An English diplomat who visited Sylt in the first half of the 19th century left the following description: "A sickle of sand in the North Sea, a rough land between sea and sky, even now in summer." So far, so good, you might say. But the well-travelled guest was very wrong in his next assessment: "So there are only a few people here, and they will probably remain among themselves forever." Anyone trying to get hold of a beach chair in Westerland during the peak season would sometimes wish that the Englishman had been right. Sylt has long been Germany's most visited holiday island and attracts holidaymakers in droves. The good transport connections with intercity and car trains make it possible.
However, it should not be forgotten that the island is so attractive primarily because it is truly beautiful and extraordinary: no other North Sea island is so long - there are 36 kilometres between Ellenbogen in the north and Hörnum Odde in the south. There is also a lot to see (and plenty of opportunities to be seen): There are dunes to be climbed, crabs to be picked and boutiques to be browsed. People wear Frisian mink, faux fur or bikinis. Toast with Sylt sparkling water and sea buckthorn grog, but of course you can also have a glass of bubbly. In short: a party for life!
But the good thing about Sylt is that the loud, continuous party is not a compulsory event. Those looking for peace and quiet - and this probably applies to the majority of guests - will find it just as quickly: in the quiet dune valleys of Listland, for example, or on a walk on the dyke near Rantum, with a sweeping view over the mudflats shimmering in the sun. If you come here on your own keel, all options are open to you. From the two harbours in List and Hörnum, you can easily explore the entire island - and here you can find out what you need to know as a skipper. Sylt is said to be the island of the "rich and beautiful". Well, beauty is usually in the eye of the beholder. And the rich are those who are happy. So in the end, Sylt belongs to all of us - right?
1 elbow
This sandy spit of dunes and heathland is the northernmost part of Germany. Its northern edge with its wide sandy beach is washed by the Lister Tief, which separates Sylt from the Danish island of Rømø. To the south lies the vast mudflats of the Königshafen harbour, a bird sanctuary that is also part of the Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea National Park ( www.nationalpark-wattenmeer.de ).
The distance from List harbour to the car park at the eastern end of the Ellenbogen is exactly ten kilometres and is easy to manage by bike. It also leads past the approximately 150-year-old List West and List East lighthouses, which make for beautiful photo opportunities in any weather. Incidentally, use of the private road on the Ellenbogen is free of charge for cyclists and pedestrians.
2 List
Like Ellenbogen, List itself can also claim the title of the most northerly town in the Republic due to its location - and the most northerly harbour: although it is small, it still offers a few guest berths on two floating jetties that start from the southern quay wall. Electricity and water at the jetty, registration and sanitary facilities at the harbour office. A slipway is also available. Particularly at weekends in summer, it can't hurt to ask the harbour master about the space situation before you arrive - also because you may then be allocated a place on the sheet pile wall, which is generally reserved for excursion boats and service vehicles. Tel. 04651-87 03 74, mobile 0171-861 35 45, VHF channel 11. www.list-sylt.de
Another permanent guest in the harbour is the rescue cruiser "Pidder Lüng" on the inside of the south pier. The car ferry to Rømø docks at its own pier south of the harbour basin ( www.syltfaehre.de ). There are souvenir shops and a small market right by the harbour in the
"Alter Tonnenhof", cafés and restaurants (including "Gosch", Germany's "northernmost fish stall", www.gosch.de ) take care of the culinary needs. Other amenities: petrol station (Orlen, 800 m), supermarket (Edeka, 1200 m).
A visit to the "Erlebniszentrum Naturgewalten", a modern multimedia exhibition that focuses on the North Sea habitat (right by the harbour), is an exciting experience, www.naturgewalten-sylt.de ). To the west of the village is Listland with its shifting sand dunes.
3 Kampen
is the Beverly Hills of the North Sea: the list of celebrities who own one of the chic, thatched holiday homes here is long. Naturally, they are discreet and don't wear name tags! If you want to spend a lot of money quickly, the upmarket boutiques in the town are just the place for you. The Red Cliff begins on the western beach near Kampen.
4 Kampen lighthouse
When approaching the island from the sea at night, the orientation light located inland on the ridge of the island is an important point of reference. The white sector of the belt lens has a range of 20 nautical miles thanks to a 400 watt metal vapour lamp. The 40 metre high tower was put into operation in 1856 under Danish rule, as the initials of King Frederik VII on its brick base attest. However, the black and white colour scheme dates back to 1953.
5 Munkmarsch
Before the Hindenburgdamm was built in 1927, the small village was a ferry harbour. Ships travelled from here to the mainland, bringing summer holidaymakers who then stayed in Kampen and Westerland. Today, the small harbour with its two dry basins is run by the Sylt Sailing Club Munkmarsch. Electricity and water are available as well as sanitary facilities and a slip ramp ( www.ssc-munkmarsch.de ). From here, it is worth taking a trip to Keitum, just three kilometres away, with its remarkable Severin Church from the early 13th century - the oldest sacred building in Schleswig-Holstein
( www.st-severin.de ) - the Captain's Houses and the Sylt Museum of Local History.
6 Westerland
is the centre of the island in every respect: this is where the trains arrive from the mainland, this is where the administration of the largest island municipality is based and, with its 10,000 inhabitants and high-rise buildings, Westerland doesn't just look like a real town. The rugged seaside resort charm of the seventies meets quaint pubs and cosy shops with bric-a-brac. Plus the spa promenade and, above all, the wide beach! Our tip: order an "Aperol Spritz" or a "Tote Tante" in one of the cafés on Friedrichstraße, relax and watch who goes by! Info: www.westerland.de
However, the village does not have a harbour due to its location. From List and Hörnum, however, you can easily get to the "capital" ( www.svg-busreisen.de ).
7 Hindenburgdamm
Strictly speaking, Sylt hasn't really been an island since the Hindenburgdamm and the continuous railway link were opened in 1927 - but let's be honest: who's going to bother with such quibbles? Thanks to the shuttle service with the "Sylt Shuttle" car train, any car can now travel to the island without any problems, from a Mini to a Panamera. www.syltshuttle.de
Sylt East The peninsula facing the mainland is surrounded by the Wadden Sea and is characterised by flat marshland and pastureland, with Frisian villages such as Archsum, Morsum and Keitum. Sylt's airport is also located in the north-west of the peninsula and offers direct connections to all parts of Germany ( www.flughafen-sylt.de ).
9 Rantum
The wide expanse of water in the Rantum Basin was originally created as a take-off and landing site for Luftwaffe seaplanes, but today only peaceful seabirds can be found here. To the south of this nature reserve, which is separated from the Wadden Sea, lies the facilities of the Rantum North Frisian Sailing Club. Although its jetty with pits is completely dry (for access, see page 86), guests are welcome. Sanitary facilities, clubhouse and barbecue area are also available - in the middle of idyllic surroundings (Tel. 0170-222 88 64, www.nfsv-rantum.de ).
10 Hörnum
For skippers coming from the south, Hörnum offers the first and best address for good moorings on the island. The floating jetties of the Sylt Yacht Club are located in the northern part of the harbour, which is well protected and can be approached at any water level. There are 84 moorings in total, all of which are equipped with electricity and water connections. Sanitary facilities are available in the clubhouse (Tel. 0171-744 32 80, www.sylter-yachtclub.de ).
The southern part of the harbour is shared by fishing boats and excursion boats. Hörnum presents itself as a cosy holiday resort that still has plenty of Frisian flair (supplies: delicious fish sandwiches at the harbour, shopping 700 metres away at Edeka). The sandy beaches of the Odde are suitable for a circular walk, the 34 metre high lighthouse can be visited ( www.hoernum.de ).
The control
Generally List and Hörnum can be approached from the open sea in any weather, at any water level and at any time of day. However, in poor conditions, i.e. when there is a lot of wind against the current, heavy surf can occur off the lows in the north and south of the island. An up-to-date sea weather report as well as current and tide information are therefore essential, even if you don't want to go further into the Wadden Sea to Munkmarsch or Rantum.
Cunning The approach to List is usually via the "Lister Tief" fairway, which is completely buoyed from the red and white buoy of the same name around the elbow to Lister harbour. The buoy line is lit at intervals; in addition (coming from the sea in this order) there are leading sectors
of the beacons "List West", "List East" and "List Land".
Munkmarsch In front of the Lister harbour is the southbound Lister Ley, a deep tideway from which the Pandertief, which is also marked but quickly becomes shallower, branches off at buoy "Ley 10" and leads to Munkmarsch (the last part of a tideway that is already dry at chart datum). The entire approach from List is unlit.
Hörnum The route to Sylt's southern harbour leads via the long, buoyed and also
The route to Sylt's southern harbour leads via the long, buoyed and also intermittently lit "Vortrapptief" fairway, which begins west of Amrum and then leads south of Hörnum Odde between the two islands. Further assistance is provided by the "Norddorf" cross light on Amrum and the "Hörnum" orientation light.
Rantum The Eidum Deep, which is also labelled but not lit, branches off to the north a little east of Hörnum and reaches as far as the Rantum Basin, but also quickly becomes shallower. The jetty at Rantum can only be approached from two hours before to two hours after high tide.
