The residents of Helsinki have been able to enjoy the seaside flavour of the city in many ways this winter, as the severe freezing temperatures at the beginning of the year created the best ice conditions in the Baltic Sea in more than a decade. Sunny weather attracted people to the sea ice after the excellent ice conditions expanded the outdoor recreation areas available in Helsinki.
However, temperatures rose rapidly in late February and the sea ice situation changed. Sea levels, which had been exceptionally low, started to rise and the ice started to move.
As the weather warms up, ice movement is very unpredictable and safety cannot be determined by how other people have been walking on the ice. Executive Fire Officer Niko Vainio from the Helsinki City Rescue Department stresses the importance of safety in changing conditions
– This winter has been colder than in the past and there has been more ice than usual. However, you should never go out on the ice alone. You have to be mindful of dangerous areas, wear the right clothing and have the right equipment with you, Vainio says.
Most dangerous places near roads and bridges
Walking on ice has become a popular topic of conversation, with people seen venturing on ice even in the South Harbour next to the shipping lanes, seemingly unaware of the risks. No safe ice is formed near ports and shipping lanes; the ice in these areas is pack ice that keeps breaking up and refreezing. Ships passing by may break the ice over a very wide area.
– The bases of bridges, their vicinity and anywhere where water flows are always risky places. Safer places include sheltered bays with thick ice and no currents or traffic. As a matter of principle, caution should always be exercised when moving on ice in all circumstances, Vainio says.
The Finnish Meteorological Institute's guidelines for walking on ice also emphasise the fact that the thickness of the ice does not guarantee safety, as instead of blue ice you may be walking on weaker ice crust or spiky and fragile spring ice. You should always pack a pair of ice awls, a metal stick, a throw line, a change of clothes and a whistle when going out on the ice.
