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A paddling guide by Olle Persson, shared by Långholmen Kajak – the Swedish part of Northkayak. This post continues Paddling in the Åland Archipelago around Mariehamn.
From Kobba klintar, a former pilot station at the entrance to Mariehamn harbour, you can watch the big ferries come in from the open sea. On the way you cross two shipping lanes, so keep a good lookout and get out of the way in time. The route takes you through an exciting archipelago of open bays and tight, narrow channels between the skerries – ideal kayak country, too narrow in many places for larger leisure boats. A perfect day trip.
From the floating jetty in Lervik, paddle straight south through the channel into Styrsöfjärden, turn right (to starboard) and pass through the strait between Styrsö and Svinö. Follow the outer side of Styrsö south. Along the southern part of the shore there are two small islets; you can pass inside the northern one through a narrow channel. Ahead of you now lies the wide, open Korsfjärden. Cross it heading south-west towards Äskskär and round it on the south side through a narrow passage. Round Vattskär on the north side and Ärtskär on the south side. From here you can see Kobba klintar ahead – in fact a cluster of small skerries with narrow passages, rocks and shallows between them. At the northern end there is a small, well-sheltered harbour where you land by kayak. There are tables and benches for a break, and a café in summer.
On the way back, round Yttre Korsö on the south side to avoid the wake from passing ferries. Paddle up towards Jungfruskär, where you can rest at tables and benches on the west side of the island. Jungfruskär has one of the largest stands of yew in the Baltic Sea region, and a nature trail leads through it. Cross Korsöfjärden again and follow the west side of Svinö if no ferries are approaching and the weather is calm. Otherwise, paddle back the way you came into Styrsöfjärden and follow the east side of Svinö back to the start.
Kobba klintar: the pilot station was established in 1862 and manned until 1972. The old pilot cottage dates from 1862 and the newer pilot house with its foghorn from 1910. On the balcony of the pilot house, a wooden statue of a pilot by the artist Juha Pykäläinen gazes out to sea, and on a rocky knoll nearby a painter stands at his easel, painting the view.
In calm weather you can make your way out to the outermost skerries of this archipelago. The solitude, the exposed location, the open sea and the barren islands make for an overwhelming nature experience, and the birdlife at Båtskären alone is worth the trip. You can start from Lervik or launch at Dragsvik on the south-western tip of Järsö, which halves the distance.
From Lervik, follow the west sides of Styrsö and Nåtö. Note that a busy small-boat channel runs here; larger vessels are uncommon but do occur. After Gåsö, head towards Idskär and Gloskär, where there are several good places for a break. Via the small island of Fjärdskär, cross Nyhamnsfjärden to Nyhamn, where there are fine rock slabs to rest on along the north side. The strait between Södra Nyhamnsklubben and Nyhamn gives shelter from many wind directions, and a narrow, shallow passage here is just passable by kayak. Just before the passage there is a sandy beach on the right – sheep graze here, so try not to disturb them.
The crossing to Båtskären passes a shipping lane used by the large ferries, so keep a lookout and get out of the way in good time. Long before you arrive you will see a tall tower on Båtskären – a remnant of the mining that once took place on the islands. Lilla Båtskär was also home to the Nyhamn pilot station. Today there are no permanent residents, but several large wind turbines are visible from far away and make good landmarks. Stora Båtskär can be tricky to land on, while Lilla Båtskär has a proper harbour on the north side and is much easier. The birdlife around Båtskären is intense, with large breeding colonies of guillemots and razorbills. Return the same way, or for some variety paddle south of Askö through the Pungö strait.
Routes with open crossings and ferry lanes call for a seaworthy sea kayak, a well-fitting buoyancy aid and a spray deck that keeps the waves out.
Text: Olle Persson
