Ernst Lindberg’s book, I Åbo på 1800-talet (Turku in the 19th Century, 1921), contains a fascinating chapter about the summer steamboat traffic between Turku and the Ruissalo island. The residents of the Ruissalo villas travelled to from the town in the morning and came back in the evening. The steamer Helmi would leave trader Johan Mannerström’s villa at 8 o’clock in the morning, pick up the summer residents waiting on the quaysides and return in the evening. Both the elite and lesser-known residents of Ruissalo would board the ship, piloted by Ukko Wikström, with seating strictly assigned.

According to Lindberg, Helmi was filled with chatter and talk during the journey. Later, it became a ’reading room’ when the local newspaper the Åbo Underrättelser was sent to Ruissalo with the boat, and many people brought the paper back to town immediately after reading it on their morning sail.

The steamer Helmi (Pearl) played a vital role in Ruissalo’s summer traffic from 1846. Its inception was a result of the introduction of steam engines and the change in Ruissalo’s administrative status, following its annexation to Turku the previous year. For the residents of Turku, the name ’Helmi’ was synonymous with short morning and evening trips, as three boats – Helmi I, II, and III – operated the route throughout the 19th century.

For the summer residents of Ruissalo, a boat trip along its edges symbolized the transition between work and summer’s pleasures. The villas on the island, known as Finland’s Tusculum, were considered an exotic world in their own right, as illustrated by Axel Haartman’s drawings in Lindberg’s work. After Ruissalo, the boats entered to the Airisto fjard, which was an essential component of Turku’s identity as the water zone between the city and the sea.  In the late 19th century, Airisto became a popular leisure area, with sailing and beach activities concentrated there.

Despite the completion of the Ruissalo Bridge in 1852, ferry services continued to operate. For Ukko Wikström and others, traveling by boat was not only a fast way to get around, but also an important tradition that brought together summer residents who spent time in their own villas.

In addition to Ruissalo, the boats provided coastal and local traffic to the neighboring towns of Turku. In the early 20th century, waterways were still a shorter and faster alternative to traveling by land. Even today, remnants of the quays used by the steamboats can still be found around Airisto.

Lindberg’s account of the summer steamboat traffic between Turku and Ruissalo offers a fascinating glimpse into a bygone era when water travel was an essential part of daily life. The steamboats played a crucial role in connecting the residents of the island with the city and highlighting the unique leisure opportunities offered by the natural surroundings.

Janne Tunturi
Photo: Remains of a steamship pier in Rymättylä / Janne Tunturi