Sailing Directions for the Baltic:
Volume III:
The Gulf of Finland, the Åland Islands and the Gulf of Bothnia,

Second Edition 1934.
Issued under authority of
the Secretary of the Navy

CHAPTER V

GULF OF BOTHNIA — FINNISH SHORE

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VASA TO JAKOBSTAD—Coast.—Off this stretch of coast lie numerous low, sandy, generally wooded Islands and many shoals. The shoal area that lies off Vasa extends in a northwesterly direction almost to the shoals southward of Holmö. The northwesternmost group of islands are the Valsörarne. The water area between Valsörarne and Mickelsörarne is called Norra Gloppet, that eastward of Mickelsörarne is called Östra Gloppet. Eastward of Östra Gloppet and fronting the coast lie a group of islets, of which the outermost are Västerö and Österö. The following small harbors, loading places, and anchorages are located along this part of the coast and among the islands: Ebbskär and Malskär harbors in Valsörarne, an anchorage near Ytter Uddskär pilot station, and the loading places of Lekmosund, Hellnäs in Jussosfjärd, Kantlax and Oravais in Monåfjärd, and Monäs in Monäsvik.

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Outer dangers.—Helsingkallan, consisting of two shoals with a least depth of 4 feet over them and 6 fathoms between, lies 8 1/4 miles northward of Vildskär Island and nearly 12 miles from the mainland. The western shoal is marked by a spar buoy and the eastern shoal by two spars; all three buoys are located on the north side of the shoals.

Kullan, which is awash, lies 2  ½ miles southward of Helsingkallan and two patches with respective depths of 5 and 7 fathoms över them lie 4 miles westward of Kullan.

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Beacons.—Stubben Tower is a red hexagonal structure covered with planking and surmounted by a cross, 55 feet high, located on Stubben Islet. It is an aid in entering Oravais and the harbor of Kantlax as well as the inner channel described above and is a useful mark for vessels coming from seaward to Nykarleby. (See sketch on B.A. Chart 2300.)

Stubben pilot station (63°31' N.,22°10' E., B.A. Chart 2300) is a red house with a signal mast, located near the tower on Stubben Islet. Pilots take vessels to Ytter Uddskär, Lekmosund, Kantlax, Oravais, and Monas Anchorage.

NYKARLEBY APPROACH.—Landmarks.—The principal landmarks that are used in approaching Nykarleby are Hällgrund Tower and the woods on Torsö, the outermost large island westward of Nykarleby.

Depths off the coast in the vicinity of Nykarleby are fairly regular. The 10-fathom curve lies about 1 mile off the outer islets and shoals; vessels should not get inside this curve, especially when the visibility is poor, until a landmark has been clearly made out and identified and the position of the vessel accurately determined.

The channel leading to the town is only 7 feet deep. That leading to Nykarleby Harbor, westward of the town, between Långörn Island and the mainland, has a depth of 9 ½ feet. A 29 ½-foot channel leads to Torsö Road.

Outer dangers—Buoys.—The eastern side of the bight that forms the harbor and loading places of Nykarleby consists of a group of islands. Torsö, the largest of these islands, is surrounded by a bank that extends northward for a distance of 2 1/4 miles. Near the northeastern end of this bank is Hällgrund Islet. Västra Storgrund, a detached 3 1/4-fathom shoal, lies l mile west-northwest-ward of Hällgrund; its northern side is marked by a spar buoy with a conical basket-work top mark, point up. Västra Lillgrund, a 2 ½ -fathom shoal located ½ mile southwestward of Västra Stor-grund and marked by a buoy similar to the one on that shoal, is the northwestern extremity of the bank that extends northward from Torsö Island. A detached 5-fathom shoal lies ½ mile northward of Hällgrund. Between this shoal and the bank northward of Hällgrund is a depth of 7 fathoms; the northern and eastern sides of the bank surrounding Hällgrund are marked by spar buoys.

Hällgrund (Soklothällan) Light (63°39' N., 20°25' E., B.A. Chart 2300) is shown from a white octagonal lantern on a white iron framework, 42 feet high, on the northern end of Hällgrund Islet. (See Light List.)

Hällgrund Beacon, consisting of a truncated pyramid with pointed roof and vane, upper third white and remainder red, 70 feet high, is located in the central part of Soklothällan Islet about 400 yards southward of Hällgrund Lighthouse. (See sketch on B.A. Chart 2300.)

Pilots for Nykarleby and the roadstead and loading places can be obtained from Soklothällan pilot station, a red house with yellow pillars, located near Hällgrund beacon on Soklothällan. Pilots for these places can also be obtained at Stubben and Mässkär stations.

Torsö Road, where large vessels load and discharge cargo, lies eastward of Torsö Island. It has depths of 6 to 8 fathoms, clay, but is open to northerly winds.

Nykarleby (Uusikaarlepyy) is a town of about 1,400 population, located on a small river on the eastern side of the bight 1 ½ miles inshore and 8 miles south-southeastward of Hällgrund Light. It has telegraph and telephone connections.