Kaito

In the Midsummer Fest Day we did a sailing trip to Kaito island. Winds varied from light air to gentle breeze, that allowed us to admire and to photograph the view instead of concentrating on sailing only.

Suddenly, when we were making headway slowly, something surfaced close to the boat. At first I thought it would be a snag but it turned out to be something far more interesting. A rare Saimaa ringed seal was following us! He was swimming and diving around the boat for more than 15 minutes, curiously observing our craft. When motorboats passed by he dived until they had got further. He didn’t fear us significantly but swam even as close as 5 meters from the stern. The family was really fascinated! Somehow we felt that that was like a once in a lifetime experience, especially in the southern part of the lake.

In Kaito island there were three other boats celebrating Midsummer but fortunately peacefully. The pier was in a good condition but we couldn’t find a privy. We had a picnic and sailed back to the slipway in a gentle breeze.

What an unforgottable day!