My husband's name isn't Jim at all, but Jørgen," laughs Inge Juhl Lorenzen. This is off to a good start! We take over a charter boat and call the operator the wrong name. "It happens here every day, now he goes by that name too," his wife replies to our apology with a smile. Together they run one of the best-known charter companies in Denmark. Almost every sailor knows jetty 6 in Kerteminde Marina, which has just been voted "Harbour of the Year 2025". Jim Søferie has been operating here for over 40 years. "It all started with our own boat," says Jørgen Juhl Lorenzen aka Jim, "then came the second, and so on. Now we have twelve boats under charter."
Danish pastry and French birds
It's the beginning of September and we take over a Hallberg-Rassy from them. A week of sailing between Samsø, Tunø and the city of Aarhus. I can say one thing in advance: It was emptier in the harbours than expected, but all the nicer for it. The handover is charming and very personalised: A bottle of rosé for the journey, plus a freshly baked piece of cake. We later learn that this is not an isolated case. Pastries are placed on the table for every new guest. We are given the largest boat, a super well-maintained older lady called "Le Roitelet". All the boats owned by the two friendly Danes have French bird names. "Le Roitelet" translates as wren. A picture of each bird hangs as a drawing in the corresponding saloon.
After the handover, it's off to bed early to get a good night's sleep for the next day. It could hardly get off to a better start. Seagulls are circling the harbour, the smell of fresh coffee and bread rolls is in the air and the feeling that a perfect day's sailing awaits us makes us literally float out of our Rassy beds. Water on the cooker, coffee in the press pot, and while the wonderful aroma of "a morning on a sailing boat" spreads on board, we prepare to cast off. A little later, we are standing aft, cup in hand, enjoying the sunshine and waiting for the engine to warm up. Admittedly, it's hard to wait - we want to set off and get to Ballen on Samsø today. That's around 25 nautical miles from Kerteminde. So it can easily be done in one day. But beware: there can be a lot of current in the Great Belt! One to two knots are not uncommon. If you want to tack against this, you should stay under land or plan more time accordingly.
First stroke: course for Samsø
The first manoeuvre with the new boat goes perfectly. Outside the harbour we head into the wind, the main goes up, the jib follows. The engine stops and we are on course 072. With a cosy twelve knots of wind and six to seven knots of speed, we sail towards Mårup and after half an hour we turn and head for Samsø. The wind picks up, the jib is unfurled, the autopilot is switched on and the current pushes us along at an additional knot - it could hardly be more beautiful. Time for breakfast. After a calm blow from the south, we enter Ballen in the late afternoon. Even the approach reveals why the harbour is one of the most popular on Samsø: long sandy beaches flank the bay, and there is a light, warm glow over the red roofs, as if the island is trying to show its best side. The harbour itself is lively, busier in summer than it is now, at the beginning of September. Today it is almost deserted. There are wide wooden jetties and a floating dock in the centre. There is also a small supermarket and restaurants right on the waterfront, where the smell of fish wafts over the masts in the evening.
There are worse places to weather than Samsø
We moor at the centre jetty. The water is at least 2.40 metres deep everywhere. Even larger yachts should have no problem here. Next to us is the new Hallberg-Rassy 40 - cool to see two eras moored side by side! We quickly strike up a conversation with the Dutch owner couple. A typical harbour evening with mooring beer and nice conversations about older and new boats follows. The next morning brings considerably more wind than forecast. Gusts sweep across the harbour, white whitecaps roll in. The decision is quickly made: we're staying. Samsø is one of those places where a day in harbour is no loss. It's more of an opportunity to really get to know the island. Those who weather here should stay inside the harbour. Right at the entrance, it gets rocky with waves from the north to north-east. However, the waves are less severe and we hardly noticed the bad weather.
Shore leave on the postcard island
Incidentally, you can easily hire a car or bike here for longer trips ashore, which is exactly what we do. The harbour has a special treat in store for anyone else who wants to stay put: It has a sauna that can be used by guests free of charge. The showers are also included in the mooring fee. The landscape of Samsø is a mixture of open fields, gentle and surprisingly steep hills and small, almost fairytale-like villages. The east coast welcomes us with golden pastures and sweeping views over the Baltic Sea. A stop at the beach is always worthwhile: clear water, light-coloured sand, hardly any people. The interior of the island looks like a postcard. Farms, potato fields, self-service stalls. For dinner, there are the famous Samsø potatoes, classically served with persillesovs, a parsley sauce. The north around Issehoved is wild. A narrow headland stretches into the sea. Seen from above, it looks like the end of the world. Locals call the place "the Skagen of Samsø".
Royal visit and the most beautiful island harbours
In the west, near Tranebjerg, we discover farm cafés and artisan shops. A quick stop, a slice of apple pie and we feel like temporary regulars. Tranebjerg, or Kranichberg in German, is the largest town on the island. As of January 2025, a total of 843 people live here. What's particularly impressive is that it even has its own brewery and a local court. So you can find help here in all situations. We also liked the village of Nordby. The village, which probably dates back to the early Middle Ages, has a playful and simply cosy feel. Typically Danish. His Majesty the King and Queen of Denmark had also visited a few days earlier. The royal yacht "Dannebrog" was moored in the harbour of Kolby Kås.
We also take a look at the other harbours on the island. Ballen remains our favourite harbour, closely followed by Mårup. The port of Kolby Kås mentioned above is a ferry port - okay for an overnight stop, but less recommendable as a grey concrete desert. There is virtually nothing here apart from the jetty and a few pits. Langør is recommended for anyone looking for peace and quiet. If you come here, you want to get away from the hustle and bustle. Even the approach through the shallow Stavns Fjord slows you down. The line of buoys runs through the water, with reeds spreading out to the left and right. The harbour itself is small, straightforward and pleasantly simple. A few jetties, a small bistro, otherwise plenty of space and peace and quiet. The pits are large enough, and once the engine is switched off, you realise how quiet it is. You sit in the cockpit, look out over the fjord and quickly realise that you don't miss anything. No big restaurants, no shopping centre - just pure nature. A short walk along the shore, a view of the small islands and bird colonies, that's all it takes. Unfortunately, the clubhouse burnt down shortly before our visit.
Click here for the second part of the travelogue:
Denmark: Samsø - Part 2
Precinct information
Charter
We got our Hallberg-Rassy 40 from the Danish charter company Jim Søferie. The charter base is located in Kerteminde harbour, making it the perfect starting point for cruises in Denmark and Sweden. There are a total of twelve boats to choose from. The range extends from the smaller Hallberg-Rassy 29 to our 40. The journey by car from Hamburg takes around three and a half hours. Car parking is available free of charge in a fenced-in area. Extras such as final cleaning, a dinghy, outboard motor and bed linen are also available. A week's charter costs 4,470 euros in season and 3,850 euros out of season.
Wind & Weather
In summer (June-August), the weather between Samsø and the Danish mainland is usually mild. Temperatures during the day are typically around 18-22 degrees. There are many sunny days, but the weather remains changeable with occasional showers. The wind is almost always noticeable, especially over the water. It usually blows from westerly to south-westerly directions and is often in the region of a moderate breeze. Overall, these are typical Danish summer conditions: pleasant, but rarely completely calm.
Navigation
Navigation between Samsø and the Danish mainland is generally considered easy to master. The area is clear and the fairways and harbour approaches are reliably buoyed, although there are numerous shallows and shallow areas around Samsø and close to the coast. There is also regular ferry traffic, which should be avoided in good time. A short, steep wave often builds up when the wind blows against the current.
Literature & Maps
Delius Klasing, Sport Boat Charts Set 5: "Kattegat" (€99.90) and Set 4: "Great Belt to Bornholm" (€89.90). shop.delius-klasing.de Havneguide.dk is a Danish online harbour platform. A harbour guide developed especially for sailors and boat travellers in Denmark. havneguide.dk
