Hotel "Maritim", 13th floor. The view from up there is spectacular. The view through the window is to the right, where the lights of the harbour flare up under the evening sky. Directly opposite, the black hull of the "Passat" gleams in the light of several spotlights. To the left, the black waters of the Baltic Sea are lost in the darkness. At this moment, you could easily forget what a monstrous ugliness this hotel box is, a building sin that was allowed to be built on the beach of Travemünde with impunity in 1972.
We took over our boat in Großenbrode in the morning, stowed our clothes and provisions and set sail at around eleven o'clock. We didn't have to stow much, we put most of our clothes on straight away. It's early October and the air is already chilly in autumn. The sky is grey, but at least it's not raining.
"If the sun were shining now, it would be unbearable." My co-sailor Jörg summarises the situation in a nutshell. Four force four winds from the south-east, 170 degrees on the compass, we are running high on the wind with the sheets close-hauled. "Oblomow", a classic long keeler of the Amigo 33 type and part of the Chartership fleet from Heiligenhafen, lies in the waves until the leeward deck is washed. The boat surges forwards at seven knots, a promotional event for Baltic sailing.
And yes, you read that right, we are heading south. Unlike most people who come from this area, we don't want to head north to Denmark as quickly as possible. Instead, we want to explore an area that is so close that many people simply overlook it: the Bay of Lübeck.
From Großenbrode to Travemünde
In fact, we will discover few sails over the next few days. But this is also due to the advanced season - it's busier in the height of summer. Now, however, the harbours are empty and green signs indicate free berths. Perhaps we are doing everything right and this is simply the ideal area for an autumn cruise.
The wind picks up around midday, time for the first reef. But the sun actually peeks through the clouds and makes the foam heads sparkle. We walk along the coast within sight, where long sandy beaches alternate with sections of steep shore. The beach at Dahme is virtually empty, the beach chairs are barred. The bathing season really is over.
Behind Dahmeshöved with its pretty lighthouse, we are able to hoist the sheets. A little more upright, "Oblomow" goes even more easily through the waves. Pure pleasure! The coast swings back and soon the "Maritim" skyscraper emerges from the haze on the horizon. It is very useful as a landmark. This is actually quite practical in this area: you can basically always navigate by sight, there are more than enough landmarks along the coast.
Travemünde - lots to discover
When we arrive in Travemünde, we have the choice between a whole range of berths. We briefly consider entering the Passathafen harbour directly behind the four-masted barque. But the only way to get from there to the city side would be with a transfer boat from the Lübeck Yacht Club or with the small Priwall ferry.
Further back, the Böbs shipyard and Marina Baltica would be a good option. But we don't want to go that far in. We finally find our box at the LYC right on the promenade. We're a bit rough in the swell, but the welcome from harbour master Peter Paris is all the more friendly.
There's a lot going on this evening. People, whose dialect makes it clear that they are at home further south, stroll in pairs in front of the windows of the boutiques and small shops, before later finding their seats in one of the restaurants by the water. There, where the large ferries pass through the dining area, almost within touching distance.
Travemünde is making itself pretty again. For a long time, "Lübeck's most beautiful daughter", the once sophisticated seaside resort, was just a pale shadow of its former splendour. What has there not been here! The first German autumn fashion show took place in the municipal Kursaal in 1921 - a major social event at a time when models were still called "Probierdamen". A few years after the Second World War, the legendary casino opened for business. Curd Jürgens and Aristotle Onassis were among the celebrity guests.
All a long time ago, but fortunately the building is a listed building. Today it houses the "Atlantic Grand Hotel", a five-star hotel. Unfortunately, its splendour does not yet radiate very far into the town. But the new buildings that have been erected on both sides of the Trave estuary in recent years indicate a change in attitude and taste. For all those interested in the past splendour of the old spa town, a visit to the seaside resort museum opposite St. Lawrence Church is a tip.
From Travemünde to Lübeck
The next morning starts like the previous one: grey skies. But we know that it may well get better as the day progresses. The wind continues to gust from the south-east as we cruise up the Trave under jib only. Behind the Skandinavienkai, where we feel quite small next to the car ferries, the Pötenitzer Wiek opens up on the port side. This is a fairly large bay that offers sheltered anchorages in any wind direction. It is now full of yachts, apparently a club regatta.
The neighbouring Dassower See, on the other hand, is a nature reserve and is closed to the public, so we re-enter the buoyed fairway of the Untertrave and enjoy the river trip. Green meadows stretch over gentle hills, followed by wooded sections that occasionally take the wind away. But soon the next push comes and pushes us onwards. Anyone who diesels here misses out on the whole idyll. However, we do see a few boats that can't help it because the mast is already on deck. The winter stores are filling up these days.
One cape follows another, all of them places that invite you to anchor, especially in this wind direction. Individual boats bob along there. Opposite the Schlutuper Wiek is the Herrenwyk industrial estate with several RoRo and container terminals. The sun slowly breaks through the clouds and illuminates the gleaming white superstructure of the Finnish "Genca", which is currently being loaded. The Schlutuper Wiek also offers ideal opportunities for moorings.
If you want to stay here but prefer a shore connection, there are several options for mooring your boat in Schlutup or a little further along on Herreninsel. Only the small, picturesque and private Gothmund fishing harbour with its crouching cottages around the harbour basin has no room for guests. Instead, there is a row of boxes around the Teerhof island in the dead arm of the Trave. Those who don't mind the noise of the nearby motorway will find their green sign here.
There is now only one obstacle between us and Lübeck's old town: the Eric Warburg Bridge. Four times a day, it opens the way to the almost new, modern Newport Marina. The carriageway lifts at 5 pm. We give way to the "Lisa von Lübeck", because she is at home here. It's an impressive sight, this replica of a Hanseatic cog in front of the towers of the Hanseatic city. Now if only the sun would shine ...
Lübeck - located in the heart of the Hanseatic city
A man with a grey head assigns us our berth. Ralf Schulte is an investor, managing director and harbour master all in one. He opened the Newport Marina and the associated restaurant in 2017. He has invested more than two million euros and has undoubtedly enriched Lübeck with an attraction, he says - and done us sailors a big favour because we can now moor right on the edge of the old town. We really like the harbour, even though we don't eat in the marina restaurant in the evening, but in the traditional "Schiffergesellschaft".
We like Sunday morning even more, because the sky is bright blue and we can hear the bells ringing from all the big churches. We stroll through the streets of the old town, which are car-free anyway and almost deserted today. Everywhere under the gables from different periods of architectural history are small shops and craft businesses. In the cafés, tourists sit next to locals at Sunday breakfast. In the "Konditorei Uter" in Fleischhauerstraße, people have even taken a seat in the shop window.
We stroll past the Buddenbrookhaus, where Thomas Mann's grandmother once lived, to the market. Because one thing is clear: you can't have Lübeck without nut cake. At this time of day, Niederegger's is still in the shade, but Café Maret serves the same cake and the tables are in the sun; no wonder almost every seat is taken. Unfortunately, the waitress is hopelessly overwhelmed. So we have the marzipan-covered calorie bomb wrapped up and take it on board with us. What a treat!
From Lübeck to Neustadt
At twelve o'clock, Eric Warburg lets us through again and we start the return journey down the traveller. We have set the main and jib and are pushed comfortably through the smooth water by the southerly wind with gentle pushes. We just have to be a little careful not to jibe, because the wind follows every bend in the river like a jet.
This time, however, it's the opposite with the sky: it clouds over in the afternoon, and when we sail past the "Passat" again and out onto the Baltic Sea, it has turned greyish.
We are now heading north-west at 315 degrees into Neustädter Bucht. Hardly any of the leisure skippers who sail here today know that a terrible drama took place there in the last days of the war in 1945. Two ships, the passenger steamer "Cap Arkona" and the freighter "Thielbek", lay at anchor just one or two miles off the coast, unable to manoeuvre due to engine damage, and were misused by the SS as floating concentration camps. In total, there were around 7500 prisoners on board when the Royal Air Force attacked and sank the ships; the British had mistaken them for troop transports. The bodies of those killed were washed up on the beaches weeks later and buried in mass graves.
Cemeteries of honour and memorials between Scharbeutz and Neustadt and on the island of Poel are reminders of this. Even today, numerous remains of the victims can still be found in around 18 metres of water.
We have now entered the buoyed entrance to Neustadt. We leave the large Ancora Marina to the left, a city harbour seems more attractive to us - if there is anything free there. And we're in luck! Directly in front of "Klüvers Brauhaus", a large sailing school yacht kindly moves aside a little so that we can go alongside the quay wall behind it. Just ten steps from the deck to the watering hole, that's how we like it. If you're in the mood to walk a few steps further, there are various alternatives so close by that it's hardly worth putting on a jacket. For example, the "Waterkant" restaurant, which also offers shower tokens. Or "Krabbes Restaurant" as well as a branch of the Lübeck pub "Miera".
From Neustadt to Niendorf
Why is the sky always clear at night and it rains just in time for breakfast? In any case, we are wearing full red gear when we set sail from the south in a 3 Beaufort. At lunchtime we have another must-do: Matjes in Niendorf. We can't quite make it to our destination, we have to go over Stag before Scharbeutz. Then the wind leaves us alone with the rain and the Volvo has to take over. Calm and rain, that's the worst case scenario. Shortly before entering the harbour, we are overtaken by the "Cetara", which is returning from a burial at sea. The black-clad people on board look just as sad as the weather.
Once again, we can moor almost directly in front of our destination, the "harbour smokehouse". The matjes sandwich here is worth every diversions. We just have to be careful not to let too much rainwater drip into the beer.
From Niendorf to Grömitz
Niendorf was only a short detour, however, as our destination for today is Grömitz. After an hour and a half, during which we motored more than sailed, we moored there. Our rainy mood quickly evaporates as we savour the delicious bouillabaisse at the Falkenthal Seafood Restaurant and round off our enjoyment with a glass or two of Pinot Gris. Meanwhile, a fantastic rainbow shines in the north-east. In the evening, there are three of us at the table, as we have a crew change in Grömitz. Jörg leaves and Sanne comes on board.
We like the harbour. As I said before, I don't really like artificial marinas. But firstly, there is no alternative here and secondly, the harbour has become really chic. On the harbour promenade there are cafés, restaurants, a bar and a small grocery store that sells all sorts of things and fresh bread rolls. A sailing school, a small chandlery and a shop called "Gute Jacke". That's where Sanne gets dressed, because there's a threat of rain today too.
From Grömitz to Fehmarn
We set sail around half past eleven. It's been blowing overnight, a heavy four, says Sanne. The bathtub of Hamburg, as some people disrespectfully call the Bay of Lübeck, is certainly showing its rough side. We are lucky that the wind is still blowing from the south. We just unfurl the jib and head north.
We tick off the landmarks: Kellenhusen, Dahmeshöved, Dahme and then the large campsites with funny names like "Costa Sahna". Once again, a building sin serves as our approach, this time the tower blocks of Burgtiefe on the island of Fehmarn. We leave the giant marina on the right because there is another town harbour: Burgstaaken. We moor there in the afternoon.
Ship chandlery, crane, petrol station - sailors will find everything they need on site. What we don't find in the evening is a free table at the "Goldener Anker": everything is booked and the "Lotsenhaus" is closed. Never mind, we just walk two and a half kilometres to Burg. It's worth it, because the little town is really charming.
Last day and - would you believe it: sunshine. The wind has shifted; naturally so that it blows towards us on the final spurt. We cross under the Fehmarnsund Bridge. Then we can soon drop off and enter Heiligenhafen-Ortmühle behind the Graswarder. We moor the ship in a good mood. This autumn sailing week in the area around the corner was definitely worth it.
Area information Lübeck Bay
The Bay of Lübeck is a mostly perfectly protected micro-area - also ideal for small boaters and beginners
The precinct
The Bay of Lübeck and Neustädter Bucht described in the article are part of the large Mecklenburg Bay, which stretches from Fehmarn to the Darß. From Burg auf Fehmarn, following the western coastline, it is about 35 nautical miles to Travemünde, and from there a further twelve nautical miles upstream to the centre of Lübeck.
Navigation and seamanship
The area is easy to navigate. The buoyage is good and there are hardly any shallows. It gets shallow in the area of the Fehmarn Sound, the Burger and Großenbroder Binnensee lakes as well as on the Trave and its bays. It is best to stay within the fairways or look carefully at the chart to see where it is deep enough next to the channels.
Wind and weather
In view of the prevailing westerly winds, the area is well protected. The only time a wave can build up is when the wind blows from the north-east, especially for longer periods.
Harbours and anchorages
Dense network of marinas and municipal harbours. Anchorages, on the other hand, are rare in the bay. The only sheltered spots are in the Trave. In some places, however, there are restricted areas that must be observed.
Charter
Large charter centres, especially in nearby Heiligenhafen and on Fehmarn.
