The very original and completely isolated jetty had up to 50,000 visitors every year, many of whom were fans of the island. But now, quite unexpectedly, the small marina has come to an end. The Danish museum administration, Slots- og Kulturstyrelsen, has decreed that the listed military fort on the islet must be restored to its 1995 condition in order to implement the new Museums Act, as the new operator Malmekranen AB's renovations are contrary to the museum's character.
The operators had taken over the very neglected site from the museum administration and invested around two million euros, including in sanitary facilities for the sailors, infrastructure, a restaurant and a ferry line from Copenhagen to the island. The very first thing to be done now is to dismantle the sanitary facilities, which means that the harbour can no longer be used and will probably no longer be available this season. On the Facebook page of the operator regrets the decision and announces the closure.
In the comments on the operator's Facebook page, the Danish sailing community is stunned by the government's bureaucratic approach. Before the sale of the island, which had been managed by a state fund for years, the facilities on the island had fallen into disrepair. Whether the storm of public indignation can still prevent the closure is currently completely unclear.
The fortress island was built in 1910 off the Saltholm Flak shoal, which is only four metres deep, and made it possible to secure the approach to Copenhagen from the sea. More information about the island on the Website of the operator.
