Jurmo

About This Anchorage

Jurmo is one of the outermost inhabited islands in the Turku Archipelago — a long, flat island of granite and meadow that sits at the threshold between the sheltered inner archipelago and the open Baltic. The island has been farmed and fished for centuries; the meadows are managed by the island's summer sheep to maintain traditional coastal grassland habitat. The bird life is exceptional — sea eagles, grey seals on offshore rocks, and vast numbers of migratory birds in spring and autumn. The anchorage in the north sound gives good shelter in southerly conditions. A remote and atmospheric island that feels genuinely far from mainland Finland.

Hazards

• !Outer archipelago location — weather assessment essential; open Baltic conditions can develop rapidly
• !Open to north and NW — in strong northerlies, anchorage exposed; no sheltered harbour
• !Bird sanctuary restrictions on outer rocks Apr 1 – Jul 15
• !Grey seals on offshore rocks — watch for seals on approach
• !Remote location — self-sufficient sailing mandatory

Skipper's Tips

• →Jurmo's sheep-grazed meadows are extraordinary in summer — the traditional coastal grassland is rare in the Baltic
• →Sea eagle sightings are almost guaranteed from the anchorage — the eagles fish the surrounding channels regularly
• →Grey seals haul out on the offshore rocks east of Jurmo — approach quietly by dinghy for close observations
• →The island walk from north to south takes about 45 minutes — the south end faces open Baltic and gives a sense of the exposed outer archipelago
• →Combine with Utö (15nm SW) for a classic outer archipelago circuit from Turku

Nearby Anchorages