More Small-Boat Paradises
A few more favorite cruising grounds
Read our original article Small-Boat Paradise here.
Reader Timo Saarinen offered to share one of his favorite spots:
Name of place: Lake Saimaa
Region Location: Southeastern Finland
Best time of year to cruise: June-August
Boats you might see there: mostly motorboats and keelboats
Potential hazards: gusts, rocks
A perfect itinerary: there are too many to list
“Saimaa is an excellent sailing environment for small craft. There are 13,700 islands, offering many destinations for boaters thanks to the Everyman's Right of the Nordic countries. Sandy beaches are fairly common and the water is fresh, which together provide an ideal environment for swimming when the water is warm. For the size of the area, boats are relatively few and far between, providing a tranquil environment, but you don't have to be alone at the popular destinations. Some islands also have a sauna for hire, a luxury on cool days.”
Reader Jim Van Natta revealed, however reluctantly, one of his favorite spots:
“Hmm, my favorite place to sail. I am not hesitating because I’m trying to decide where this is. I know exactly where this location is. I am simply not so sure I want to share my solitude and tranquility with a large boatload of others. OK, I will name and describe it regionally. It is Penobscot and Jericho Bays and their connecting passage of Eggemoggin Reach. These coastal Maine waters are not even much of a secret anyway. Those who have joined or read about the Small Reach Regatta, the Maine Island Trail, taken a class at the WoodenBoat School or simply savored a cone at Stonington Ice Cream Company know the magic of this area.
“The Deer Isle waters offer a true archipelago of public islands, private islands and those in stewardship of land conservation associations. The typical summer sailing day brings up onshore breezes starting about eleven o’clock to noon and offers them into early evening. This is not to say that the breezes don’t ever become strong and that chop doesn’t ever build because they can and do, sometimes quite suddenly. Fog is a definite possibility on humid days and I recommend a GPS and a good compass and charts. As well these will stand you in good stead to avoid sunken ledges and sandbars. I would also caution about tidal currents in some locations. I am not saying that they are ripping through but you could well find that you are making less headway over ground than you thought the winds would drive you. Lobster boats can trail sizable wakes and although the captains are generally courteous of small boaters, they are after all, working for a living and need to do their job with efficiency. I always give them sufficient room to work.
“I sail these waters in my self-built 17 foot, W17 class Trimaran named Merlin. I have a very efficient rig with a number of options for quickly reducing sail. Her fine sharp hulls deftly slice rather than plow through chop. My self bailing cockpit offers assurance that should a wave top make its way into the cockpit, which is very rare, it will drain out quickly. I value the stability of the 14’ over all beam. Shallow water sailing is no problem with a kick up rudder and a retractable daggerboard.
If you make your way out the coast of Maine to Penobscot and Jericho Bays I truly hope you share my awe and wonder of these waters and discover a few of its secrets places. Just don’t tell anyone else.”
Reader Stan McCall has a favorite spot as well: “I live in Hamilton Ontario and sail Lake Ontario but Lake Ontario is not good for small boats. There are not enough protected anchorages.
“My favorite place to sail is the eastern shore of Georgian Bay. There are lots of places to put your boat in all the way from Honey Harbour in the south to Brite in the north. There is lots of options where to anchor and lots of inlets to explore .
“I like to sail Sept & Oct. There are less crowded anchorages and the farther north you go the more isolated it is. At that time of year there are no black flies or mosquitoes.”•SCA•
Feel free to share your favorite regions or cruising grounds
Timo is absolutely correct. Finland is a wonderful place for small boats because it boasts over 100,000 lakes to row, paddle, or sail. Personally, I prefer Lake Lummene near Kuhmoinen for paddling and rowing. Crystal clear water, totally surrounded by forests, and quiet as a church mouse. Kuhmoinen also has a good harbor on Lake Paijanne.
I was interested in Timo’s mention of “Everyman's Right of the Nordic countries” so I looked it up.
For anyone else unfamiliar, from visitfinland.com:
“In Finland, nature is both wild and free. The law allows anyone living in or visiting Finland the freedom to roam the countryside, forage, fish with a line and rod, and enjoy the recreational use of natural areas – respectfully, of course. This is known as “The Everyman’s Rights,” or Jokamiehen oikeudet.”
What a great cultural principle!