Oh how I wish to see a Saimaa Ringed Seal! Tips for seal-friendly holidays near Linnansaari National Park

In commercial collaboration with Kanava Resort and SaimaaHoliday Oravi

One of the best places to see the cute and endangered saimaa ringed seal, native to Finland only!, is Linnansaari National Park situated in South Savo. The national park consists of hundreds of islands, so you’ll need to get on the water or at least be near the water’s edge if you want to see the seal. Oravi village serves as an excellent base for seal enthusiasts and other lakeside lovers. Read about our experience of a couple of days searching for seals while respecting good etiquette, allowing the wildlife to be on its own terms. Below, you’ll find practical and inspiring tips on how to holiday like a seal, no matter where you are!

Photos: Antti Huttunen

• Oravi on GoogleMaps
• Arriving by Public Transport: Buses from Savonlinna, check schedules
• Arriving by Car, address: Oravi, Savonlinna
• SaimaaHoliday Oravi
• Kanava Resort

When to See the Saimaa Ringed Seal?

The best time for seal spotting is after the ice has melted in May. That’s when the seals come up onto the thousands of rocks in Lake Saimaa to shed their winter fur and spend more time in human view.

Seals are active throughout the year, but in winter they spend most of their time in covered nests, which are only accessible from below the ice. In summer and autumn the seals tend to spend more time actively swimming around lake Saimaa looking for food. Seals dive usually for approximately 3 minutes, but they are able to dive for as long as 20 minutes. Did you know that seals also have this habit of sleep-diving, where they rest while diving!

Kayaking on Oravi Water

We set off for an evening paddle with a guide from SaimaaHoliday Oravi. Our goal is to explore the areas of Oravi Water north of Oravi Channel and, of course, hopefully spot a seal!

You can rent kayaking equipment for independent trips, but asking for specific tips on seal is futile – good seal tourism etiquette dictates not sharing too precise information. This benefits everyone: the seals, nature enthusiasts, and guide service providers alike, as seals are quite mobile creatures, and there can never be a hundred percent guarantee of seeing them. SaimaaHoliday Oravi is committed to the guidelines for seal-friendly tourism developed by Metsähallitus.

Kayaks glide into Oravi Channel, and we paddle gently forward. The almost glassy calm weather aids conversation between kayaks, and I ask if it’s easier to spot a seal while kayaking or from a larger boat. There isn’t a precise answer to that question, but a seal might actually be more startled by a kayaker than a motorboat. The sound of a motorboat can be heard from afar, and its hum might help a seal sense the direction and approach of the boat. A kayaker is often quite silent, and it’s not unheard of for both kayaker and seal to startle each other when they unexpectedly encounter each other behind a cape. So, vigilance is also required while kayaking.

In any case, a seal enthusiast lets the animal be and observes it from a sufficient distance, whether traveling by muscle power or motor.

We enjoy a peaceful paddle for a few hours and encounter a few larger ice floes on a slightly larger open water, remnants of the past winter. The ice flakes tinkle against the kayak’s side, and we pause to listen to the beautiful sound of the ice. We land on a suitable island for a coffee and bun break and chat more about seals.

An amusing human-like connection is found when I hear that young seals – pups – are usually the more curious ones and may approach humans or boats themselves. Human children are naturally quite curious as well. Similarly, as both species mature, their interest in others decreases. Adult seals aren’t as interested in others and focus on their own affairs. Just like most of us humans.

I inquire about seal vocalizations. There’s hardly a whisper from the calmly stationary animals, but an annoyed or frightened seal may hiss sharply. Later, I find a video online of a seal making seal-like barks or grunts. Our guide tells us that a seal mother and pup communicate with underwater clicking sounds, but their significance is not yet fully understood.

And then there’s the legend of the seal’s song. Some claim that seals can produce a song reminiscent of meowing. Evidence is lacking, but my mind has already ventured into the wild, imagining a seal’s meowing song echoing across the calm surface of Lake Saimaa, carrying far and wide.

The seal’s song echoes only in my imagination, but in the real world, a great bittern is calling somewhere nearby. A pair of goldeneyes fly briskly overhead. We also hear the famous call of the common loon and the spring greeting of swans. No seals are seen on the evening paddle, yet Lake Saimaa’s nature once again offers its best.

Guided kayaking tours are available even for absolute beginners, although you can venture into more open waters when you have some experience. The most relaxing seal watching is when you don’t have to worry about your own means of transportation. If kayaking feels unfamiliar to you, I highly recommend participating in a guided seal tour by boat, allowing you to fully enjoy the lake scenery.

View from the window to the national park

We stay in the new holiday lodges of Kanava Resort on the other side of the road passing through Oravi. The huge windows of the landscape bedroom provide an unobstructed view of Lake Saimaa and Linnansaari National Park, which is our destination for the next day’s excursion. The calm lake is almost breathtakingly beautiful and incredibly soothing in the evening light. Haukivesi – also part of Lake Saimaa – glistens just a few meters beyond our window.

The holiday apartment is an excellent base for seal excursions, as there is plenty of space and ample storage for belongings. The hallway accommodates multiple jackets, and there are smart storage compartments on the upper shelf for tube-scarfs and gloves, and there is actually enough storage space for different shoes. I also greatly appreciate the solution where the terrace is designed to face the courtyard of the building, ensuring privacy for our group. It’s really nice to nestle here, and frankly, I’d gladly spend several days and nights in this environment. The apartment is even luxuriously spacious for two, and I could easily imagine a couple of friends in these same square meters.

The same view from the sauna’s benches overlooks the lake, and we watch the occasional boats moving in the channel or on the lake. Somehow, the sounds of seagulls fit much better inside the cottage than the sound of outboard motors. Slipping into bed warmed by the sauna is perhaps the best thing one can do after outdoor activities. Eyes close at the same pace as the Saimaa evening darkens.

No one will believe this: there’s a seal outside the window!

The morning in Oravi dawns beautiful. Saimaa is calm, and the sky is bright blue. I sip my morning coffee happily and think about how nice it would be to see a squirrel scampering around in the mini forest opening just outside the window. At that moment, my travel companion perks up, leans a little closer to the window, stares intently through the glass at the surface of Haukivesi, and utters the magical word: “Seal.”

After a moment of fleeting confusion, we both jump up and press ourselves against the glass. “Where, where, where?” “There, there, there!”

And goodness gracious, there really is a seal swimming! Right in the shoreline waters! Maybe just 20 meters away from us.

Almost in a state of frantic delight, we search for the camera, but it’s, of course, charging, and the memory card is missing, and whatnot. So, we decide to skip the documentation and return to watch for a few more seconds the dark round head leisurely swimming forward, before it dives and disappears from view.

I mean, seriously. A Saimaa ringed seal right outside the bedroom window!

The moment passes quickly, and in retrospect, I think that this might be the right way to observe animals, like a reverse zoo. We humans were behind the large and soundproof glass window of the holiday apartment, watching the seal in its natural habitat, entirely on the seal’s terms. This felt right.

And isn’t it luxury to sip morning coffee between white sheets while watching a swimming seal? Perhaps it was on its morning stroll too?

Boat trip to Linnansaari National Park to spot seals

The official seal trip of the day departed from the Oravi village pier, the same shore from which we set off for kayaking the previous day. However, today’s direction was to sail by boat south from the Oravi Channel to Linnansaari National Park, which is the home territory of seals.

We donned traditional overalls with gusto and grabbed our binoculars. Even on a guided seal trip, we wouldn’t get too close to the seals, if we happened to see one, because seals should not be disturbed under any circumstances.

How to identify a Saimaa ringed seal?

The guide instructs us to scan the islets and rocks, even the uncomfortable-looking ones, because a seal can lounge almost anywhere it can climb. Typically, a seal’s resting rock is completely surrounded by water, so it can dive in any direction if it wants to. A seal’s resting place is often also one that doesn’t have a direct line of sight from all directions but is partially hidden. The main identification instruction is that a seal looks almost exactly like a rock. The best way to spot it is to stare at the rock and then see the rock move. Easy, right? Well, I’m not so sure.

We swiftly move to the waters of Linnansaari and assess the ice situation. We navigate where we can. With binoculars glued to our eyes, we scan every shore and reed bed, looking for any hairy rocks that might turn their heads. The sun is warm, and the water is almost mirror-like. Spotting a swimming seal would be somewhat easy too when the waves don’t interfere with spotting. But no seal is in sight.

Our guide also tells us that seals actually enjoy lounging on top of the ice for as long as possible. We ponder which needs thicker ice: the ice fisherman or the seal. An adult seal weighs 60–90 kilograms, but its weight is distributed over a wider area than that of a fisherman. However, we don’t venture onto the ice ourselves, even though we’re in the same weight class.

The journey continues, and we admire Linnansaari National Park’s namesake island – Linnansaari – and its castle hill in the northwest corner. But no seal is in sight.

Unnecessarily hairy rock

After a couple of hours of admiring Lake Saimaa and scanning the shores, we decide to take a coffee break – a warm drink and a pastry are part of the trip – and what could be more enjoyable than basking in the beauty of nature on a calm day and sipping cocoa. We’re just about to stop at our chosen floating spot on the lake when the guide’s and passengers’ gaze focuses on a particular rock still surrounded by ice in the bay. Could that be a seal? It seemed to move! Maybe not after all; it’s quite angular. It’s indeed disproportionately hairy to be a rock. From this distance, it’s hard to be sure. Yes, it is – the rock raised its head! It’s a seal!

And so, a marvelous moment happens, and with a smile, I already gulp down another cup of coffee with a seal today.

The last remaining ice cover of Lake Saimaa keeps us a naturally safe distance from the seal – about 150–200 meters. The seal behaves very typically, lounging on its side in the sun, and to our delight, occasionally scratching its belly. I don’t know if it hears, sees, or notices us at all. Apparently, one of the seal’s strengths is its sensitive whiskers, like those of cats, which help it perceive the world around it.

Despite being popular, seals are still relatively little known. Research has been challenging because Saimaa ringed seals almost disappeared from this universe altogether. Now, there are over 400 individuals left, and they all live in Lake Saimaa. The seal still requires special attention, and a lot of work is being done in its habitat to help the population grow. During our boat trip, we saw one artificial nesting platform, which has been an attempt to help the species survive.

Our coffee break with the seal in the distance probably stretches to almost half an hour until our guide gently informs us that we should soon head back to the home port. We don’t protest much because after the initial excitement, observing the seal from afar is quite a mundane activity. We sigh at the cuteness and plumpness of the creature, tell each other what movement the seal is making at any given moment; a tail flap, a head raise, a little roll, a deep sigh, and we try to capture it with the available equipment, even though in pictures, it does look quite stony. Could it be that searching for a seal brings almost as much joy as finding one?

The deepest essence of the seal? It’s best just to be

After returning to Oravi, we trudge across the road to our Kanava Resort holiday apartment. The afternoon program includes relaxation and continued gazing at the lake, in case our morning seal decides to return to these shores.

We make a fire at the resort’s communal campfire site and prepare open-fire-cooked meal for the afternoon. We bask in the sun and ponder how great inspiration a seal is for a holiday. Although, in all honesty, I don’t know how much a seal thinks philosophical thoughts daily, or if its life is also a constant struggle for survival. Does the species know it’s endangered? Does the seal understand what a threat means? According to the information I received, the main threats to the seal are humans and climate change.

As the evening progresses, we enjoy this luxurious cabin experience, along with the peace, quiet, and serenity that we experience within the walls of our cabin. An unobstructed view of Saimaa, our own cozy warm nest, plenty of food, occasional withdrawal into our own space, and sometimes socializing with a pleasant companion. Is there a hint of a seal in us humans?

Learn from the seal – this is how you holiday leisurely

1. Serenity

The seal is a peaceful creature worth emulating. A seal vacationer chooses a tranquil area to spend time either alone or in a very limited group. Do not disturb others and do your best not to be disturbed yourself. If intruders don’t leave you alone, leave for more serene areas yourself.

2. Aquatic Element

The seal is a mammal perfectly adapted to water, spending most of its life in it. Enjoy the water as much as possible, for example, by swimming, diving, floating, kayaking, sauna bathing, and drinking fresh water. Also, remember to admire the scenery dominated by water. Choose your resting place so that you can admire the waters without obstruction.

3. Lounging

Seals are known for their lounging, and they can be found basking in the sun almost year-round. Although shedding their winter coat leads all seals to the rocks in May, sun-loving loungers can be found on islets even in the fall, and seals can rise to the ice in the sun even in winter frosts.

Take a purposeful approach to lounging on your vacation and enjoy it fully. If you bask in the sun, remember to protect your skin. Make active decisions about which side you’ll be lounging on at any given time. Also, try lying on your stomach or back. You can sometimes splash your legs against rocks or into the shore water. Scratch when it itches.

4. Varied and abundant diet

A seal eats 2–3 kilograms of fish per day. In the human diet, the amount of vegetables should be considered, but you can still learn from the seal’s variety; when a certain fish species becomes scarce, the seal switches to another. This allows fish stocks to recover periodically, and the diet remains balanced. So, don’t be picky, but feed yourself a variety of foods, and don’t hoard everything.

5. Species-typical movement

The seal, known for its lounging, is agile in the water and moves over large areas. You can find seals anywhere in Saimaa! Move around daily on routes that suit you and bring you joy. Explore your surroundings, but don’t feel guilty if you feel like returning to your homeland. Seals are believed to be somewhat loyal to their territory too!

6. Build a good nest – remember the oxygen hole

When you crave protection from the world, take the seal as your totem animal and build a good, protective nest according to its teachings. For humans, a sofa or bed piled with enough blankets and pillows is excellent for this purpose. Leave the world outside and dive into the warm shelter of blankets. Remember to create an oxygen hole for yourself and occasionally go outside the nest to get snacks. Don’t let others get too close to you. If possible, make multiple sleeping nests.