Kayaking on the Archipelago Sea in Finland: Adventure Travel Fun!

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“Just don’t fall in. Don’t fall in.”

The waters were icy cold in defiance of summer as I dipped my feet into the Archipelago Sea and climbed into my kayak. I asked our guide, Benjamin, how many people tend to capsize, and his “oh, about one in ten” response didn’t do much to reassure me. There was no way I was taking a dip in the sea on this chilly summer day.

Kayaking on the Archipelago Sea in Finland: Adventure Travel Fun!
Kayaking on the Archipelago Sea in Finland: Adventure Travel Fun!

My first few minutes out at sea consisted of me giving myself a very serious pep talk while trying not to wobble over the dark waters.

“Just stay centred, don’t be stiff, breathe. You are in control of this. Now just don’t make any sudden movements.”

A kayak compass to point the way in Finland
A kayak compass to point the way in Finland

Despite my lack of kayaking experience (I had only done it once before in the jelly infested waters of Halong Bay in May), I was very excited to be going on a full day island hopping adventure.

The Finnish Archipelago is home to thousands of islands and small islets, so the best way to enjoy the scenery is by hitting the water and skirting around the string of forested islands.

Sheep grazing on an island in Finland
Sheep grazing on an island in Finland

One of the highlights of the excursion was spotting sheep. (Not quite the wildlife I was expecting!) We were greeting with melodic ‘baaahs’ by this flock who seemed undisturbed by our presence. They stared at us as we got of our kayaks to stretch our legs and then continued chewing on grass while they eyed their strange new guests.

The reasoning behind keeping the sheep on small islands is that they can graze freely, but unless they are planning to go for a swim, they can’t really wander off anywhere – and when was the last time you saw sheep going for a swim?

Sheep on an island in the Finnish archipelago.
Sheep on an island in the Finnish archipelago.

The journey from the small seaside village of Kasnäs out to HögsÃ¥ra was very leisurely. Even though we only travelled a grand distance of 4 kilometres to reach our destination, it took us just over 2 hours to get there – that’s almost double the regular pace. I’ll admit I was the one who lagged behind in the trio, but when you’re going to be kayaking for several hours in one day, the best thing you can do is find your rhythm and stick to it. Slow and steady was my motto.

A kayaking trip with Aavameri Open-Air Adventures in Finland.
A kayaking trip with Aavameri Open-Air Adventures in Finland.

By the time we reached HögsÃ¥ra, we were all famished and ready for lunch at Farmors Cafe – a family establishment that specializes in hearty home cooked meals and succulent desserts. We served ourselves platefulls until our stomachs were content and our bodies were…ready for a nap. It was hard pulling ourselves away from HögsÃ¥ra’s idyllic setting knowing we still had a 2 hour journey back to where we had come from, but with the rain coming it was time to slide into our kayaks again.

Sam sea kayaking in the Archipelago Sea in Finland.
Sam sea kayaking in the Archipelago Sea in Finland.

I am happy to say that aside from the light rain that drizzled over us on much of the journey back, I arrived back on land without capsizing, which is more than I can say for Sam over here. You see, just as we were pulling over to the shore, the boy lost his balance trying to climb out of the kayak and made a swan-like exit into the water…

(Whew! So glad that wasn’t me.)

* * *

A few tips for the newbie kayaker:

Bring a change of clothes…just in case you capsize or make a rather ungraceful exit out of your kayak. (It happens.)

Considering wearing a fleece and a windbreaker. Even if it’s summer, the temperature can drop on an overcast day.

Don’t overdo it with the distances. If this is your first time kayaking consider starting out with a half-day or full-day trip as opposed to a longer and far more demanding excursion. It’s not a matter of just getting to your destination; you’ll also need to paddle back and that’s when your muscles start to burn.

Choose the right sized kayak. I didn’t know this before, but kayaks come in all shapes and sizes. The fit should be snug, but you don’t want your legs to be cramped, otherwise they’ll go numb halfway through the journey.

Use proper paddling technique. Your arms shouldn’t be doing all the work, if they are, you will tire very quickly. Twist your torso from side to side when you paddle; by doing so you will be exercising larger muscles in your body, which will keep you going longer.

Sit up straight. Leaning backwards or slouching forward will only limit your upper body’s mobility.

Look out for boats. Be aware of your surroundings and always be on the lookout for speedboats or sailboats that may be out cruising for the day. Sometimes it can be difficult for larger vessels to spot a small kayak.

Kayaking in Finland with Aavameri Open-Air Adventures.
Kayaking in Finland with Aavameri Open-Air Adventures.

A big thank you to Benjamin of Aavameri Open-Air Adventures for taking us kayaking and showing us the beauty of the Finnish archipelago. 

Join the Conversation

26 Comments

  1. says: Mallory

    I’d be scared to capsize in such cold waters too! I’ve been kayaking only once, but it was in a harbor near my home, so I didn’t have to paddle far. I don’t know how my arms would do, but kayaking looks like a great adventure. I’ve never really had Finland (or Scandinavia in general) on my lists of places to travel, but lately I’ve seen so many beautiful pictures, nature-y pictures lately, that I want to be able to make it there someday. Maybe I’d try my hand at kayaking too.

  2. By late summer the waters of the Baltic Sea are generally quite tepid, even warm in the shallows, mostly as there are almost no currents – there is no high or low tide on the Finnish coast. As someone who grew up near the Atlantic in Ireland both the temperature and lack of tides seems exotic to me, also the fact that what is called ‘wind’ here is seldom more than a breeze. Excellent waters for kayaking.

  3. says: Arianwen

    Hahaha. Reminds me of the time I flew over Nazca in a tiny plane and one tough guy kept singing the theme from Apocalypse now and making the rest of us nervous. Guess who was sick into a bag?! Muhahaha. Revenge is sweet!

  4. says: Claire

    I love kayaking – although I have a slight fear of losing control, it’s kind of exhilarating! I’m glad you stayed dry 🙂

  5. says: Mark

    So glad you haven’t capsized and stayed dry the whole activity! And oh thanks for the tips. So bad I did not happen to take your last advice though. I always bump other boats the first time I kayak 🙂

  6. says: Rebecca

    this would certainly be wonderful in the summer time! I must admit I absolutely love Kayaking! doing in jelly infested waters or freezing icey waters however would doesnt sound quite the same as doing it in Greeces summer haha. Sounds like a great day out discovering islands however!

  7. says: Beth

    I absolutely love kayaking, although not too sure I’d enjoy it in freezing water!
    Poor Sam! Hopefully it didn’t take him long to get out of the water.

  8. says: Apol of WanderfulTogether.com

    I still can’t do this or so I think…

    Good job you were successful in not capsizing! 🙂

  9. says: Jeff

    Thanks God you didn’t capsize. If there is something i fear is kayaking. It will take much courage for me to try kayaking hope one day i will.

  10. says: Haley Castle

    Hopefully you practiced a wet exit before you set off! Or at least the theory of it in just in case you happened to be the 1 in 10 that capsize! Otherwise, it looked like a great adventure! I’m glad you got out and tried something new.

  11. says: James D

    Avid kayaker hailing from Los Angeles. A bit of a harrowing experience! Sounds like you got out of it fine and had a great time. Cheers! I always like a bit of fear 🙂

  12. says: Diver S

    Glad you didn’t fall in! But it looks like a beautiful trip. Thanks also for the great newbie kayaking tips. There’s more to kayaking than one might think. Keep the great posts coming!

  13. says: Curtis

    Choosing the right kayak, is indeed a big thing. Some people automatically think they’re going to fall in but a larger kayak can help prevent that–although at a loss of speed. Thanks for sharing this new place for me to add to my map!

  14. says: Gioko Pat

    Good tips for kayaking beginners. As a newbie, I overestimated my prowess once and the ache stayed in my muscles for over a week. That and choosing the right size of kayak should be the main items to consider.

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