Pori and Rauma by boat: the Bothnian Sea coast
Pori and Rauma are the two gateways to Finland's Bothnian Sea coast (Selkämeri). From Pori you cruise from the riverside centre through the Kokemäenjoki delta to the fishing village of Reposaari and past the Yyteri dunes. From Rauma, a fortress island and a lighthouse island are 15–40 minutes away. Both open onto Bothnian Sea National Park, the cleanest sea area on the Finnish coast. The coast is open and shallow, so plan well-prepared day trips and short island hops.
Where can you rent a boat in Pori and Rauma?
On the Satakunta coast, private owners rent out their own boats, usually by the day. Browse what is available on rent a boat in Pori and boats for rent in Rauma. Each owner states in the listing what experience or certificate they require, and some owners can come along as skipper.
6 boat trips in Pori and Rauma
Distances below are rough estimates along the fairways. Always check the route on a nautical chart or a chart app, because the Bothnian Sea coast has plenty of shallows.
1. Pori city centre through the Kokemäenjoki delta to Reposaari
Distance: approx. 15 nm from the Eteläranta guest dock in central Pori; about 1.5–2 hours each way.
The Kokemäenjoki delta is the largest river estuary area in the Nordic countries. Pori's city guest dock at Eteläranta, right in the centre, has 18–20 berths. The river leads out to Reposaari, a wooden-house island village of about 1,000 people with a Norwegian-style church from 1876, a fishing harbour full of trawlers and a fort park (Linnakepuisto). Tie up at Marina Merilokki, a private guest harbour (in Finnish, a vierasvenesatama) with 50 guest berths, 24-hour fuel, a septic pump-out, sauna, showers and a covered waterside terrace.
Tip: The river fairway at Pihlavanlahti has had shallow sections, and the city has marked an alternative route for small boats. Check the current fairway notice on the City of Pori boating page before you set off, and keep to the posted speed limits on the river.
2. Reposaari to Iso-Enskeri and Seliskeri
Distance: approx. 5 nm from Reposaari; 20–40 minutes.
Iso-Enskeri is the largest island in Pori's archipelago and part of the national park. Its shores range from sand to boulders, the interior has old conifer forest and small ponds, and the north-east shore has a "devil's field", a raised ancient beach of bare stones. The jetty is at the south end of the island, reached from the fairway to the west; boats moor to buoys, and small boats can also lie alongside. Nearby Seliskeri has blueberry-rich pine heath and two jetties exposed to southerly winds.
Tip: There are no drinking-water points or rubbish bins on the park's islands. Bring water and take all your rubbish home.
3. Säppi lighthouse island
Distance: approx. 10 nm from Reposaari; 45–60 minutes.
Säppi's white, 28-metre lighthouse was completed in 1873 beside the fairway into the port of Pori. The whole island, with the lighthouse and old pilot station buildings, is classed as a nationally significant built cultural environment, and it is an important resting place for migrating birds. Cruises and guided tours run in summer, and you are allowed to land with your own boat. The harbour is on the west side of the island: approach from the north-west following the leading marks. The jetty has 10–12 guest places, and boats moor with buoys or their own anchor.
Tip: Säppi lies on the open-sea side. Go on a calm day and leave margin for the return trip in case the wind picks up.
4. Yyteri beach from the sea
Distance: approx. 5 nm from Reposaari to the waters off Yyteri; about 30 minutes each way.
Yyteri's three-kilometre sand beach and dunes look especially striking from the water. The beach is part of a Natura 2000 and nature protection area, and the water off it is very shallow. It is a swimming beach, not a harbour, so enjoy the view from outside the swimming area and continue to Reposaari or towards Mäntyluoto.
Tip: Yyteri's sea area has strong and dangerous currents. Do not stop for a swim from the boat in rough weather, and keep well clear of swimmers.
5. Rauma to Kuuskajaskari fortress island
Distance: approx. 4 nm from Poroholma; 15–25 minutes.
Kuuskajaskari is a former coastal fortress about four kilometres west of Rauma harbour. You can walk past barracks, sea-surveillance towers, trenches and four guns, one of which still works. The guest harbour has 40 berths on buoys, and in summer the Wanha Kasarmi café-restaurant and two old military saunas are open.
Tip: From the east the approach depth is only 1.2–2.8 metres. Boats with a deeper draught should come in from the south, where there is more than 4 metres.
6. Kylmäpihlaja lighthouse island
Distance: approx. 6 nm from Poroholma; 25–40 minutes.
Kylmäpihlaja is the outermost of the large islands off Rauma, about 10 km from the mainland on the edge of the open sea. Its square 36-metre lighthouse, completed in 1953, was the last lighthouse in Finland built to be manned; 104 steps take you to the viewing platform. The sheltered harbour basin, about 4 metres deep, has buoy and alongside berths, plus a small-boat jetty just inside the breakwater on the left. The lighthouse restaurant is open from morning to late evening in summer, and with a beach café, saunas and rooms in the lighthouse building it makes a good overnight stop.
Tip: On the way back you can call at Karttu on Reksaari, which has 25 buoy berths and a café-restaurant.
| Route | Distance | Time | Highlight | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pori–Kokemäenjoki delta–Reposaari | approx. 15 nm | 1.5–2 h | River delta and wooden village | A full day, easy start |
| Reposaari–Iso-Enskeri–Seliskeri | approx. 5 nm | 20–40 min | National park islands | Picnics, berry picking |
| Reposaari–Säppi | approx. 10 nm | 45–60 min | 1873 lighthouse | Calm days, more experienced crews |
| Reposaari–off Yyteri | approx. 5 nm | 30 min | Sand beach and dunes | A short scenic loop |
| Rauma–Kuuskajaskari | approx. 4 nm | 15–25 min | Fortress island and sauna | Families, first-timers |
| Rauma–Kylmäpihlaja | approx. 6 nm | 25–40 min | Lighthouse and restaurant | Day trip or overnight |
Rules and safety in Pori and Rauma
- Bothnian Sea National Park: According to Metsähallitus, everyman's rights do not apply as such inside the national park. You may land on the islands by boat and camp for a short time, but avoid bird-nesting skerries in spring and summer, and light fires only at marked fireplaces (during a wildfire warning, only in cooking shelters with a chimney). See the current rules on the Metsähallitus page for Bothnian Sea National Park.
- Nesting season: On Kylmäpihlaja, avoid the northern and north-western parts of the island from 1 May to 15 July. Movement and landing can also be restricted on other islands and skerries to protect birds or seals, so follow the signs.
- Everyman's rights: Outside the park you may boat, swim and stay temporarily, but you must not disturb people's home privacy, for example by camping too close to houses or making noise, and you may not light an open fire on someone else's land (luontoon.fi).
- Shipping: The Port of Pori includes Mäntyluoto, the Tahkoluoto deep-water harbour and an oil and chemical harbour, and the Port of Rauma handles containers, ro-ro cargo, bulk and forest products. Expect large ships on the fairways off both towns. Keep well clear of them, and never anchor where you would endanger traffic on a public fairway (Water Traffic Act 782/2019).
- Shallow water: Land uplift strongly shapes this coast, the national park islands are surrounded by shallow water, and some small-boat fairways to them are marked for only about 1.2 metres. In Rauma, the approach to Poroholma is 2.4 metres from the north but only 1.2 metres from the west. Use an up-to-date chart.
- Toilet waste: By law, a boat with a toilet must have a holding tank that the toilet is connected to. Empty it at a pump-out station, for example at Marina Merilokki in Reposaari or Marina Vista in Rauma.
- Who may drive: Finland has no compulsory boat licence for leisure boats up to 24 metres. However, a motor-powered boat that must be registered (engine of 15 kW or more, or hull of 5.5 m or longer) may only be driven by someone aged 15 or older, and owners may ask about your experience. Read more in our guide to the boat licence rules in Finland. The legal limit for drink-driving on the water is 1.0 per mille (Traficom), and the sea rescue emergency number is 0294 1000.
Best time for a boat trip in Pori and Rauma
The main season runs from June to the end of August. Pori's city guest dock charges fees from early June to the end of August, and Yyteri's swimming season covers the same months. Scheduled boats to Kylmäpihlaja and Kuuskajaskari usually run into early September, and the Kylmäpihlaja restaurant is open through the summer season. The Bothnian Sea is open water, so waves build quickly when the wind rises. Check each harbour's own website for current opening dates.
FAQ
Can I land a boat on Yyteri beach?
Yyteri is a swimming beach inside a Natura 2000 and nature protection area, and it has no guest dock. Enjoy it from the water and go ashore at Reposaari instead.
Where can I stay overnight on a boat near Rauma?
Kylmäpihlaja and Kuuskajaskari both have guest harbours that charge for overnight stays. On the mainland, Poroholma and Marina Vista are about two kilometres from the town centre, within easy reach of Old Rauma, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1991 and the largest uniform wooden town in the Nordic countries.
Is boating on the Bothnian Sea difficult?
The coast is exposed, so waves build quickly when the wind rises, and the water is shallow in many places. Stay in the marked fairways, watch the wind forecast, and choose the nearer islands if you have little experience.
Can I visit Säppi or Kylmäpihlaja without my own boat?
Yes. In summer, scheduled boats run from Rauma to Kylmäpihlaja and Kuuskajaskari, and boat excursions to Säppi and Iso-Enskeri depart from Pori.
Continue north with our guide to the Kvarken archipelago by boat, or head south to the Turku archipelago by boat.
