Swimming out of the Saimaa Lake – not quite…

2nd – 4th of July.

On planning our way back towards the Saimaa canal, we decided the make the best of the exceedingly warmer and warmer weather (30ºC+) with beautiful sunshine and go for remote and secluded anchorages rather than harbours on our way back. Two out of three were fabulous, the third one was an experience not to be repeated. It looked beautiful on the map and in the pilot book, although I was a bit worried about the size on the map. We made our entry only to discover that you couldn’t literally “swing a cat” in it, not even to think about Easy Rider on an anchor chain. A couple from a motor boat having their quiet romantic BBQ took refuge on the rocks when they saw us entering the little bay, probably concerned for their vessel. Weighing our anchor quickly, we discovered one or two uncharted rocks, which gently but sternly reminded us of the Finnish under-water characteristics.

Runasaari (61º35,9N;28º26,5E) 38 miles south of Savonlinna and Satomassaari (60º57,7N;28º33,10E), a further 25 miles towards the Saimaa canal were absolutely outstanding and even seduced Madeleine to have a few swims around the boat and the bay at a lovely water temperature of 19ºC. Who could have thought that the water temperature would go from freezing (still in May) to 19ºC in two months!

Just now, we are at the Nuijamaa border crossing area and awaiting our customs clearance on the 5th of July at 06.30, surrounded by the laughter of a group of children swimming in the warm waters of the Nuijamaa Lake. Apart from that nothing is really happening and we are not allowed off the pontoon… so at least Stephan was trying to be helpful and took the mooring lines of a cargo ship which was coming to the pontoon for custom clearance. All the boats we encountered on our return in the canal were Russian pleasure craft.