When Finnish coastal life and archipelago is addressed, then mostly summers on Åland, in Turku archipelago and Hanko are talked about. These destinations are by the southern parts of the Baltic Sea, close to capital Helsinki and former capital Turku. But the coast of Finland does not end there, it continues all the way to the northernmost point of the Baltic Sea, where the land border of Finland and Sweden meet.

Let’s discover the arctic coast of Finland! We begin our journey by Kvarken Strait. One landscape feature which is recognizable on the arctic coast is the land rise. At UNESCOs World Heritage Site Kvarken Archipealgo the land rise can be seen at its clearest. However, as you travel up the coast, you can continue following the signs of land rise.

Along the coast of northern part of the Baltic Sea, i.e. Bothnian Bay you find much more than the land rise. Old wooden towns telling the story of seafarers, merchants, and the tall ships era. There is a living fishing culture and a history of seal hunting. Here in the north the seasons and nature have challenged the inhabitants through times. The freezing sea affected fishing methods and catch but enabled seal hunting. The light summers gave longer working hours and the coast is dotted with agricultural farms. The trade routes along the coast – on sea and land made many arctic coastal towns flourish as tar producers and shipyards.

For us coastal arcticity is a mindset that comes from living with the elements. Throughout times the lifestyle of the arctic coast has been marked by the rhythm of the seasons. The winds are cold, the winter storms are rough, but the beauty of a frozen sea is unparalleled. The snowless season is long, the summer days seem endless. Then we admire the best sunsets of the Nordics and roam long sandy beaches living a summer life. Before the snow comes, a deep, velvety darkness wraps the surroundings asking people to let go and relax. Luckily the Nothern Lights visit the arctic coast from time to time and we enjoy them double as they mirror on the sea. The ever-changing amount of light and darkness energizes and calms us. Coastal arcticity is slowing down, enjoying the present moment, embracing, and loving elements of every season – as we coastals have always done.