Advice on cruising in Poland

[HenrikH]

This years goal for the summer is Poland. It will be a first. We will arrive from the west and dive inshore at Peenemunde. When we get into the Szczecin Lagooon the question is how to best spend 7 days. What are must-sees? Is it well spent time to take the canal down to Szezecin or to take base in Swionujscie and take public transport down? We plan to leave to the north from Kolobrzeg.

 

[Pete7]

If you have time and divert a little there is a Whiskey class submarine sat up right with a 10 deg list to starboard marked a couple of miles to the West of Bornholm island. Depth 36m. I tried to open the hatch in the deck infront of the conning tower and lifted the huge D shaped handle but the crow bar didn't have the leverage to turn it sadly. There is an open hatch towards the rear which could be entered by removing diving kit, if you're into that short of thing and go prepared. Nice big bronze props on it.

Went to Szezecin on a separate visit, wasn't much to see but then is was 27 years ago and Poland only just opening up. No one could understand Polish even our German speakers. However, they all wanted to practise their English. Bought a Big Mac as the only thing they had I wanted.


Pete

Diving the Wreck of Russian Whiskey - Class Submarine, Bornholm, Denmark

 

[johnalison]

We sailed to Poland a number of times from 2004. Since that time it has developed a lot and facilities are mostly quite modern. Peenemunde is a good place to start, though we usually stayed at nearby Kroslin. The museum is worth visiting, and there is a toy museum which is also interesting and occasionally macabre. the whole island of Usedom is attractive and good for cycling round.

On the way to Poland is the small island of Ruden which is curious but I think not always open to visitors. Swinoujscie is the first port of call. Although a large port, the marina is comfortable in an old dock. The town is pleasant with decent shops and cash machines. It is worth exploring the area, and I would recommend having folding bikes, though they are available for hire. There is a fine beach resort on the shore, and a large park and the Angel fort near the marina. there is a free car and foot ferry to the other side where there is another large fort and the 'Bell' tower. About 10k south there is Karsibor which is near another ferry crossing in a rural area which is part of a reverse delta to the inland bodden.

Next along is Dziwnow, a small fishing and resort harbour which I believe now has a marina instead of the old fish dock. then comes Kolobrzeg when I was fond of visiting. This is also a fishing harbour and now quite developed. The harbour front is interesting and enjoyably trippery. The military museum in the old town is quite interesting too. Further along is Darlowo. Unless things have changed, there is no marina, but there is a long quay inside for yachts, with showers and electricity.

There some small places along the coast that are not much visited but the next attraction is Leba. This had a marina even when we visited in 2004. the main attraction here is the largest dunes in Europe, a short cycle ride away and well worth seeing. Probably the most interesting place of all is Gdansk, where there is a marina in the town. I found even the entry through the docks attractive, and the historic town has been very well rebuilt, with churches, shops and museums worth seeing.

The Polish coast is not generally considered prime cruising ground, but it has its own appeal. Although the harbour entrances have a reputation of being exposed, we never had any problems in summer weather up to F6 or so. It is all much easier now, with no need to deal with immigration at every port, and supplies are easy to find, and some Poles even speak English, instead of being restricted to Polish and Russian with a few words of German.

On a couple of occasions we returned on the inland route from Swinoujscie, stopping at Uerkemunde and Wolgast, bothe attractive and interesting. Karlshagen is anothe good stop too.

 

[HenrikH]

If you have time and divert a little there is a Whiskey class submarine sat up right with a 10 deg list to starboard marked a couple of miles to the West of Bornholm island. Depth 36m. I tried to open the hatch in the deck infront of the conning tower and lifted the huge D shaped handle but the crow bar didn't have the leverage to turn it sadly. There is an open hatch towards the rear which could be entered by removing diving kit, if you're into that short of thing and go prepared. Nice big bronze props on it.

Went to Szezecin on a separate visit, wasn't much to see but then is was 27 years ago and Poland only just opening up. No one could understand Polish even our German speakers. However, they all wanted to practise their English. Bought a Big Mac as the only thing they had I wanted.


Pete

Diving the Wreck of Russian Whiskey - Class Submarine, Bornholm, Denmark

Thanks Pete. This diving is beyond my certificate, beginners is 60 feet if I recall. Almost as old as your visit to Poland;-)

 

[HenrikH]

Thanks Pete. I will dig into your valuable advice, adding Uerkemunde and put Swinoujscie as a base.

 

[johnalison]

Thanks Pete. I will dig into your valuable advice, adding Uerkemunde and put Swinoujscie as a base.

Uerkemunde has a marina near the entrance but it is much nicer up the short canal in the town. You will be passing Wolgast, where I had the embarrassment of failing to finish a perfectly nice but over large plate of pork and being reprimanded by the chef. Don’t forget to stock up with Zubrowka, = bison vodka.

 

[bergie]

Swinoujscie is ok for provisioning as well. That's where we usually do our final shopping before heading north to Sweden and Finland. There's also a laundromat in the city (see No Foreign Land for locations). And yes, the beach resort part may be fun to visit.


It is also only a short walk or bike ride to the German resort towns on Usedom. We once utilized this to get our new spinnaker delivered to a DHL station on the German side.

The outer piers of Swinoujscie marina can be quite rolly when the big ferries go past, and the walk to the service building with showers and toilets is long. So if there's space, go as far into the harbour as you can. The place is quite well lit, and we've had no problems with night arrivals.

There are several chandleries in Szczecin near where all the big marinas are. But otherwise there aren't many services there. You need to either go to the other side of the airfield (about 5km hike to the big hardware and grocery stores) or to the city proper.

The Szczecin lagoon and the lake Dabie can be fun to sail, but keep an eye on the ubiquitous and poorly marked fishing nets!

For a different twist to the cruise, it is possible to drop the mast cheaply in Szczecin, and then Berlin is just two days of motoring up the inland waterways.

 

[johnalison]

We have had a lot of fun in Swinoujscie at various times. On a couple of occasions there was a harbour festival, and at other times events at the marina, including an Irish band consisting entirely of Poles in the taverna, and a Polish rapper. On one occasion we were stopped on our way out by a uniformed man with a gun, and I was taken to his office to see ‘our’ file, and then graciously handed a piece of paper issued in East Germany the previous year. Most visitors are German, but we have met the odd Dane or even Pole.