Matalikoissa

Matalikoissa is a Finnish term used in marine geography and navigation. It is the inessive plural form of matalikko, meaning a shoal or shallow area, and translates roughly as “in the shoals” or “in the shallows.” The phrase refers to shallow nearshore zones where water depth is reduced by sandbanks, gravel beds, or other sediment deposits, and which can change position over time due to tides, currents, and sediment supply.

Shallows described as matalikkoissa are typically dynamic features. They may form seasonal or storm-driven sandbars, and their exact outlines can shift, making precise navigation dependent on up-to-date hydrographic data. These areas are of particular interest for nautical charts, coastal management, and fisheries, because they influence vessel clearance, under-keel measurements, and habitat distribution for marine organisms.

In practice, matalikoissa are distinguished from deeper offshore regions and from more stable coastal features. The term is most common in technical contexts such as hydrography, maritime navigation, and coastal science. While it can appear in literary or descriptive Finnish, its primary use remains specialized and scientifically oriented.

English translations of matalikoissa vary with context, generally rendered as “in the shoals” or “in the shallows.” The concept aligns with the English term shoals or shallow-water zones and is closely related to risks of grounding and sedimentary dynamics near coastlines.

See also: matalikko, shoal, shallows, nautical chart, coastal geology.