The Bay of Bothnia, (in Finnish only) where the Raahe archipelago is located, is described as a unique area, resembling a lake in many respects, for example due to its shallowness. It is very suitable for an inland breeder, for whom the sea was a foreign element for a long time. After one summer of training and numerous falls off the board, I ventured to tour the archipelago on a SUP board. The easiest way was to start by getting around Fanti.
From Pikkulahti around Fanti (about 2.5km)
In the windswept Pikkulahti bay you can often paddle SUP, even if the wind blows in the open sea. I paddle preferably with winds of no more than 2 m/s. There are also those who skip a canoeing trip only when there are speakers, for example. more than 7 m/s. I have chosen the direction of rotation according to the sea breeze and my own wind.
Read a photo story from the trip on the Taipaleita blog (in Finnish)
From Kylmäniemi to Konikari and around Vasikanpää (about 3km)
In Konikari, I have started from either Pikkulahti, Kylmäniemi or Mikonkari. Pikkuinen Konikari is a very nice and easily accessible summer excursion destination with sandy beaches and lean-tos. The north side of the island is inhabited by birds.
When approaching Konikari beach, it is good to pay attention to underwater rocks. The strength and direction of the wind also matter. However, Konikari is so far away from other beaches that I prefer to paddle there in calm or low-wind weather. In winter, Konikari is a popular destination for skiing and walking.
Read a photo story from the trip on the Taipaleita blog (in Finnish).
From Thompson beach around Little Kraasel and Fant (about 6km)
The distance between the outer phant and Little Kraasel is for the most part quite shallow. Pikku-Kraaseli is a cottage island, so there are no hiking structures there. On the far side of Little Kraasel, there are small islands inhabited by birds, which are worth touring from a friendly distance.
Read a photo story from the trip on the Taipaleita blog (in FInnish).
From Lapaluoto to Kumpel and Iso-Kraaseli (less than 4 km)
On this trip I paid the so-called. scholarships. The previous summer I had toured Iso-Kraasel, starting from Maivaperä. However, this time I didn’t understand the number and location of the islands, but I first paddled to Kumpele, thinking I had landed in Iso-Kraasel. I finally came up with the idea of locating my location on the phone’s map.
Starting from Lapaluoto, you can paddle a very large part of the way near the beaches. Random rocks can hit the route. When I toured the whole of Iso-Kraasel, it was the rockiest place on the west-southwest shore. Of course, it also depends on the height of the sea water whether the rocks can disturb you.
Read a photo story from the trip on the Taipaleita blog (in FInnish).
From Pikkulahti around Smit and Ämmä-Äijä (about 6,5 km)
Smitti and Ämmä-Äijä are very sympathetic islands! On this trip, I didn’t manage to find the landing place of Ämmä-Äija yet – but I did see the remains of a shipwreck! It was exciting!
Read a photo story from the trip on the Taipaleita blog (in FInnish).
From Thompson beach around Ämmä-Äija (about 5km)
I made my next trip to Ämmä-Äija starting from Thompson beach. This time I had studied the landing on the island, which is described in the photo story of the trip.
Read a photo story from the trip on the Taipaleita blog (in FInnish).
From Pikkulahti via Kauneuskanava to Kylmälahti, Mikonkari, Konikari and via Preiskarinsalmi back to Pikkulahti (about 10km)
This tour is great! If you don’t visit Mikonkari and Konikari, you can go all the way along the beach. The first time I tried to get around this loop, I accidentally ended up going around Preiskari as well. That trip taught me a lot about the safety of people on the water. You can read more about the topic on the Safely on the Water blog).
Read a photo story from the trip on the Taipaleita blog (in FInnish).
From Thompson beach to Tasku and Smit (just over 11km)
During my third SUP summer, my long-term dream of paddling into Tasku came true. The previous summer, I had encountered a SUP kayaker near the canal who was on his way there. Maybe a trip would be possible for me someday!
The time of the canoeing trip was chosen according to the weather and the route based on staying as close as possible to the island range along the way. You couldn’t have hoped for a better match for choosing a day out! On a calm hot day, the atmosphere in my pocket was in a class of its own. On the way back, I stopped in Smit and stopped by to tour the shores of Kello. A great trip!
Read a photo story from the trip on the Taipaleita blog (in FInnish).
