EPS’s new island base Bergholmen will be opened for members’ use on 13.6.2025. Bergholmen is located in Kirkkonummi, just over 7 nautical miles from the home harbor and just over a kilometer west of Stora Herrö. The island has docks on both the south and north sides, and you can find links to approach maps further down the message and on the website’s member section. On the island, we have access to 2 saunas, a small cabin, a grill shelter, and 2 composting dry toilets. The cabin has electricity, but there is no dock electricity on the island. There is also a water maker on the island, which provides fresh water for sauna use. However, the water has not been tested, so please do not use it as drinking water.
The island has an area of approximately 2.5 hectares. The island has been Skipper’s excursion island, and our landlord is Palsta Kirkkonummi.
Visiting Bergholmen during winter season
Bergholmen has been prepared for the 2025 season by volunteers, thank you to those who participated in the volunteers! Those who have redeemed the island sticker can still use the island: the hut is available, as well as the electricity. However, when you leave, make sure that nothing is left on, the lights are turned off and the plugs are removed from the walls. The sauna on the north side is available, the sauna on the south side serves as storage during the winter season.
There is no longer any water available on the island, so if you want to use the sauna, bring your own washing water with you. There is still rainwater for the sauna in the barrel on the east side of the cottage. It would be a good idea to use this or drain it to the ground before frost. Remember that the boiler in the pipe should be full of water when using the sauna so that the boiler does not burst. However, do not put rainwater in the boiler of the sauna, but use the fresh water you brought. During the cold season, you should take good care of the sauna by leaving half a stack of wood burning after you have finished using the sauna. After you have used the sauna, all buckets and pots should be emptied carefully so that they do not freeze!
Firewood is available in the shed next to the cottage and on the platform south of the barbecue house. These should be carried to the firewood shed. Remember to register your visits in the guest book even now during the winter season, thank you.
Visiting Bergholmen
The use of EPS’s island base, Bergholmen, is restricted to EPS members who have purchased a seasonal permit and their boats with crew. If the member’s captained boat arriving at the island does not sail under the EPS flag, the club pennant must be used as proof of club membership, in accordance with the flag instructions.
A mark indicating the seasonal permit must be visible when the boat is at the island’s dock. The sticker indicating the right to use the island must be obtained from the club’s office BEFORE arriving at the island. The fee is 60€ for the season 2025. EPS club events (e.g., opening weekend, midsummer) at Bergholmen are open to all members even without a season fee.
Immediately upon arriving at the island, the boat’s captain is required to record the arrival date, boat name, seasonal permit number (from the sticker), and crew count in the island’s guestbook. The departure date of the boat must be recorded upon leaving.
By landing on the island, the member accepts the Espoo Yacht Club’s excursion island rules. Failure to comply with the rules may result in the loss of the right to use the island. A member arriving at the island without a purchased seasonal permit will be charged double the price of the seasonal permit.
Island base rules: Island rules.
Read the island base info letter that was sent to members in May 2025.
How to get there:
There are two clearly marked easy routes leading to the island, and the harbor’s depth is sufficient for all registered boats of EPS. Notice about the northern entrance to Bergholmen: please follow the route on the approach map available on the member pages (dashed line), which goes close to Lillholmen. The southern marker does not guide close enough to Lillholmen, and there is a rock further out.
Bergholmen North (main dock)
Bergholmen Norh, zoomed in
Bergholmen_South
Use of Saunas
Visits to the sauna are recorded in the sauna guestbook, and private sauna sessions are booked in the reservation book. The date, boat name, and number of sauna users are recorded. For private sessions, the time is also noted.
Saunas are generally available for communal use (from 6 PM to 12 PM) so that everyone has the opportunity to sauna upon arriving from the sea. Based on feedback from members, the sauna schedule at Bergholmen for the remainder of the season will be adjusted so that women and men will alternate saunas every other day starting 1.9.25. This change affects the communal sessions and will be in effect for the rest of the 2025 season. Private sessions can be booked for both saunas daily from 12 – 18, as before. The use of communal sessions is included in the island’s seasonal fee. It is considerate to limit bathing in the communal sauna to one hour at a time.
| ⚈ | Southern Sauna: On odd days, women’s sauna (starting 1.9.), on even days, men’s sauna |
| ⚈ | Northern Sauna: On odd days, men’s sauna (starting 1.9.), on even days, women’s sauna |
During the day (between 12 PM and 6 PM), it is possible to reserve a sauna for private use for one hour at a time upon the boat’s arrival on the island, with the principle of one session per boat per day. A sauna session can be booked for the same and the following day. Private sauna sessions are paid for via Mobilepay at the time of booking. If Mobilepay payment is not possible, “INVOICE” is noted in the reservation. Sessions recorded as invoiced will be billed to the member later. Private sessions are charged at 10€/hour. At other times, saunas are for communal use.
Only fresh water is used as sauna water, for which there is a water-making machine on the island. To prevent the stove from rusting, it is absolutely essential that SEA WATER IS NOT THROWN ON THE STOVE. Sauna users must ensure that there is enough sauna wood and cold and hot water available for the next users. Sauna facilities must be cleaned after use, and sauna-related equipment must be washed. The last sauna user is responsible for ventilating the sauna.
Bergholmen Rules
Familiarize yourself with the island rules before arriving. The key points are highlighted here:
| ✔ | On the island, one must behave according to good boating and seamanship practices. |
| ✔ | We ensure that everyone who has purchased a seasonal permit can access the harbor, with the mooring spot chosen based on depth and the draft of the boat. |
| ✔ | When mooring boats, use a buoy or, if a buoy is unavailable, an anchor, along with sufficiently effective shock absorbers. Side mooring is allowed in exceptional cases at the end of the north pier and only if space permits. |
| ✔ | Order and cleanliness must be maintained without compromise. The maintenance and cleanliness of the island are the responsibility of every island user. Everyone is obliged to take their own trash off the island and participate in the maintenance of the compost toilet. Any deficiencies and defects must be reported to the island host. |
| ✔ | Open fires and the use of personal grills are prohibited. Fires are only allowed in the grill shelter and the brick grill by the shore. |
| ✔ | The island’s nature, vegetation, and wildlife must be protected and cherished. Movement on the eastern half of the island during the bird nesting season from May 1st to July 31st is prohibited. Cutting down trees, breaking branches, and hunting are forbidden. Pets must be kept on a leash. Fishing is allowed in accordance with the fishing law. |
| ✔ | Releasing dishwater into the sea at the harbor is prohibited. The kitchen in the main building serves as the dishwashing area. |
| ✔ | Sound equipment, generators, and engines must be used in such a way that they do not cause disturbance. Quiet hours on the island are from 11 PM to 7 AM. |
| ✔ | The last person leaving the island must ensure that all island buildings are locked. |
The island managers for the 2025 season are Henry Intovuori, Aimo Järvinen, Pertti Kauppila and Kai Hentunen. You can find the contact details of the island managers on our website. The island managers guide users of the island with any questions and coordinate maintenance and repair work on the island. If you notice anything that needs attention, please contact them.
Island managers Aimo, Henry, Pertti and Kai (not in the picture) welcome all EPS members to Bergholmen!