Svartå (Raasepori)

About This Anchorage

Svartå is one of the most atmospheric anchorages on the entire Finnish SW coast — a narrow river mouth anchorage with the medieval Raseborg Castle (Raaseborg slott) visible on the ridge above. The castle dates from the mid-14th century and was the seat of power for the Raaseborg County during the Swedish era of Finnish history. The ruins are preserved and open to visitors. The approach via the shallow river is an adventure in itself — best suited to shoal-draft vessels and motor yachts. The mud bottom in the river mouth provides exceptional holding, and the surrounding tree-lined banks give shelter from almost all directions. The sheer visual drama of the medieval ruins looming above the anchorage makes this a destination in its own right.

Hazards

• !Very shallow — absolute minimum 1.5m draft for approach; use echo sounder throughout
• !9mm/year uplift — chart depths may be optimistic; proceed slowly
• !Tight swinging room in river mouth — anchor carefully; short scope needed
• !No facilities — day trip or calm overnight only

Skipper's Tips

• →The Raseborg Castle ruins are one of the finest medieval sites in Finland — definitely worth the visit
• →Approach at low speed with echo sounder running; the river mouth shallows quickly outside the channel
• →A dinghy visit to the castle adds atmosphere — land at the small quay and walk up
• →Best for shoal-draft boats (under 1.5m); deep-keel yachts should anchor in the outer bay and dinghy in

Nearby Anchorages