Helsinsky: Urban Swimming Holes, Lakes, Beaches & Islands
This article is part of a series ”My Helsinsky and then some. Or why city-dwellers rarely if ever bother finding out what their city really has to offer besides the downtown core.”
Urban Swimming Holes, Lakes and Beaches
Jakomäki Rock City
Jakomäki sand pits are human made projects that ran out of purpose some time in the last few decades. Luckily, though, since now they function as ad hoc swimming holes – for dogs, too (and of course you can try getting your kitten to have a dip as well – I just don’t think s/he’ll agree much).
It’s all ground water – I’m told – so if you happen to be – or know – one of those bacteria fearing freaks, then here’s a chance to plunge into the most pristine waters known to man: it just ain’t gonna get any cleaner than this – on any place on Earth.
Pretty nice locality in itself, too, in case you aren’t that keen on swimming. Or even if you are but can’t appreciate – shall we call it – refreshing water temps. But then again, is there honestly anything better than a dip in cool waters when the outdoor temps promise bush fires?
Not far off is a genuine bog, mire, swamp or whatever you prefer calling a particular parcel of land that tends to be more often wet than dry.
In fact why not do them both? First experience the warmth, then the coolness right afterwards?
Kaitalampi – Seasons in the Sun
One of my all-time favorite places to swim – pretty much anywhere. And on top of that there are plenty designated spots where one can cook a meal or just beg for left-overs from other folks’ tasty lookin’ cookin’.
If I had wheels with a motor, I’d probably try to make it my business to have a relaxing morning and evening dip in Kaitalampi – which by the way isn’t really a lake but rather a pretty impressive sized spring.
An excellent place to practice one’s swimming technique, too, since it’s shaped like a 50 meter swimming pool – only it is 10 times or so longer. What’s so great about looking at the same tiles hours on end anyway?
Leave public swimming pools for the young, the elderly and the inexperienced who need the assurance that they will be looked after for in case something should go amiss.
You are a big girl/boy already and should know your limits and swim accordingly. If the water temp seems like too cold for you, you only need to swim a bit harder for a while. Your body will adapt to cool water pretty quickly if you just give it a chance.
Don’t be a cry-baby. Be an example!
Meiko – Sounds of Silence
Well, that moniker only truly stands provided that you are visiting at the right time (tip: wrong time is the time that is right for everyone else) or at least know where to best park your behind.
I don’t think I’ve ever been here and failed to hear a lonely loon’s wailing. If you circle around the lake for a while, you’ll probably get to see it as well.
I’ve managed to swim pretty close to one but that goes without saying of course. :) I don’t know if there are more than just one loon living in these neighborhoods, let alone whether it’s a he or a she. But per my experience they usually are guys who weep after a love lost – probably until the day they die?
Islands
Vartiosaari – An Island in the Sun
The moment when the sun has been kind enough to release the sea from it’s ice cover permanently (well, for a good while at least), when it’s a nice sunny day outside, and when the winds are calm enough, I know it’s time for my annual kayaking trip to Vartiosaari and back. I pack something sweet with me that I can devour later when I reach my special place, or rather, my special view. There’s a bench there where I tend to bask in the sun, trying not to think about anything at all.
Last year dragonflies kept landing on my face probably because I was warm from all the paddling. But that’s where I draw my line. I don’t know and I don’t want to find out either whether they can bite and if so, how hard. This year I spotted a common lizard. I like most thing tiny and this fella sure was tiny. I would have thought that s/he’d be enjoying basking in the sun as well but s/he seemed to be on the roll. I got to watch her/him for a quite some time, though. Probably longest I’ve ever seen one remain in one place in fact.
After eating my blueberry(?) pie I headed back for my kayak and eventually home. I circumvented the island from the south shores on my way to have a quick swim in Marjaniemi beach. The return part of this round trip is usually more adventurous since the narrowish strait between Kulosaari and Laajasalo is almost always sending sloppy waves my way, and the idea of circling Kulosaari from the north isn’t appealing at this point (first paddling session after months of inactivity, remember). The experience afterwards is more or less like you had just returned from a battleground (that’s at least how I could envision it): my heart races like million miles per hour and all my muscles feel like they have absolutely nothing left to give anymore. I know I have my lifejacket on but my brain obviously doesn’t! Can get mighty scary even though the shore is never far off. But you definitely feel alive after that one, I tell ya.
Lammassaari – Dark Island
Another fun excursion if you are paddling, but taking the duckboards from the mainland to Lammassaari and all the way to Kuusiluoto is – I’d argue – even more unique experience. Even when I am kayaking I still prefer using the duckboards method. I just push through the bed of reeds which seems impenetrable but which actually opens to a tiny canal leading to a tiny pedestrian bridge where I park my kayak and step ashore. Then I laze my way to Kuusiluoto and use the pretty run-down small pier to go for a refreshing swim. If I’m lucky a few sheep will keep me company.
– – – to be continued – – –