Key moments of 2021 - Midnight Sun

It was already 8 pm when the final adjustments and fine-tuning of the Ocean Explorer 72 powered by powerful Torqeedo electric motors allowed us to begin our boat test. From the port of Pietarsaari, we headed down the estuary that leads to the sea. Unusual time of day for a sea trial, but here, almost at the 65th parallel of northerly latitude, the sun is still very high in the sky. Jakobstad is less than 125 mi (200 km) from the Arctic Circle, and the sun, at this time of the year is visible for 22 hours and 3 minutes! Our test takes place in the greatest silence - the catamaran glides on the dark blue water. Very slowly, the sun concedes to close the horizon. At midnight, our star is still shining. A few minutes later, it partially disappears under the waves, leaving a permanent sunset in the sky. It goes along the horizon for two hours and then reappears once more...

Norbert Conchin
Journalist