of tens of thousands of islands and skerries between the mainland and the Aland Islands. Sheltered, almost tideless and studded with natural harbours and guest jetties, it is Finland's finest summer cruising ground, sailed under the pale nights of the northern midsummer.
Why here
The Archipelago Sea off Turku is one of the largest island groups on earth, an intricate maze of tens of thousands of islands, skerries and sounds scattered between the Finnish mainland and the Aland Islands. For sailors it is a rare cruising ground: sheltered water with almost no tide, endless natural harbours and guest jetties, and in high summer nights that barely darken, so you can carry on under a pale midnight sky. It is also a demanding piece of pilotage, a puzzle of rocks and narrow channels that rewards careful chart work, which makes it satisfying rather than a simple point-and-go. From Turku or the archipelago bases you can island-hop for a week, tie up at a fishing village or an empty rock, swim, sauna and sail on. Local charter operators offer boats bareboat for the experienced or skippered if you would rather learn the water from someone who knows it.
Best months
The sailing season is short and concentrated, roughly June to August, with the warmest, brightest weeks around midsummer when the light lasts almost around the clock. Winds are usually moderate, but the archipelago is intricate, shallow and rock-strewn, so navigation is the real challenge and a detailed chart and plotter are essential. There is effectively no tide. Book charters well ahead for the July peak; skippered options suit those not yet ready to pilot the rocks alone.
Getting there & around
The Turku archipelago fans out west and south from Turku, which has an airport, ferries from Stockholm and a fast train from Helsinki. Charter bases are spread through the Archipelago Sea, including Dalsbruk on Kimito island, an hour or two from Turku by road. Provisioning is easy in Turku and at larger island villages, thinner further out, so stock up before heading into the skerries. A skipper can be arranged for crews without archipelago experience.
Skill levels: intermediate, advanced
Schools & guides (1)
Midnight Sun Sailing
OutfitterMidnight Sun Sailing, trading as Sail-A-Round Oy and run by Hannu Pahtu, has chartered yachts in the Turku archipelago for more than 25 years. Its fleet of sailboats and motor yachts runs from about 26 to 57 feet and is offered bareboat, or skippered for those without the miles, from several bases in the Archipelago Sea including Dalsbruk. The cruising ground is one of the world's largest archipelagos, between Turku and the Aland Islands.