Phew! Finished! But it was fun and gave energy. I’m writing a blog post of all swims, but first I edited a short video of the last swim. Lake Iso-Melkutin is a green and clear wilderness lake. Visibility 4-8 m depending on season.
There’s ice cover on lakes now – so it’s perfect time to think back last summer’s swim tour in July! After saying goodbye to Samuli in the Arctic Circle, I flew back to Helsinki with Jonathan. And then Tuomas, a marathon-swimming pioneer in Finland, picked us from the airport and we drove to Padasjoki by Lake Päijänne. After almost two hours’ ride (160 km), we met Paula and Ismo, who welcomed us to the beautiful location of Villa Takila holiday apartments. Wow! … Read More
After walking the trail around Lake Iso-Melkutin with my friend and having a quick dip in the lake, I had to come back for a longer swim. Iso-Melkutin is nice, green and clear ground water lake not so far away from my home. There are no summer cabins, no motorboats and it feels like there’s only wilderness around you. But there’s a sports aviation centre nearby the lake, but somehow the whole area is tranquil. Lake Iso-Melkutin is divers’ favourite spot, it’s … Read More
May was extraordinary warm in Finland, so I was lucky to be able to enjoy swimming without a wetsuit almost the whole month. I swim also in winter, so I’m familiar with cold water. But it was so wonderful to swim a bit longer (than just to dip) in sunny weather and warm waters in May! I didn’t bother to stress about blogging. So I kept lines short and hoped photos and videos gave some sense of the swimming locations … Read More
I had a nice evening swim at my home lake, at Lake Lohja. Lake Lohja offers great locations and sceneries for open water swimmers. Four years ago I started to invite people to Lake Lohja to swim with me and things evolved in direction that last spring I started a business called Swimming Holidays in Finland. I hope more people find they way to swim in this wonderful lake and of course in many lakes and ponds around Lake Lohja … Read More
We have early and incredibly intense bloom going on in Southern Finland due to unusually warm days of May. Lake Sääksjärvi was covered by pine tree pollen, and it was a bit peculiar to swim in yellow color water. Still the water of Sääksjärvi was clear, I could easily see the bottom of the lake. And pollen didn’t hinder in any way. Actually it was fun to swim 1,5 K in 18 °C yellow water with my training pal Tuomas. Location: Sääksjärvi, … Read More
Water temperature was 20,5 °C this evening in Lake Alasjärvi. I’m totally spoiled! Weather has been unusually warm most of the time since beginning of May. Lake Alasjärvi is dark, rich of humus and absorbs sunlight and warms up quickly. I had a nice 1 K evening swim. There were children on the beach swimming and angling, also enjoying the exceptional warmth. Location: Alasjärvi (1,2336 km²), Tervakoski, Janakkala
It was a very special swim with my daughter by the Olympic Pool in Hämeenlinna. We had brand new wetsuits and goggles and they proved to be just awesome. Water in Lake Ahvenistonjärvi was green and very clear, typical to kettle hole lakes. Water temperature was around 13 °C. Before swimming we walked along a nature trail around the lake (2K). Ahvenisto Park, which was build for modern pentathlon in Helsinki Olympic Games 1952, has olympic sized outdoor pool just on … Read More
Kaitalampi is very popular among open water swimmers. It’s 0,2 km narrow and 1,3 km long pond. Quite peaceful, very beautiful and only 25 km from Helsinki. I planned to swim longer, and water being 14 °C, I borrowed my friend’s wetsuit and felt anguish wearing it….A Canada goose followed us, when we headed to the other end of the pond. She was just curious, not at all aggressive. Lucky us. There are buoys for swimmers and so Kaitalampi is … Read More
Today was the official opening of open water swimming season. Every spring Helsinki-Uusimaa region has a week-long campaign to promote open water swimming and to inspire people to enjoy lovely waters we have in the area. It was the warmest and sunniest campaign start this far. Water temperature in Lake Lohja was astounding 20 °C! All week of sunshine has done its job. First-time-this-spring swimmers took their wet suits off, when they realised water temperature. I had a short swim … Read More