Nordic Skating in Ice Paradise

Описание: Nordic skating in unbelievably good conditions in the beauty of the Finnish Archipelago which has the most islands in the world. The ice was amazing and the views of the islands of Iniö and Keistiö are very beautiful, especially in sunny weather. The tour was a Nordic skater's dream come true.

The tour took place at 15.2.2021. The morning was cold. We took a one hour ferry ride to the island where we started skating. At the start of the ferry ride, the temperature was -18 degrees Celsius (-0.4 Fahrenheit). 🥶 The temperature rose a few degrees during the ferry ride. The sunshine was already warming at this point of winter. ☀️ In the afternoon, it was only -3 to -1 degrees Celsius (26-30 Fahrenheit). We traveled a distance of 101 kilometers during 7.5 hours, including breaks.

Finding good ice for skating is not that easy. The most perfect black ice is usually formed at the time of year when it snows a lot. It is challenging to find strong enough ice that is not yet covered by snow. Skating on such ice as shown in this video is often preceded by a rigorous community effort in making and sharing ice observations. Each winter offers different ice and snow conditions, making it impossible to predict the optimal time window several weeks in advance. Most of the time, skating opportunities come with a day or two's notice and good conditions usually only last a few days or even less than a day until another snowfall hits.

WARNING! Skating on natural ice outside of maintained tracks can be life-threatening if you don't have the proper safety gear or skills to observe ice thickness and assess safety in ever-changing conditions, or if you're skating alone. The most important safety measure is to skate with other people who can help if you sink into the ice.

The safety equipment for Nordic skating includes:
ice picks/claws, for pulling oneself from the water back onto the ice
ice pole for testing ice strength, sturdier than a regular ski pole (must withstand strokes through thin ice)
throw bag with rescue line that attaches to the backpack's shoulder strap at shoulder height
emergency whistle
dry bag (inside the backpack) that contains a full set of spare clothes; air is left inside the dry bag so that the backpack floats the skater in the water, making it easier to get back on the ice
backpack with crotch strap prevents the backpack from riding up on your back when in the water to take full advantage of the backpack's buoyancy effect
smartphone in a waterproof pouch that can be used to call for help

Nordic skating should only be started in an experienced company that knows how to assess the safety of local ice conditions. You may join your local Nordic skating club and participate in their safety training or look for guided tours from commercial operators.

#nordicskating #retkiluistelu #långfärdsskridskor