Puumala

About This Anchorage

Puumala is a small town on the western shore of Lake Saimaa where the lake narrows to the Puumalan salmi (Puumala Strait) — one of the most scenic passages in the Saimaa waterway. The strait is crossed by a cable ferry that has operated here for generations, connecting the western and eastern shores. The village has a small but functional harbour with visitor pontoons, and the surrounding landscape is classic Saimaa — forested hills, granite outcrops, and the reflections of clouds in the calm lake surface. Puumala is one of the quieter stops on the Saimaa circuit — fewer visitors than Savonlinna, more authentic village character, and the particular beauty of arriving through the narrow strait.

Hazards

• !Cable ferry crossing the strait — the ferry cable lies on the lake bed when ferry is docked; DO NOT cross the cable zone
• !Narrow strait — limit speed in passage through; other vessel traffic including passenger ferries
• !Saimaa ringed seal protection zones may apply in adjacent open lake areas — check charts
• !Open to west in outer anchorage — westerly conditions produce waves from open lake to west
• !Limited anchorage space due to narrow strait — measure swinging room carefully

Skipper's Tips

• →The cable ferry crossing is a uniquely Finnish experience — watch the operation from the boat; the method has not changed in 100 years
• →Puumala is the quietest stop on the western Saimaa circuit — an authentic Finnish lake village undisturbed by mass tourism
• →The view north up the strait at dusk with the pine forest reflected in calm water is one of the finest moments in Saimaa sailing
• →The village shop sells local products including smoked fish from the lake and cloudberry jam — stock up
• →Puumala is a good staging point for the passage south toward Lappeenranta and the Saimaa Canal (permit required for canal transit)

Nearby Anchorages