+stu_and_sarah Posted December 8, 2003 Share Posted December 8, 2003 Hei kaikille, We have found some cheap flights to Tampere, and since Stu would love to visit Finland, and Sarah would love to go caching anywhere, we're probably going to take them. Our problem is that we're wusses from only 52 degrees north, and with the gulf stream to keep us warm. The coldest we've ever seen is -8 degrees C. Would it be practical to cache outdoors in January in Tampere? What will the weather be like? What temperatures? What clothing would we need? Kiitos paljon, Stu Quote Link to comment
+Divine Posted December 8, 2003 Share Posted December 8, 2003 (edited) Cheap flights, huh? Bless Ryanair? I'd like to warmly welcome you to Tampere, my home town! Warmly, indeed, since at the beginning of last January it was about -30° C here. I didn't mind since I was in Thailand at that time, and it was about 60° warmer there. Right now there's no snow at all here, and the temperature is about zero. The temperature can be anything from +5° to -35°, but it probably will be something in between, like -10° or so. Caching in January is fully ok, as long as you are careful in the places where there are rocky cliffs. Some caches might be under the snow, but most can be found in the wintertime too. And snow makes it just a bit more challenging -> more fun, right? I can look up some caches that are not that good for winter caching, and post them here for you to see. As there are more 'winterproof' caches around here, there's no point to post them all here IMO. But do ask for specific caches if questions raise. The clothing...warm overcoat, (woollen or otherwise) pullover, long legged underpants, good winterproof shoes (preferably with ankles and warm lining), warm cap and gloves, and you're getting there. Please ask more if anything occurs, I'll be happy to give answers and advice. Edit: Adding some links. - Tampere Touristbureau. Useful place to visit in person too... - Foreca, weather forecasts. Edit 2: Oh, and you may find the thread of the modifications in Finnish caches useful. If there has been changes in caches (like coords have changed, the cache is disabled etc), there might be a post about that in that thread. It's especially useful, if you print a bunch of cache pages before you leave for Finland, and have no time to double check them all. Tervetuloa! Edited December 8, 2003 by Divine Quote Link to comment
+Tervas Posted December 8, 2003 Share Posted December 8, 2003 (edited) Some statistics about Finnish weather. See Jyväskylä section, it's closest to Tampere, Sodankylä is way up in the north. Welcome to winter wonderland P.S. January in finnish is Tammikuu, Temperature is lämpötila. All the tables are not in english. Edited December 8, 2003 by Erwast Quote Link to comment
+stu_and_sarah Posted December 8, 2003 Author Share Posted December 8, 2003 Thanks for the replies... I think we will come. It seems there are lots of urban caches we can do, and then maybe do some in parks nearby. This one looks interesting: Viikinsaari ...but we've been taught not to walk on ice in this country! Do you think we could walk to this in mid-January? Thanks, Stu Quote Link to comment
+Divine Posted December 8, 2003 Share Posted December 8, 2003 This one looks interesting: Viikinsaari ...but we've been taught not to walk on ice in this country! Do you think we could walk to this in mid-January? Viikinsaari is my cache, and I was thinking to change it to a multicache in a way that the first micro will contain the coordinates to the final point. Now it is a bit of a bore IMO, but the island is nice, of course. I dunno yet if the ice is thick enough in mid-Jan, but I'll be watching the situation. Now there is no ice at all yet. Another interesting island micro is S/S Kuru, part 2. Actually, you can search also Part 1 and Part 3 to complete the whole S/S Kuru tragedy geocache series. All of them are in reasonable distance from downtown Tampere. Quote Link to comment
+stu_and_sarah Posted December 8, 2003 Author Share Posted December 8, 2003 (edited) Flights are booked, and avatar changed. We'll be there from 15th to the 19th. I don't know if Finns do "meeting up for a beer" like we Brits do, but if anyone is around on those dates and would like to meet for a beer, or for caching, then let's do that! Edited December 8, 2003 by stu_and_sarah Quote Link to comment
+Divine Posted December 8, 2003 Share Posted December 8, 2003 Flights are booked, and avatar changed. We'll be there from 15th to the 19th. Great! Welcome again!I don't know if Finns do "meeting up for a beer" like we Brits doYou're kidding, right? but if anyone is around on those dates and would like to meet for a beer, or for caching, then let's do that!I'm up for both! Looks like me & wife's schedule is fine for at least the weekend. See you then. Quote Link to comment
+Captain Morgan Posted December 8, 2003 Share Posted December 8, 2003 Flights are booked, and avatar changed. We'll be there from 15th to the 19th. Great! Welcome again!I don't know if Finns do "meeting up for a beer" like we Brits doYou're kidding, right? but if anyone is around on those dates and would like to meet for a beer, or for caching, then let's do that!I'm up for both! Looks like me & wife's schedule is fine for at least the weekend. See you then. Me too, definately! I use to a have beer with Divine now and then, so it would be fun to meet you too in the pub! Quote Link to comment
+hedberg Posted December 8, 2003 Share Posted December 8, 2003 Sounds nice, but coooold... I hope that Ryanair starts flying to Hawaii for SEK 99 soon Quote Link to comment
+stu_and_sarah Posted December 8, 2003 Author Share Posted December 8, 2003 Sounds nice, but coooold... I hope that Ryanair starts flying to Hawaii for SEK 99 soon Haha... it's because of your post in the UK forum (about Göteborg-Glasgow) that I discovered the flights to Tampere! Hooray for Ryanair. I can't imagine how they manage to fly for that cheap - Stanstead to Tampere for 40 pounds (€54) per person return... and no taxes in January! Cheers, Stu Quote Link to comment
+hedberg Posted December 9, 2003 Share Posted December 9, 2003 I don't want to pay taxes at any time Quote Link to comment
+stu_and_sarah Posted December 11, 2003 Author Share Posted December 11, 2003 I guess you locals know the place better than us, so can you name a place and a time for a meet, and we'll be there (street address and WGS84 would be good ) If we're going out caching, note that we're not very fit and don't walk fast or far! We just like to walk slowly and see the sights! We can do the non-caching sights on Friday, and cache at the weekend if you like. Or we can discuss that when we meet! I like the idea of an island cache if we can walk to it! Cheers, Stu Quote Link to comment
+Captain Morgan Posted December 11, 2003 Share Posted December 11, 2003 We just like to walk slowly and see the sights! In that case, you MUST search this cache as a very first cache when you arrive Quote Link to comment
+Divine Posted December 11, 2003 Share Posted December 11, 2003 (edited) We just like to walk slowly and see the sights! In that case, you MUST search this cache as a very first cache when you arrive Well, I guess any downtown Tampere cache is good for that. Edit: Oh, now that I reread that, I agree on the very first part. Edited December 12, 2003 by Divine Quote Link to comment
Cholo Posted December 12, 2003 Share Posted December 12, 2003 What are the sun rise and sun set times near Tampere in mid-January? Quote Link to comment
+Divine Posted December 12, 2003 Share Posted December 12, 2003 What are the sun rise and sun set times near Tampere in mid-January? Here are the the times around the days of Stu&Sarah's visit. What do you mean it's dark? 15 Twi: 8:29 Sun Rise: 9:26 Sun Set: 15:44 Twi: 16:41 Moon Rise: 0:59 Moon Set: 11:25 Last Qtr: 6:46am 16 Twi: 8:28 Sun Rise: 9:24 Sun Set: 15:46 Twi: 16:43 Moon Rise: 2:40 Moon Set: 11:25 17 Twi: 8:26 Sun Rise: 9:22 Sun Set: 15:49 Twi: 16:45 Moon Rise: 4:29 Moon Set: 11:27 18 Twi: 8:25 Sun Rise: 9:21 Sun Set: 15:51 Twi: 16:47 Moon Rise: 6:24 Moon Set: 11:32 19 Twi: 8:23 Sun Rise: 9:19 Sun Set: 15:54 Twi: 16:49 Moon Rise: 8:20 Moon Set: 11:47 Quote Link to comment
Cholo Posted December 13, 2003 Share Posted December 13, 2003 What are the sun rise and sun set times near Tampere in mid-January? Here are the the times around the days of Stu&Sarah's visit. What do you mean it's dark? I read somewhere that the sun had set for the last time this year at a northern Alaska town (I don't remember which one) and won't rise again until about Jan. 21. I'm at about N42.5 deg. The sun has just about set as early as it will (16:13) and will start to gain about 1 or 2 minutes per day. Being a night person, I don't care about the sun rise time. Your question mark probably shows a good intuition on why I asked about the sun light in Tampere in January. I've heard stories about people in the far north being effected by the long winter days without sun light. I guess there's really nothing to worry about. I'm sure this has no effect on pub activities. Quote Link to comment
+stu_and_sarah Posted December 13, 2003 Author Share Posted December 13, 2003 Here are the the times around the days of Stu&Sarah's visit. What do you mean it's dark? ...and according to my calculations, the highest the sun rises above the horizon is 7.9 degrees. 61.5 degrees north. Celestial equator is 28.5 degrees above the horizon. 19th is 19+10 days after the equinox. Sun is -23.5*cos(29/365*360) = 20.632 degrees below the celestial equator. So... 28.5-20.632 is 7.9 degrees. That's not so high! (It's about 5 degrees on December 21st) Quote Link to comment
Cholo Posted December 14, 2003 Share Posted December 14, 2003 I should have remembered this. Erwast took these photos for me last January. This was for the "Where's in a Name" cache. I logged it Jan. 31, 2003, so the photos were taken a few days before that date. The location is west of Helsinki and south of Tampere at N60deg 12.341sec x E024deg 33.604sec. They are the only photos in my profile gallery. Quote Link to comment
+Harjus Posted December 14, 2003 Share Posted December 14, 2003 I like the idea of an island cache if we can walk to it Today I was ice fishing first time for this winter. It was a small forest lake and there was ice about 5-10 cm. I think that the weather should be quite freezing for getting safe ice on the big lakes. About 4-5 cm ice can take a human's weight. Quote Link to comment
+Divine Posted January 1, 2004 Share Posted January 1, 2004 (edited) Your question mark probably shows a good intuition on why I asked about the sun light in Tampere in January. I've heard stories about people in the far north being effected by the long winter days without sun light. I guess there's really nothing to worry about. I'm sure this has no effect on pub activities. Yeah, some scientists say that the times of short daylight cause defect of vitamin D, and that people should intake it more either in their food, or by pills, or by having a sunny vacation somewhere south in the wintertime. Guess who has tickets to Thailand in February? OTOH, the loooong light summer nights counterbalance nicely the darkness of the winter. Actually the change of daylight length during the year does affect the pub activities. People tend to spend more time at pub terraces during the summer time. Stu&Sarah, it doesn't seem very good for doing some island caches during your visit. At least Kuru 2 is probably out of the question. With Viikinsaari there might be better chances (the lake is more shallow and freezes faster), but we need continuous frost the whole time till you arrive. We'll be monitoring the situation. Edited January 1, 2004 by Divine Quote Link to comment
+stu_and_sarah Posted January 2, 2004 Author Share Posted January 2, 2004 Stu&Sarah, it doesn't seem very good for doing some island caches during your visit. At least Kuru 2 is probably out of the question. With Viikinsaari there might be better chances (the lake is more shallow and freezes faster), but we need continuous frost the whole time till you arrive. We'll be monitoring the situation. Thanks for your help... it would be disappointing to miss an island cache, but if it's not safe, it's not worth risking it. I don't really fancy swimming in icy water! As for meeting... we arrive late on Thursday. We will probably do the Tampere Walkabout cache on Friday as well as other things. We are staying at Homeland Hotel, Kullervonkatu 19. If you know anywhere good to meet nearby, then name a place and a time, and we'll see you there! Quote Link to comment
+hedberg Posted January 3, 2004 Share Posted January 3, 2004 If you know anywhere good to meet nearby, then name a place and a time, and we'll see you there! Or make it as a cache - just give them the co-ordinates where you are standing, and they will have to find you. If it is on a big square with a lot of people, mail them some encrypted hints like: V'z gur gnyy qnex unaqfbzr zna va oyhr wrnaf naq oebja yrngure wnpxrg jrnevat n onfronyy pnc jvgu VQVBG ba. Quote Link to comment
+Harjus Posted January 4, 2004 Share Posted January 4, 2004 Today I saw ice fishers both on lake Pyhäjärvi and lake Näsijärvi. So it looks now very promising to reach those two island caches . Quote Link to comment
Cholo Posted January 4, 2004 Share Posted January 4, 2004 [vacation somewhere south in the wintertime. Guess who has tickets to Thailand in February? OTOH, the loooong light summer nights counterbalance nicely the darkness of the winter. Ah...Thai sticks!! they will counterbalance a lot of bad weather. I haven't thought of them in years. Thanks for the flashback. Quote Link to comment
+Divine Posted January 7, 2004 Share Posted January 7, 2004 Today I saw ice fishers both on lake Pyhäjärvi and lake Näsijärvi. So it looks now very promising to reach those two island caches . I see ice fishers every day on lake Pyhäjärvi nowadays. I walked on ice yesterday, although near the shore only, so I don't know about walking to Viikinsaari yet. Well, there's more than a week for the ice to thicken, and what's life without small excitement? Quote Link to comment
+Divine Posted January 12, 2004 Share Posted January 12, 2004 I just talked to the 'ice authority' of Tampere, Matti Joki, and asked him about walking to Viikinsaari or Siilinkari. According to him, it's safe already, but one should pick their route carefully. Especially at lake Pyhäjärvi the under-ice currents can reach to places one might not necessarily think of. No worries, though, to Viikinsaari the safe way is to start from e.g. Varala or Tahmela beach. The important thing is to not approach the island from east or head to the eastern end of it. The western part is thicker and current-free. To Siilinkari (cache Kuru 2) is safe to start from Mustalahti and walk straight towards the lighthouse. One should not go near the beginning of the Tammerkoski rapids in Mustalahti, though. The previous instructions might seems weird if you don't know the placenames I mentioned, but I'll bring a copy of Tampere map to the Friday meeting, where I'll draw the safe routes given by the authority. BTW, it's possible to reach many of Tampere area caches by bus. Here's a link for Stu and Sarah in case you haven't noticed it yet. For places of internet access in Tampere (in case your hotel doesn't provide it) scroll down to Internet section of this page. Quote Link to comment
+Captain Morgan Posted January 12, 2004 Share Posted January 12, 2004 The safest route to Viikinsaari is definately from the south from Pirkkala side i.e. from the Nikkilänniemi cape. The distance is only some 500 meters and there should be no under-ice currents, like there may be on the northern side of the island. Harjus told a week ago that he could go with Stu and Sarah and drive with them to Pirkkala, as he has not found Viikinsaari cache either. Quote Link to comment
+Divine Posted January 12, 2004 Share Posted January 12, 2004 The safest route to Viikinsaari is definately from the south from Pirkkala side i.e. from the Nikkilänniemi cape. The distance is only some 500 meters and there should be no under-ice currents, like there may be on the northern side of the island.Well, Mr. Joki is the authority who gives this kind of information in Tampere area, so if he says it's safe to go from Tahmela beach, I believe him. BTW, he didn't mention Nikkilänniemi, but when I asked he said that approaching from south from Pereensaari might be dangerous, because there's a rock quite close to the surface on the way and there's also some current. So 'from the south' is not unambiguously safe. Harjus told a week ago that he could go with Stu and Sarah and drive with them to Pirkkala, as he has not found Viikinsaari cache either.Well that's only good. Guess it's safe from Nikkilänniemi too, as long as people head for the western end of the island. Quote Link to comment
+Captain Morgan Posted January 12, 2004 Share Posted January 12, 2004 (edited) The safest route to Viikinsaari is definately from the south from Pirkkala side i.e. from the Nikkilänniemi cape. The distance is only some 500 meters and there should be no under-ice currents, like there may be on the northern side of the island.Well, Mr. Joki is the authority who gives this kind of information in Tampere area, so if he says it's safe to go from Tahmela beach, I believe him. BTW, he didn't mention Nikkilänniemi, but when I asked he said that approaching from south from Pereensaari might be dangerous, because there's a rock quite close to the surface on the way and there's also some current. So 'from the south' is not unambiguously safe. Harjus told a week ago that he could go with Stu and Sarah and drive with them to Pirkkala, as he has not found Viikinsaari cache either.Well that's only good. Guess it's safe from Nikkilänniemi too, as long as people head for the western end of the island. Yep, Pereensaari is different. And I meant that from Nikkilänniemi you must head to the western end of Viikinsaari. Edited January 12, 2004 by Captain_Morgan&Family Quote Link to comment
+stu_and_sarah Posted January 12, 2004 Author Share Posted January 12, 2004 Sarah has just pointed me to all the parts of this thread I might have missed! Thanks for links/offers of help etc. Luckily, the "Internet Access" link means that I can continue my blog while away! See you on Friday. Cheers, Stu Quote Link to comment
+hippihiiri Posted January 12, 2004 Share Posted January 12, 2004 I am also interested to visit the Viikinsaari cache since I haven't been there. Well, I have been in Viikinsaari but not to the cache. So if it's ok I might join you guys . I also have a car. But we can discuss more on Friday! Quote Link to comment
+Divine Posted January 12, 2004 Share Posted January 12, 2004 Sheesh...the whole cache has got too much publicity already. People, it's only a lousy film canister with some worthless junk in it! And the island is nicer in summertime than in winter. I've been meaning to upgrade the cache a bit by making it a multi, where there would be bigger container in the goal. However, I have no time to do it before S&S's visit, so hope you have fun with the pitiful film canister! Quote Link to comment
+Harjus Posted January 12, 2004 Share Posted January 12, 2004 Harjus told a week ago that he could go with Stu and Sarah and drive with them to Pirkkala, as he has not found Viikinsaari cache either. We as Harjus (he&she ) have not directly chosen any side of the lake Pyhäjärvi for approaching Viikinsaari yet or approaching it at all. It would sure be nice to go there together, but we are going to visit the Travel Fair in Helsinki during the weekend, so we will not be in Tampere all of the weekend. We think that it would be best to discuss with you, Stu and Sarah, about the suitable time for the possbile together-made cache hunt at the friday's meeting. It is really nice to be meeting you on friday! We must also say that we are delighted about the fact that you own those TB's heading to our cache in Lapland . Quote Link to comment
+stu_and_sarah Posted January 12, 2004 Author Share Posted January 12, 2004 We think that it would be best to discuss with you, Stu and Sarah, about the suitable time for the possbile together-made cache hunt at the friday's meeting.That is the best plan. It is really nice to be meeting you on friday! We must also say that we are delighted about the fact that you own those TB's heading to our cache in Lapland They have gone very quiet. One seems to have been stolen and we can't contact the holder It's the second time we've tried to send bugs to the arctic. The first time it was stolen, too Quote Link to comment
+Tervas Posted January 13, 2004 Share Posted January 13, 2004 Sheesh...the whole cache has got too much publicity already. People, it's only a lousy film canister with some worthless junk in it! And the island is nicer in summertime than in winter. But Siilinkari is MUCH nicer in winter. Just trust me, I know what I'm talking about Quote Link to comment
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