Frozen Gulf of Finland Offers Walkers Way from St. Petersburg to Stockholm

The Gulf of Finland is almost completely frozen over, with the average thickness of the ice 1.2 metres. According to captain Mikhail Sinelnikov of the St. Petersburg Sea Port, it is theoretically possible to walk from St. Petersburg to Stockholm across the Gulf of Finland. 'However, as ice-breakers have made special channels in the ice, this would be fairly difficult for anyone brave enough to try,' he added.

The head of St. Petersburg's sea port is sure that the entire Baltic will soon freeze, as a result of which shipping will be restricted until almost the middle of May. Sinelnikov underlined that the last time this happened in the Gulf of Finland was in 1967. 'Freight is currently being shipped regularly,' stressed Sinelnikov, 'although there are, of course, delays in processing ships in St. Petersburg's and the Leningrad Region's ports, which happens every year.'