Stock Press Photo | The Suomenlinna Sea Fortress

Kustaanmiekka is the southernmost of the eight islands that form the Suomenlinna district of Helsinki in Finland. It is an 81-metre-wide strait between Kustaanmiekka and Vallisaari island in Helsinki’s archipelago.
As the strait is located right at the mouth of the capital city’s harbour, it attracts plenty of marine traffic. Most passenger ferries and cruise ships departing from the south harbour in Helsinki navigate via this route. Called „The Gibraltar of the North”, the area is also a popular spot among locals for its beauty and for recreational activities such as boating and sailing.
However, the Kustaanmiekka strait is a challenging stretch, especially for big ships. Apart from being narrow, it is also quite shallow at places. Cruise ships traversing the strait are typically about half that size in width, and it is quite a task for longer cruise ships to get through the passage. Moreover, harsh weather conditions such as heavy rains, fog and hard winds, very common in Helsinki during autumn and winter, add to the challenge.

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