Canadian Friends of Finland

Towards the end of Pirkko’s university studies she received an invitation to Finland’s Commercial TV (MainosTV) to run the popular program primarily for women Today at Home. After that she worked also for MainosTV as a newscaster in current affairs and did travel programs (LomaTV), which took her to many places including Canada.

In 1992 Pirkko left her TV career and moved to Cannes in the south of France with her future husband Pekka Koskenkylä. Without blinking an eye and totally ignorant about boats, Pirkko accepted her husband’s invitation to go to sea. Pekka is the creator of the world famous sailing boat, the Swan. Pekka designed a floating home, the Voyageur, that was built in his dockyard in Thailand. Having sold their house, the Voyageur became their only home for several years. Pirkko’s speech will focus on the sailing routes and exotic places they visited. They were not looking for challenges or difficult and dangerous situations but wanted to enjoy the sea and gorgeous anchoring places. Star moments of life on the sea and the most exciting, even perilous moments will be a major feature of her lecture. After their seafaring era they built a house in 2002 in the small Medieval town of Bargemon where they each could pursue their passions. Soon thereafter Pirkko’s career as a painter and author began. To date she has written 11 books, 5 novels, 3 travelogues, 2 biographies, and 1 lifestyle book. She has held two art exhibits in France and three in Finland. Currently Pirkko’s main focus is writing. The protagonists in her novels are women, who have absorbed Sea-Pirkko’s unyielding and courageous character.