Greifswald Bodden: Sailing trip through the diverse waters off Rügen's south coast
Jan Jepsen
· 25.02.2024
Cross the bridge, then immediately turn left. There - opposite Stralsund - is the town of Altefähr on the island of Rügen. And a new Hanse 348 is moored in Altefähr, waiting for us and its deployment on the Greifswald Bodden. The motto of this trip: why go far away when the good things are so close. But we have to find out just how good it really is close by from a northern German perspective. Quite spontaneously, because the season is not yet over and the weather promises a few late summer days. Only with more wind, it seems.
The weather app shows screaming pink fields for the middle of next week. Autumn sends its regards. The little arrows are literally racing across the screen of your mobile phone. And from what we hear and read, the Greifswalder Bodden can get pretty bumpy. In other words, very short, very steep waves and quite a few of them, almost every second.
Journey eastwards into the Strelasund
Knut, the boss of Sail & Surf Rügen, who is providing the boat, doesn't think it will be that bad. "Have a look at the Danes." He has had good experience with their official weather forecast (fcoo.dk), as we learn during a pleasantly unbureaucratic boat briefing. We quickly draw a few tips for the area on the chart and off we go. Set sail and cruise up and down the Stralsund skyline. Until the Ziegelgraben bridge opens at 5.20 pm, allowing us to sail eastwards into the Strelasund.
Not many boats want to head in this direction on a Saturday afternoon. Most of the boats are heading in the opposite direction towards Hiddensee in south-easterly winds. But the little bit of tacking isn't too bad. On the contrary, it's even fun thanks to the self-tacking jib. Only fellow sailor Simon feels a little underchallenged, for example when manoeuvring himself. All he has to do during the manoeuvres is change the cockpit bench so that he can enjoy the view better from the high edge to windward. Just behind Stralsund, the view then falls on unspoilt, green banks, lined with lots of reeds. The sailor's soul sighs for the first time and stretches.
As the days are already noticeably shorter and the side channels are not lighted, we turn into the Gustower Wiek after just a few miles. The anchor drops into rarely shallow water. Shortly afterwards, we listen to the chattering of water birds. Above us, a red-violet sky.
Then fog in the morning. No wonder in the middle of September. The Wiek appears as if through a soft focus. Only gradually does the sun break through and sharpen the contours. At the same time, a wind sets in that needs to be utilised.
Back on the Strelasund, we sail one cradle further to Puddemin. In shallow water that takes some getting used to, which you would avoid elsewhere. All the more important that we stick to the buoy line. Under no circumstances should you be fooled by the numerous fishing boats at the edge of the reeds. Even a yacht with a shallow draught will not be forgiven for making mistakes here.
Off the small harbour in Puddemin, the depth sounder shows just 15 centimetres of water under the keel. Creeping along, we feel our way to a free box. And only because a local Dehler owner with a similar draught is sailing ahead and encourages us to follow. "What have you got, 1.55 metres? That'll be fine!" he shouts. Fortunately, he is right and we reach the jetty unscathed.
Shortly afterwards, we moor in Puddemin. It's a nice place, but we should have pre-ordered the breakfast rolls in the harbour restaurant in the evening. No big deal, we just enjoy the scenery and eat muesli. The beautiful path was the goal. If it wasn't so early in the day, you could also take a seat in the harbour master's three cinema seats. A sign says: "Harbour cinema". But is there really much to see here? Not in the low season anyway. There's probably more excitement elsewhere.
Across the Greifswald Bodden
Later, on the way back to the Strelasund, we can unfurl the jib. It brings us reliably into the main fairway, where we then set the main. Our destination is Lake Zicker. To get there, we have to sail diagonally across the Greifswalder Bodden to the easternmost inlet of the Mönchgut peninsula. And once again against the wind. But as I said, the crossing goes by itself. With seven knots of wind, we zigzag towards our destination for the day.
When we arrive, I realise that charter company Knut had recommended anchoring in Zicker See in south-westerly winds, not north-easterly. Never mind. After a short, restless stop, we simply move to Seedorf, not far away, for the night. This has always been something of a maritime Mecca in the Greifswald Bodden. No wonder. The village lies on a narrow, perfectly sheltered access road to Lake Neuensien. The water here is as calm as a duck pond.
An excursion by bike
We moor at the trout jetty and the harbour master welcomes us in a visibly good mood. The next day, we grab hire bikes from him and ask around for the nearest bakery. We finally end up in Sellin and try "grandma's semolina cake" with cherries. A real discovery. Just like the bike trip in general.
The tour takes us through beautiful tree-lined avenues and past Lake Sellin, which is also accessible to sailing boats, to the Baltic side of Rügen. The new sports boat marina on Lake Sellin seems a little oversized - at least now in autumn. Only one yacht and one motorboat are moored at all the jetties. It is probably much busier here in summer.
Gusts reported for the Greifswald Bodden
Back on the boat, we check the weather again. The app's map for the Greifswald Bodden is still pretty pink. Gusts of up to 35 knots from the south-east are forecast for the next day. Plus rain. Without further ado, we decide to seek refuge on the coast and set course for Wieck. The town lies on the River Ryck, which can be crossed by boat to Greifswald.
The old town harbour in Wieck would also be a good place to weather. But we only go alongside briefly to wait for the next opening of the historic bascule bridge that spans the Ryck here. A little later, the time has come. We chug upstream and moor at a traditional sailing ship in Greifswald's museum harbour. A mooring with a view, as one of the oldest buildings in the city is on land: a brick tower dating back to 1270, which once served as a prison and then as a gunpowder arsenal. Today it houses the harbour master's office. How practical.
The atmosphere in Greifswald is student orientated and pleasantly relaxed. From the "grandstand" at the harbour - with a sundowner in hand - you have a view of the imposing St. Nikolai Cathedral and St. Mary's Church. Within walking distance is a restaurant boat with a rainbow flag and even closer the obligatory fish sandwich boat. There is hardly a larger harbour around the Greifswald Bodden without one.
A specific character
The following day, the wind dies down a little around midday. Or is it because we are so sheltered in Greifswald? Trial and error makes perfect sense. With the second reef in the main, and on top of that with the sail on the beam, it should be a fast, doable ride across to the Zicker See. Even if no-one else is leaving apart from us. Only a few kitesurfers are on the move. And quite fast. A sure sign of strong winds.
The further we leave Wieck and thus the lee shore behind us, the rougher the terrain becomes. The boat moves as if we were sailing over cobblestones. Now, at the latest, it becomes clear why the Greifswalder Bodden is less a dinghy area than a large whirlpool in the right conditions. After all, it measures twelve nautical miles in diameter.
Lots of short and steep waves, which give us speeds in the double-digit knot range the closer we get to Rügen. But don't look at the log for too long. Caution is advised. Especially in the prevailing leeward wave conditions. It's a good idea to keep clear of large and small stubs to leeward. These are large shallows in the middle of the Greifswald Bodden.
Ocean cruising on the Greifswald Bodden
When we hoist the sails after just under two hours, we have the feeling that we've had an ocean ride. The anchorage we were aiming for was once again too choppy. This time we pass the Zicker See under motor and head for Thiessow harbour. Before we go alongside the pier, we take out all the fenders that are available. The Hanse, which is quite overboard, is pushed against the harbour wall by the wind.
There is a tourist market in Thiessow. In the high season, up to 2,000 people crowd here, says the harbour master. Then there are regular traffic jams and a shortage of parking spaces. Not his problem. He is more annoyed in summer by the day trippers who moor up here, go for a swim on the beach and then leave again. Crews who arrive later and want to stay overnight are often left behind. It's not beach weather now. So we pass the time with coffee and cake from the Bodden snack bar with a view of the kitesurfers.
The next day, everything is back to how it used to be for sailors. Only the water level in the Bodden is even lower than usual. To the left and right of the fairway markings, the Zicker See is dry. We only sail out under foresail until we reach deeper water.
A little later, the ship rushes towards Lauterbach with half the wind. The town lies on the south-east coast of Rügen. On the way there, we pass the largest bird house in the Baltic Sea: the former NVA demagnetisation station, just under three kilometres east of the island of Vilm. This is where the intrinsic magnetic fields of military ships of the former People's Navy of the GDR used to be measured and then neutralised by direct current cable loops lying on the ground. This was intended to make them less susceptible to magnetic mines and harder to detect for torpedoes with magnetic detonators. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, the German Navy had no use for the station. Investors bailed out or gave up. Today it belongs to the seabirds - Hitchcock would have been delighted.
Course for the city harbour of Lauterbach
The last mile behind Vilm we have to turn up and head for the town harbour of Lauterbach. Its harbour basin is large enough for a push-up so that we can take out the sails in peace. There are also plenty of moorings here. The town is still very touristy, even in the low season. We limit ourselves to a short stroll and an essential fish sandwich. We'd rather make the most of the fine weather and return to the quieter Strelasund. An approach course. With last light and fresh local knowledge, we make it to the anchorage at Puddemin.
We've got used to the water depths of two metres and less by now, this one or two handbreadths under the keel. Somewhere on a sandbank, seabirds are chattering. Otherwise, silence reigns. The night is starry. The water is literally as smooth as glass. The universe is suddenly everywhere. Above and below us. Four-dimensional. The rest is amazement and silence. And the realisation that you can also wander into the very distant even when you're close by.
Tips and information for the cruise
The precinct
The Strelasund is an arm of the Baltic Sea that separates the island of Rügen from the mainland. In the east, it merges into the Greifswalder Bodden, bordering the south-east of Rügen, the mainland and the western tip of Usedom. In the north, the Bodden's coastline is characterised by Rügen's Zudar, Struck and Mönchgut peninsulas, which protrude far into the water. The diameter of the Bodden is twelve nautical miles and the average water depth is only 5.60 metres. The islands in the Bodden are either closed or protected; they may not be approached. The free "WWF Sea Chart" app provides useful information about these and other protected zones in the area.
Navigation & Seamanship
Due to the short distances between the numerous anchorages, moorings and harbours, the Sund and Bodden are also suitable for sailing beginners. Apart from the shallow shore areas, where there are also a lot of fish traps, you can sail off without any worries; the fairways are well buoyed and sufficiently wide. In the Bodden, particular attention must be paid to the two shallows Großstubber and Kleinstubber. The water level also fluctuates in strong winds: in southerly and westerly winds, it can drop by up to one metre in the Bodden.
And: Due to the shallow water depth, a short and steep wave can form on the Bodden in strong winds, which is sometimes unpleasant for small boats. In this case, it is better to avoid the more sheltered Strelasund.
Wind & Weather
In the early and late season, there are more southerly to north-westerly winds of between 10 and 15 knots. In summer, when an Azores high settles in, it blows constantly from the east. At any time of year, however, the passage of a low-pressure system with strong winds and heavy rainfall must be expected. The wind is also weakened and deflected by the land cover, especially in the Sound. You should be prepared for sudden wind shifts.
Charter
We travelled on a Hanse 348 from the Sail & Surf Rügen sailing school. The boat costs 1,340 euros in the low season and 2,050 euros in the high season. Information and booking under: TELEPHONE 038306/232 53, DEHLERPOINT.DE
Manuals & nautical charts
Jan Werner: "Törnführer Ostseeküste 2 von Wismar bis Stettin", 39.90 euros; individual maps "Greifswalder Bodden" and "Kubitzer Bodden - Strelasund", 12.90 euros each. SHOP.DELIUS-KLASING.DE
