We head out onto the Wieker Bodden between the pier heads. There is almost no wind, the water is smooth and as deep blue as the sky above us. Our Linssen lies on a south-westerly course with a gently rushing bow wave.
A good start to our charter trip across the western Bodden waters between Rügen, Hiddensee and Zingst!
The starting point was the harbour of Wiek on the Wittow peninsula, in the very north of Germany's largest island. This is also where we picked up our charter boat, a neat Linssen 34.9 AC from Freewater Yachtcharter.
The pairs of buoys shining in the sun on the fairway can be seen from afar. The dead-straight fairway is dredged to a depth of three metres here, and it quickly becomes shallow next to it, typical of the shallow Bodden waters in the west of Rügen.
On the starboard side, with a flat profile, lies the Bug, a wooded sand spit which, at its narrowest point south of Dranske, is just wide enough for the road that leads up to the almost eight-kilometre-long peninsula. Even in GDR times, the Bug was a restricted area and speedboats of the People's Navy were stationed there.
Today, the cracked concrete piers of the base are rotting away peacefully and nature is slowly reclaiming what once belonged to it - because the southern part of the bow is now part of the Western Pomerania Lagoon National Park, which covers a large part of our cruising area.
In order to protect the diverse flora and fauna, the national park's navigation rules are understandably strict; its water areas are therefore also divided into green and red protection zones, the boundaries of which are marked on the recreational boat maps. Both zones are off-limits to motorboats.
Although this often only allows the buoyed fairways to be used as traffic routes, it is not particularly tempting to have to navigate away from the buoy line given the shallow water depths mentioned above. Incidentally, the maximum permitted speed in the fairway is 12 knots, and only 8 knots outside (where permitted).
After five nautical miles, we come to the first "crossroads": to the east, the buoy path leads further into Rügen to the Great Jasmund Bodden, while to the west, the Schaproder Bodden beckons with its silver glitter and our first destination - the island of Hiddensee. We join the line between two sailing yachts and soon pass the narrow section between the southern tip of Bug and the Stolper Haken.
And how the wide expanse of water is deceptive! The pairs of buoys are closely spaced here, the distance between them narrow, and anyone who strays from the path is quickly left high and dry. The water is barely half a metre deep in many parts of the Vitter Bodden and the Hahnentiefschaar, which we are now crossing. An excursion boat comes towards us at full speed and with a foaming bow wave.
But before we can think about how we can get even closer to the green fairway side, the steamer pulls out to take a shortcut. We look after it, swaying and marvelling. According to the nautical chart, the water is only a good metre deep at the point where its propeller water is now churning up. The professional skippers know their territory.
The Lange Ort marina in Vitte offers the best berths on Hiddensee. The approach is via the fairway to Vitte; around three cable lengths before the harbour, a narrow, also buoyed fairway branches off to the north-west to the marina. We look for a free box, manoeuvre between the dolphins and tie up with the bow to the jetty.
We pay 20 euros here for our 10.70 metre yacht, electricity up to 600 watts is included. If you need more, you can get a prepaid card from the harbour master for the machines on the jetty. The facilities in the harbour, which is beautifully situated in a reed-lined bay, range from spotless sanitary facilities to a barbecue area and bicycle hire.
The car-free island can be easily explored by bike from Vitte: In the south, the sandy headland of Gellen with its windswept pine trees separates the Bodden from the open Baltic Sea, while the north of the island is dominated by the high Dornbusch with its steep banks and striking lighthouse - and if you don't want to pedal too hard, you can also hire an electric bike.
Vitte itself is only a ten-minute walk from the marina. At the commercial harbour, which is used by excursion boats as well as fishermen and the ferry to Rügen, there are restaurants and cafés for a first refreshment, after which you can sunbathe on the nearby Baltic Sea beach: Hiddensee is one of the sunniest areas in Germany - a strong argument in our cool latitudes! In the village itself you will find an "Edeka" supermarket (Wallweg 1) and our restaurant tip for the evening: the rustic "Godewind" (Süderende 53), where they even serve Hiddensee beer.
"Inside or outside?" is the question the next day. The decision is actually easy: the weather is so good, with hardly a breeze ruffling the sea, that we choose the route around the outside of Hiddensee to head south - even if it is a little further. The shorter alternative would have been the fairway on the inside of the island across the Schap-roder Bodden.
We leave Vitte on the buoy line and soon turn northwards. To the right is the bow again, to the left the Neu- and Altbessin spit hooks. Here, Hiddensee continues to grow with alluvial sand and regains what it loses through cliff erosion, as the winter storms repeatedly tear pieces out of the cliffs at Dornbusch.
The lighthouse - itself only a good cable's length away from the edge of the break-off - looms bright white against a cloudless sky between dark pine trees and always remains on our port side as we steer out onto the Libben and then round the northern tip of Hiddensee, free of all buoys. However, you shouldn't keep too close to land: The name of the shoal "Toter Kerl" with its large boulders under the surface is warning enough.
Our charter yacht is sailing straight as a die across the mirror-smooth Mecklenburg Bay. Where is the rough wind that has accompanied us far too often this summer? In any case, we are very happy about this "breathing space". We only briefly disturb the midday calm of the "Gellen" approach buoy with our wave, then we head south and towards the sun. On our port side, Hiddensee with its bustling beaches flickers across the water like a mirage.
The buoy line has us back! We head back into the Bodden on the narrow Gellenstrom - and into the national park. The seagulls are only a few metres away in the shallow water and are not impressed by us. We also meet the water police here; it is not entirely unlikely that some skippers with their eyes on the open Baltic Sea will pull the lever too soon at this bottleneck ...
We cross the wide Kubitzer Bodden and head towards the Strelasund. High church spires, the assembly hall of the Volkswerft shipyard and the needle-thin pylons of the Rügen dam herald our destination for the day from afar: the magnificent old Hanseatic city of Stralsund. There are several attractive mooring options in the area: Altefähr on the island of Rügen, for example, or the marina on the Dänholm, an island in the middle of the Strelasund. However, we opt for the city centre and the comfortable floating jetties of the Citymarina Stralsund. The mooring fee for us is 15 euros and electricity is available via a service card for 50 cents per kilowatt hour. The sanitary facilities float on pontoons and are immaculately maintained.
A stroll through the excellently restored old town is a real journey through time: Gothic pointed arches, stepped gables and coats of arms with the city's silver arrow adorn the time-honoured facades. What fell into disrepair during the GDR era and was hidden under grey scratched plaster now shines again as it did in the days of old trading power. The massive towers of St Marien, St Nikolai and St Jakobi - all impressive examples of brick Gothic architecture - tower above. With so much architecture, it is hardly surprising that Stralsund is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
However, the city also has another highlight: the "Ozeaneum" (www.ozeaneum.de) with its curved front is located directly on the harbour. Its aquariums and illustrative exhibitions show the life of the northern seas in all its diversity, including a penguin colony on the roof. Particularly impressive are the "Giants of the Seas" - a group of life-size whale replicas, including a 26 metre model of a blue whale. Admission prices: 14 euros (adults), 8 euros (concessions).
You can shop (supermarket, bakery) and eat in Stralsund around the Alter Markt, for example, which is about a ten-minute walk from the harbour, but we can also recommend the somewhat closer "Hafen-Steakhouse" (Seestraße 2) or "Fischermann's Restaurant" on the harbour island.
It has freshened up! Although there are only white veils of cloud at high altitude, the wind is blowing from the east at 3 to 4 Beaufort. It pushes us back across the Kubitzer Bodden and at Barhöft into the narrow fairway south of the island of Bock. If you're lucky, you might even spot a sea eagle fishing in the reed belt.
The banks recede again somewhat and the fairway leads between Großer Wiek and Grabow. The flat dunes of Zingst now lie to the north. Seabirds circle above the dry grass of the Sundian meadow. Via Kleine Wiek and Barther Bodden - the church tower of Barth is clearly visible to the south - we reach the Zingster Strom, which separates the Zingst peninsula from the Große Kirr. This flat island offers a very special natural spectacle every autumn when tens of thousands of cranes rest there.
The Zingst waterway rest area is located on the north bank of the river. The easterly wind creates a noticeable current, making it a real challenge to head for the pits lying across the river. We drift past once, slowly motor back against the current and turn in at the right moment. The bow of the Linssen slips between the dolphins, two lines are laid and we can slowly motor in. In the box, the current is already so weakened by the other boats that we can keep the bow centred with the bow thruster. Tight at the bow, crossed aft with the lines, and we are lying well. One sailor will have less luck later: He miscalculates and crashes between the wrong dolphins. His pointed stem crashes into the transom of a Bayliner, whose crew gets the fright of their lives while drinking coffee ...
The berth costs 15 euros per night, electricity included. The sanitary building behind the dyke is small but clean. Zingst itself is a picture-book seaside resort between the Bodden and the Baltic Sea beach. On the "inner side" is the small commercial harbour, where tourists enjoy fish sandwiches and ice cream sundaes. Excursion steamers and classic Zeesboote boats leave from here for trips across the Bodden and to Barth. You can shop at "E-neukauf" (Boddenhörn 1), just a five-minute walk from the harbour.
But now through the village to the beach, past the old DGzRS boat shed, which is now used for an exhibition about the sea rescuers. The dusk attracts people, the pier fills up, the beach chairs in the fine, warm quartz sand are still well occupied, and people wait together for the sunset with the red evening glow on their faces and a glass of white wine in their hands. And the holiday atmosphere continues, even when it is already dark: the beach café and cocktail bar directly on the pier ensure this until late in the evening.
The next day, we head back east against the wind, which creates such a short, steep sea on the shallow waters that our Linssen bucks violently from time to time. Halfway back to Rügen, we moored in Barhöft at midday. Here you can moor in boxes or alongside the new quay wall in the east of the harbour basin. We pay 16.20 euros for the berth with electricity and water, including a shower card.
Arriving early ensures good places here, as the harbour fills up quickly in summer. The ships of the offshore wind industry also take up space: the rotors of "Baltic 1", Germany's first wind farm at sea, tower less than ten nautical miles off the coast. The plant only went into operation in May.
went into operation in May.
The observation tower above the harbour provides a good overview of the area: Stralsund's churches can be seen to the east and Darßer Ort to the west. To the north, the view extends over the island of Bock and the offshore sand flats to Dornbusch on Hiddensee. And to the west, the white cliffs of the island of Møn shine on the horizon, 35 nautical miles away.
Time for us to say goodbye to the area - almost. With a torn sky and a fresh north-westerly breeze, we head back north via Schaproder Bodden between Hiddensee and Rügen. Outside, the spray would fly around our ears in the choppy sea, but we sit dry under the cake stand.
We leave Wiek to the left, pass the free ferry at Wittow and head straight west across the chain of Breetzer, Breeger and Lebbiner Bodden to the Great Jasmund Bodden. Here the visibility becomes so poor that the hilly, wooded banks disappear completely in the grey. Using a plotter, we feel our way from one buoy to the next.
Only shortly before Ralswiek does it clear - and we are greeted by the thunder of cannons! Two cogs are engaged in a naval battle on starboard, gun smoke drifts across the water! But the surprising welcome is only part of the evening performance at the Störtebeker Festival. Every summer, episodes from the life of the famous buccaneer are staged on a large open-air stage. Although they are not always historically verifiable, the sword-clashing spectacle is definitely exciting.
The relatively new harbour in Ralswiek offers plenty of space, either in boxes or alongside at the head of the jetties. Costs: 16.50 euros with electricity. The well-kept sanitary facilities are located in the pretty, thatched house of the harbour master's office.
A walk along the waterfront takes us to Ralswiek Castle, which overlooks the festival grounds. The finale is being heralded there with furious fireworks: dazzling flashes, rolling thunder, followed by one last big bang, and night falls over the Bodden in a burst of applause.
WHAT SKIPPERS NEED TO KNOW
The company The Hamburg-based company Freewater Yacht Charter has five bases, three of them in Mecklenburg and Märkisch waters and two more on the Baltic coast in Wiek on Rügen and in Flensburg. The centrepiece of the fleet is the fine Linssen steel displacement boats in seven different designs - which is why the company is a member of the Europe-wide Linssen Charter Association, with partners in Germany, the Netherlands, France and Croatia. However, other boat types, such as Pedro, Doerak and Nidelv, are also available from freewater. Information and booking: freewater yachtcharter, Rainer Daues, Kiefernhain 5, 22297 Hamburg, phone 040-64 50 57 30. www.freewater.de
The boat We were travelling on a 10.70 m long Linssen 34.9 AC steel displacement boat. The boat was excellently equipped throughout for the trip and below deck: the two spacious double cabins were each equipped with their own wet room. Extensive navigation material with charts and harbour guides was on board, as was a practical colour chart plotter at the outside helm. The weekly prices for the 4+2-person ship were between 1510 and 2480 euros.
The precinct The shallow Bodden waters to the west of Rügen are almost completely shielded from the open Baltic Sea by the offshore islands. In stronger winds, high waves are therefore not to be expected, but the short, steep sea, which builds up quickly due to the shallow water depth, can be quite unpleasant on larger water areas such as the Kubitzer or Großer Jasmunder Bodden - especially if the wind comes from across the bay. In crosswinds, you should pay particular attention to the drift in the narrow fairways and also look aft to see whether the boat is still within the buoy line.
However, the shallow water depth is the only navigational problem; those who keep to the very well buoyed fairways are on the safe side. It is important - especially at junctions and crossings - to keep your bearings, as otherwise the buoys can be confused and the course of the fairway can be misinterpreted as a result.
The literature
- Delius Klasing set of pleasure craft charts 2 Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Bornholm, with Lübeck Bay and Szczecin Lagoon: 3 general charts, 25 detailed charts, 114 harbour plans. Updated annually. Also available as a CD-ROM for Vistanaut and Yacht-Navigator, 54.90 euros. ISBN 978-3-7688-3202-1 (CD-ROM: 29.90 E. ISBN 978-3-7688-9812-6).www.delius-klasing.de
- Törnführer Ostseeküste, Band 2: Travemünde bis Stettin by Jan Werner, 216 p., 133 colour photos, 95 colour plans, size 16.4 x 23.6 cm, 29.90 Euro. ISBN 978-3-7688-0791-3, www.delius-klasing.de
The cruise stages (in nautical miles)
