Bucket List: Sailing across the Baltic Sea

Finland & Estonia, Gulf of Finland, Baltic Sea

The ocean has more often than not, invoked a sense of romance (travel-wise) for me. And for someone who was born and grew up in a part of the world near the equator and in South-East Asia, the northern seas of Europe are often seen as exotic and exciting.

Thus, when I was planning a trip to Finland for spring of 2017, I just could not resist including a short sailing trip across the Baltic Sea, just for that personal vanity of checking off another item on my travel bucket list. Besides the bucket list tick, of course I did get to visit Estonia as well and walked on the famed cobblestone streets of Tallinn's Old Town, another item on my bucket list!

To be honest, I did not actually get to sail right across a large swathe of the Baltic Sea, but only that tiny fraction from Helsinki to Tallinn across the Gulf of Finland to be be exact. But because the Gulf of Finland is technically classified as the easternmost part of the Baltic Sea, that did allow me to claim an item off my travel bucket list!

A Ferry leaving the port of Helsinki for Tallinn, Helsinki, Finland (2017)

Google Map of the Gulf of Finland

The trip across the Gulf of Finland between the capital cities of Finland and Estonia took about 2-hour each way. And because I sailed on a return ticket from Helsinki, I actually got to sail across the Baltic Sea twice in one-day!

The sailing itself was not very eventful to be honest. But because I was sailing in early spring in northern Europe, the air was still cold but pleasant. The sea was calm, both ways of my trip. And because I stayed on the open deck of the large ferry for most of the journeys (both ways), I got to smell the fresh salty air of the Baltic Sea and enjoyed the brilliant sea views under a bright blue sky.

At the port of Helsinki, I got to witness the loading of passenger cars into the ferry which I travelled on. It was a unique experience for me to see rows of cars being slowly driven onboard. I also got to catch a glimpse of some Finnish naval boats at the port.

Passenger Cars being driven onboard the Ferry at the port of departure, Helsinki, Finland (2017)

Passengers on the deck of the Ferry enjoying the view of the port, Helsinki, Finland (2017)

Passengers on the deck of the Ferry enjoying the view of another Ferry, Helsinki, Finland (2017)

Close to Tallinn port, the view of Tallinn's Old Town and its picturesque towers rising above the rest of the buildings was a view to behold. A visual testament to the unique beauty of the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

After the trip, I penned in another future sailing trip across the Baltic Sea for my next trip to northern Europe. From Helsinki to Stockholm, Sweden - a 17-hour sailing trip.

View of Tallinn's Old Town from the Ferry as seen through the 106mm lens of my DSLR camera, Tallinn, Estonia (2017)

A Ferry berthed at the port, Tallinn, Estonia (2017)

View of the port, Tallinn, Estonia (2017)