The Snowboarder's Journal - The Snowboarder's Journal 22.1
SEASIDE SURREALISM IN FINLAND
Words Mikko Rehnberg 2024-10-01 09:12:17
Mikko Rehnberg frontside 50-50s a dilapidated doorway on Suomenlinna, Finland’s famous sea fortress located just off the coast of Helsinki. Photo: Arttu Heikkinen
A few miles southeast off the southern coast of Finland’s capital city Helsinki stands Suomenlinna. It’s a stronghold spread over six fortified islands, built by the Swedish in 1748 to defend against Russian expansionism. It didn’t hold: Russia overtook Suomenlinna during the Finnish War and controlled it for most of 19th century, utilizing the position to defend St. Petersburg right up until Finland declared independence in 1918 near the end of World War I. Finland’s Defense Department managed Suomenlinna through the 1970s, but nowadays it’s mostly under civilian control. Architecture on the islands consists of both new and old structures, the latter holding onto a special sort of ancient charm. I long wondered if I could snowboard there.
So, I took a ferry and walked around one of the islands (five of which are connected by bridges) in the summer. Suomenlinna is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most popular attractions in Finland, especially during warmer months. Nowadays, roughly 800 people live there, including around 250 stationed in the naval academy base that still operates on the islands. Thousands of people come to see its grand fortress walls, cannons and other historical relics, as well as visit the islands’ beautiful parks, museums, restaurants and cafés.
As I walked around the undulating grounds, the visual aesthetics alone pointed to plenty of potential for some sort of session. The tricky part would be the fact that snow doesn’t stick around for long on the islands—wind rolling off the Baltic Sea is constantly blowing it all away.
Fast forward to January. On a cold, sunny morning, I find myself standing on a ferry with six friends headed to Suomenlinna. The waters around us are frozen. Our ferry navigates narrow paths cleared by icebreaking vessels. Arriving on the islands, we make our way to the supermarket for snacks. Exiting the store, we encounter a gardener waiting for us next to our snowboards. She asks if we have a permit to ride in this area. We tell her honestly that we don’t. She expresses concern, but says as long as we aren’t destroying any of the islands’ 100-plus-year-old fauna, she doesn’t mind us snowboarding here. Although, she warns that not everyone in Suomenlinna might be as accommodating. Given the area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, local citizens (and government) probably wouldn’t be too hyped on Suomenlinna becoming a snowboarding hotspot. We decide to go to the back of the fortress, as far as possible from tourist attractions and shops, aiming to keep a low profile.
We come across an old doorway with a ledge atop it. It’s rather scenic, but the ledge is rough and has some gaps on it. We set up a lip, mindful of the history of the building and avoiding potential damage. Just as we start riding, mist rolls in from the sea. We stop and watch as the fortress—a venue for many battles in this country’s challenging past, now a focal point in its prideful independence—is cloaked in magic.
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