The lock gate at Brunsbüttel opens in the early summer evening. The conditions couldn't be better: a moving tide in the Elbe estuary, a gentle breeze and a starry night. Heligoland is calling! The boat sails leisurely in the open sea towards the big pots on the outer roadstead, which lie there in the last light of day like a city on the water. Behind them, the light from the Heligoland lighthouse sweeps across the Kimm, rising higher and higher as the night progresses.
Hours later, morning coffee steaming in our hands, we can make out the upper and lower land. Shortly before reaching their destination, the ship and crew are shaken up a little as the waves rise more steeply over the increasingly flat ground. And the current suddenly becomes surprisingly strong. Then the harbour is reached.
Travelling can be a challenge
The crossing is not always so uncomplicated. Sometimes the trip to the red rock can be a challenge. Strong winds, high swells, sea fog or horizontally lashing rain can really put a strain on a crew on the North Sea. Those who make it will be relieved to hoist the sails in the sheltered outer harbour. But you are not yet moored. The southern harbour of Heligoland has its pitfalls. Usually you have to do a lap or two in the harbour. The question of a free place on the jetty or even a box usually doesn't arise during the season. It's all about deciding where to go into the harbour.
Finally alongside another yacht, the work continues: deploying the shore line and retrieving the extension cable for the power supply from the depths of the saloon bench, provided one of the rare sockets is free. Climbing over sea fences and under sheets over many inner berths is standard practice on Heligoland. And don't forget the small change: one euro for the wash house and two for the electricity.
No, Heligoland harbour is not comfortable or even cosy. And yet it regularly harbours countless returning guests. Many stay for longer. And not just because there is so much wind that the return journey has to be postponed. Holidays on the "rock", as it is known to connoisseurs, are not uncommon among northern German sailors.
On the way from the harbour to the lowlands, its beauty is initially hidden behind the kind of residential area that you would avoid on the mainland, at least at night: Broken windows have been replaced by old advertising signs, boats are left to rot in a backyard.
Landmark of Heligoland
But finally the first postcard motif: "Oh look, that's the famous crab shack!" exclaims a visitor fresh off the ferry from afar a few metres away at the sight of the lobster shacks. The bright colours of the stalls compete with each other and line part of the bay around the inland port in a gentle arc. Where lobster fishermen used to store their gear, their owners now sell fish sandwiches and snacks, souvenirs and books by the island's author James Krüss.
Right in the centre, a vending machine kiosk allows you to make purchases by credit card around the clock. In addition to unavoidable items such as beer, chocolate and toothbrushes, the resourceful owner also offers the one-euro coins that are indispensable for the wash house, four for the price of 4.50 euros! This offer is only accepted by those who don't know that the manager of the wash house, Bernd Paul, keeps kilos of coins in stock to change sailors' banknotes.
Strolling across the island, you can see the open sea from almost every point. However, the view is most beautiful after a reasonable amount of effort via stairs or serpentine paths from the upper land. Red rock and deep blue sea are covered like a mosaic by a grey veil where clouds push themselves in front of the sun. Lange Anna rises bravely out of the surf in front of the cliffs. The 47 metre high rock needle is Heligoland's landmark. The waves of the North Sea gnaw at it, it becomes narrower in the current of the tides, until one day, hopefully in the very distant future, it will sink into the sea.
Seabirds hover in the updraft and swoop down to their prey. They are just tiny dots from up here. In their nests on the rocks, their young squawk for food. A feast for ornithologists who are on the lookout for that one great photo with high-quality camera equipment or want to add new exhibits to their studies. They willingly share their knowledge.
"The rock is called Guillemot Rock," one of them says, "but these are gannets. The guillemots sit further down in the rock layers." In June and July, thousands of guillemot chicks take to the skies, he continues. "They have to fly immediately. In the process, countless numbers are eaten by the skuas."
A perfect day on holiday
Shy sheep graze on the other side of the narrow red hiking trail. Cliff cabbage - only found here in Germany -, sea fennel, orchids and coltsfoot adorn the edges of the paths and bomb craters. The crumbling remains of old fortifications tell of the island's fortified history, while information boards cover every facet of Heligoland, from local celebrities to Schleswig-Holstein's largest nature reserve at the foot of the rock. To the east, lush allotment gardens with colourful huts nestle against the cliff.
A visit to the Oberland is a dubious pleasure when hordes of day tourists wander along the paths or even sway rudely after extensive whisky tasting. In the evening, however, after the cattle drive towards the ferry, you can sit on one of the comfortable benches and watch the sun wander around the Lange Anna and finally sink into the sea.
"We were up here on midsummer," Maria Pilar Lozando Fernandez reports enthusiastically. "Hundreds of people watched the sun set in a very contemplative mood and applauded as it disappeared behind the horizon." Actually, she says, she and her husband only wanted to stay for a short time. But once they arrived on Heligoland, they switched into holiday mode. Hiking, relaxing, taking the ferry over to the dunes for a swim in the sunshine and warmth. "Beautiful white sandy beaches and clear water - a perfect day's holiday! And where else can you swim with grey seals and harbour seals?" enthuses the native Spaniard, who has come over by boat from Hooksiel.
However, the dune is not only home to cute seals, but also to the "Cemetery of the Nameless", a place that evokes shivers and respect for the sea. Behind blooming dog roses and glowing orange sea buckthorn, all those who were washed ashore by the North Sea and laid to rest on the dune have found their final resting place for centuries.
Exchange for cruise planning
Back at the harbour, a chat on the jetty is a must. Some exchange tips for planning their cruise. Others, who have travelled here from the Azores, the Caribbean or more distant destinations with sun-tanned serenity, bring back stories that make the evening entertaining and their own plans bigger.
Only the inevitable announcement from the centre of the packet: "We want to leave tomorrow at eleven!" can abruptly interrupt reverie. It also seems to be the law that the rain and wind start in the morning just as the lines are cast off and the boats have to reorganise themselves.
With a bit of luck, this kind of spectacle will be over after a day or two and your own boat will be in pole position at the jetty. But until that happens, you can use the split day to pay and take care of yourself. Seven lines, one for each day of the week, give the WSA's opening hours the necessary officiality on the notice board in the showcase, but they are the same every day of the year without exception. However, they are not always compatible with the tide-determined plans of the sailors; some are tempted to refrain from paying for a short overnight stop.
But: "I don't miss anyone! We know exactly who was here and when and didn't pay, even years later," emphasises the friendly woman at the harbour office. The employees of the Helgoland branch of the Tönning harbour authority, as it is officially known, walk along the jetties and quay walls and note down the names and home ports of all guest berth holders. They also coordinate how they are moored: in the right sizes and with the necessary spacing.
"We don't do this for fun. At the latest, when the wind picks up or shifts and the rows of packets start to shift, it becomes clear just how necessary the distance is," says the woman from the harbour office, taking the opportunity to appeal to the occasionally unassertive sailing community. The fact that recreational craft are allowed to moor here at all in a federal harbour is not a matter of course and also explains the appropriate infrastructure.
Supply situation in the harbour
The supply situation in the neighbourhood is quite different. At the harbour just around the corner, fresh bread rolls are sold at the door of the bakery in the morning. In addition to outdoor clothing and a small range of yacht accessories, Jörn Rickmers offers tax-free refuelling at the petrol pump or ship's filling station. In the evenings, the Greetsiel fishermen moor at the northern Spuntwand and sell fresh fish or Knieper by the kilo from the depths of their boats.
The claws of the crab, freshly cooked, with a hint of lemon juice or white wine, served with a warm baguette and some aioli, are a must-try. Even if you have to use water pump pliers, forks and tweezers on board due to the lack of lobster claws.
In the duty-free shop, the sales assistant tells us: "You are allowed to export one litre of spirits per person duty-free", and adds businesslike: "Or two 0.75 litres, that won't be objected to either." His advice remains unchecked due to the lack of subsequent checks when travelling on. However, this is not uncommon in some places, as the authorities' radio transmits which ship is on Heligoland. On the return voyage, customs officials are happy to come on board in the lock or in one of the mainland harbours.
The goods traffic is also controlled by ship chandler Manfred Engel, whose delivery vehicles whizz back and forth between the jetties and his warehouse-sized shop from morning to night. Shopping could hardly be more convenient: Browse through the range, write down what food and drink you want, order and pay at the till, stating the name of the ship and berth. At the same time, the staff put the goods together, take them to the harbour and bring them to the boat with handcarts.
The delivery is not primarily based on a pronounced service concept: "We sell deposit-free disposable drinks," reports the owner, "and have to ensure that they are intended for the ship's needs. We can only do that by delivering them." Alongside ambulances, the police and a taxi service threatened by the ban, his cars are among the few that are allowed to drive on Heligoland. Even bicycles are only allowed for children.
This makes for a relaxed stroll along promenades and alleyways with shops and cafés in houses that nestle together in closed rows and breathe prefabricated pragmatism rather than telling the story of a sophisticated seaside resort. Individualism is expressed in the changing bright colours and here and there in colourful flowers or seafaring devotional objects in front of the doors.
History of the island
Below ground, bunkers in the upper and lower parts of the island bear depressing witness to the suffering of the islanders during the Second World War. Thousands of bombs rained down on the island, destroying almost everything the people of Heligoland needed to live. They were evacuated. In 1947, British forces even attempted to erase the island from the sea charts with a gigantic blast. Not a stone of the old villas, not a plank of the old wooden houses and huts was left standing. Only the rock held firm.
It was not until 1952 that its inhabitants were able to return and rebuild their island. Today's development is the result of an architectural competition and is modelled on the Bauhaus and Scandinavian architectural styles. However, this background knowledge hardly makes it any easier for visitors to find it appealing, although it does have some plus points for the residents: The sea can be seen from most of the house windows and especially from the countless balconies, while the narrow alleyways and the many projections defy the constant wind day in, day out.
If it's also raining and the boat is dancing in the harbour, a little escape to the "Mare Frisicum" spa is a good idea. Wrapped up warm in a bathrobe after a sauna session or lying on the roof in the bubbling whirlpool, you can watch the play of waves, clouds and light over the sea.
About joy and sorrow
With all the hustle and bustle that the residents are exposed to in summer with thousands of tourists, it's not surprising that you don't immediately encounter the Heligoland warmth everywhere. But it does exist. In the evenings, for example, when Jasmin Tavarez Ventura, landlady of the "Bunte Kuh" restaurant in Unterland, gives tips to newcomers or chats with her regular guests - those sailors who come back again and again - about the joys and sorrows of island life.
She also regularly talks about her favourite event, the Rock 'n' Roll Butter Ride. The largest and smallest punk festival in Germany, which rocks the dune every year at the end of April and sends its offshoots to the lowlands, "you absolutely have to experience it! Hundreds of punks who party peacefully and clean up afterwards," enthuses the landlady.
Days later - we also stayed longer than planned - we cast off the lines again. We have a long trip across the open sea towards Sylt. Once again, the conditions are perfect. Hopefully they will also be perfect on the way back. Because then we will have to make another stopover on Heligoland, no: we will want to.
Here you can moor on Heligoland
The south harbour: There are a number of berths here that cannot be precisely quantified, but are large enough for ships of all sizes. First come, first served moor alongside the jetty, all others go into the packet. It is imperative that you adhere to the boat size specified on the bulkhead!
In winter there is room for two packets at the east quay. The rest of the jetties are washed out and electricity is available above the quay with a card from the WSA. The wash house is open around the clock all year round, except in winter during storms.
The mooring fee is 6.50 euros (up to 8 metres boat length) to 18 euros (up to 20 metres length). Yachts from 10 to 14 metres in length: 13 euros. Contact: Helgoland-Port, VHF channel 16 and 67, tel. 04725/81 59 35 83, WSA opening hours daily 8-12 hrs.
The WSC Helgoland:The water sports club has eight guest berths with boxes in the south harbour for boats up to eleven metres in length. Enquiries on site or reservations on 04725/80 06 14. Cost: 2 euros/boat metre.
The north-east harbour:Only boats up to ten metres in length may moor in the north-east harbour. Attention: There may be crosscurrents at the entrance to the harbour. Harbour office opening hours: Mon.-Thurs. 5.15 to 6.15 pm, Fri. 1 to 2 pm, Sat. + Sun. 10 to 11 am. Costs: 2 euros per metre, 2 euros per person.
Worth knowing:The visitor's tax on Heligoland is 2.75 euros per person per day. Cash is essential. In many restaurants, you cannot pay with a debit or credit card. And one-euro or two-euro coins are required for access to the toilet and electricity. Long lines, balloon fenders and possibly a long power cable are essential for the parcel bed. Save electricity! There are only a few power connections on the jetties.
Stock up on drinking water. On Heligoland it is obtained from a desalination plant and is expensive. Water can only be bunkered at a station next to the WSA building.
Short interview: Couple finds new home on Heligoland
When a planned trip across the Atlantic with their two children had to be cancelled in 2020 due to the coronavirus, Monika and Helge von Freeden sailed to Heligoland and decided to stay. The building contractor couple bought a house and set up their own business.
YACHT: What is special about Heligoland for you?
Monika von Freeden: The deceleration! Everything is within walking distance here, the supply situation is very good and the people are extremely relaxed. It is said that people from 40 nations live here on Heligoland, and they all get on well together. Nobody is unemployed, the only drawback is the scarcity of housing on the island.
Helge von Freeden: We also really like the climate. It rarely freezes in winter and in summer it cools down enough in the evenings to sleep well, even after the hottest days. The hay fever that plagued us on the mainland doesn't bother us here either. Since we've been living on Heligoland, we have less stress. We can be on board every day after work in the summer! So it was the best decision we've ever made.
What are your favourite places on the island?
Monika: We don't really have a favourite place. The island has many facets, depending on the weather. In icy winds, the boardwalks at the youth hostel are well sheltered, otherwise we like to go to the north beach. In winter we enjoy the peace and quiet, in summer we spend our free time in the harbour or at one of the many events. There's always something going on here.
And what is sailing life like on Heligoland?
Helge: We have always travelled to Heligoland by boat, both in summer and winter, weather permitting: on Friday evenings through the Hooksiel lock and then here at night. The advantage here is that the boat is on our doorstep and we can sail at any time, regardless of the tide. Anyone who wants to go to sea from the mainland usually has this one destination, Heligoland. Depending on the wind, we now have great destinations in almost all directions, such as the North or East Frisian Islands, the Elbe, the Weser or our old home waters. The disadvantage is that the boat has to go out in winter. Sailors from the coast now have an advantage and can also sail to Helgoland on New Year's Eve - a highlight that you should have done once!
You watch the harbour activity almost every day. Do you have any tips for sailors?
Monika: We often find that people don't know how to invest. They didn't expect to have to go into the packet and often don't even know how to do it properly. You have to be prepared for this on Heligoland and not simply moor at the berths that are labelled "No mooring". There are reasons for the ban: these are emergency berths or they are intended for people with walking disabilities.
