Wave conditions, their seasonal cycle and long-term variations in the northern part of the Baltic Sea Proper are studied, based on visual wave observations at the Vilsandi Island near the coast of Saaremaa in 1954-2005. Typical wave periods are from 2 to 4 s. The monthly mean wave height follows the seasonal variation in wind speed and varies from about 0.4 m in April-July to almost 0.8 m in January. The annual mean wave height shows a quasiperiodic behaviour. The wave activity varied insignificantly in the 1960s and 1970s, considerably increased in the 1980s, was the highest just before the turn of the century and is decreasing starting from about 1998.