petedg
Well-Known Member
If you had 3 weeks to get a motor sailer from Meldorf on the west coast of Germany to Ueckermünde close to the German Polish border would you go through the Kiel canal or around Denmark? Please give reasons for your choice.
North Sea Germany to east Baltic
- Thread starter petedg
- Start date
jerrytug
N/A
I haven't been round,but it looks quite an intrepid trip for a holiday cruise. But I've been through the canal which is easy.So I'd go to Helgoland for duty free and to get a tide up the Elbe,visit Kiel,then cruise along the coast,visiting Rostock,Stralsund,lots of interest,if like me you like maritime heritage,history museums etc. Lots to occupy 3 wks have a nice one. I presume you mean after winter!
jerrytug
N/A
Look up the blog of the yacht "Kissen" for tips as well.
johnalison
Well-Known Member
It's actually a fair distance, so you may as well take a leisurely view of it and enjoy the scenery. The Kiel Canal is pleasant but a bit tiring, so I would take 2 days and stop at Rendsberg. After that, there are interesting stops at Laboe, Heiligenhafen, Neustadt, Travemunde, Wismar, Timmendorf, Kuhlungsborn, Warnemunde, Dasser Ort (if it's open), Barhoft, Stralsund, Lautebach, Gager, Greifswald, Peenemunde and Wolgast, to mention a few, without hopping over to Denmark (Nykobing and Klintholm, say). If you're quick, you could even make Bornholm, or hop into Swinoujscie before Uerkemunde, which is a nice place, and cheap.
Joker
Well-Known Member
Three weeks is plenty of time. I've done the Denmark route through the Limfjord and also Kiel.
Kiel is quicker and easier.
Looking the other way.
Kiel is quicker and easier.
Looking the other way.
ANDY_W
Well-Known Member
Re Meldorf to East Baltic
I've just spent May to September 2012 going from Plymouth to Sweden and back to Holland
( ran out of weather so left the boat in Den Helder ).
I went via the West coast of Denmark and returned via the Kiel Canal. I wish I had used the canal when outward bound. It would have saved me a week or more.
The trip up the West coast of Denmark is a very long way round and not very interesting apart from the Limfjord. Additionally, the harbours north of Esbjerg are severely affected by weather, being dangerous to enter/exit in onshore winds of F4/5+.
The canal is by far the best bet. You would only need one day of decent weather to get into the Elbe and you're weatherproof.
You can do the canal in one day if you get the tides right but bear in mind that canal regulations prohibit leisure craft from travelling during specified hours of darkness. If you google ' Kiel Canal' you can get the small craft regulations in English.
Rendsburg is a good overnight stop for shopping and diesel and then it's only 24 miles to Holtenau locks.
Hope this helps,
Andy
P.S. Coincidentally, I was looking at south Baltic ports for next year and found that Dasser Ort is now reported to be too silted up to use.
I've just spent May to September 2012 going from Plymouth to Sweden and back to Holland
( ran out of weather so left the boat in Den Helder ).
I went via the West coast of Denmark and returned via the Kiel Canal. I wish I had used the canal when outward bound. It would have saved me a week or more.
The trip up the West coast of Denmark is a very long way round and not very interesting apart from the Limfjord. Additionally, the harbours north of Esbjerg are severely affected by weather, being dangerous to enter/exit in onshore winds of F4/5+.
The canal is by far the best bet. You would only need one day of decent weather to get into the Elbe and you're weatherproof.
You can do the canal in one day if you get the tides right but bear in mind that canal regulations prohibit leisure craft from travelling during specified hours of darkness. If you google ' Kiel Canal' you can get the small craft regulations in English.
Rendsburg is a good overnight stop for shopping and diesel and then it's only 24 miles to Holtenau locks.
Hope this helps,
Andy
P.S. Coincidentally, I was looking at south Baltic ports for next year and found that Dasser Ort is now reported to be too silted up to use.
Last edited:
johnalison
Well-Known Member
Skylark
Well-Known Member
Only done the canal once, in May 2004, and found it a very enjoyable experience.
claymore
Well-Known Member
Am sat looking out over the Limfjord, close to Nibe, as I type
jimi
Well-Known Member
I assume that a draught of 2m is going to be a bit too restrictive in the Limfjord?
claymore
Well-Known Member
It will be Jim, there are buoyed channels which seem quite narrow, that said, we see some decent sized yats oot there
richardsn9
Well-Known Member
I have heard that entering via the Eider (usually from Helgoland) is quite an interesting and pretty route, and then joining the canal mid way. Have not tried this myself, but have a hankering to do so. There was a good magazine article about it some years ago.
Does anyone know if this is a viable alternative?
Does anyone know if this is a viable alternative?
Joker
Well-Known Member
I did it without any problem with a draft of 1.8m.
AliM
Well-Known Member
You could plan 3 routes and choose the one the weather allows you.
1. over the top of Denmark, or via Limfjord - only for very good settled weather. It would take most of the 3 weeks at your disposal, and involve some interesting Danish island-hopping.
2. Helgoland and the Eider, the rest of the Kiel canal and North German coast. You need a decent bit of waether to get into the Eider, and the canal is quite slow, but fine in bad weather.
3. The full Kiel canal - quicker than 2, but it's easier to get into the Elbe than Eider in strong Westerlies. Go in on the flood though, and avoid strong wind against tide. The Kiel canal is easy in just about any weather, and quite restful. Rendsburg is a nice town, and places like Laboe are well worth visiting on the way out. The german coast has some lovely places. Last year Darser Ort was only open in emergency, but maybe they are letting it slit up since then.
Option 3 would give you the most time and flexibility for exploring.
1. over the top of Denmark, or via Limfjord - only for very good settled weather. It would take most of the 3 weeks at your disposal, and involve some interesting Danish island-hopping.
2. Helgoland and the Eider, the rest of the Kiel canal and North German coast. You need a decent bit of waether to get into the Eider, and the canal is quite slow, but fine in bad weather.
3. The full Kiel canal - quicker than 2, but it's easier to get into the Elbe than Eider in strong Westerlies. Go in on the flood though, and avoid strong wind against tide. The Kiel canal is easy in just about any weather, and quite restful. Rendsburg is a nice town, and places like Laboe are well worth visiting on the way out. The german coast has some lovely places. Last year Darser Ort was only open in emergency, but maybe they are letting it slit up since then.
Option 3 would give you the most time and flexibility for exploring.
johnalison
Well-Known Member
Dasser Ort is only ever "open in emergency"! They don't want you to stop there because it is a sensitive ecological area. That doesn't stop them allowing about 20,000 campervans along the adjacent beaches but yachts are apparently not wanted. Once you get in though, you will be made welcome. A German we met had had a young fox come aboard during the night just before we met him. It was having a go at their galley.
It is best to get local advice before planning a visit. Either local yachtsmen or the CA representative.
petedg
Well-Known Member
Thanks to everyone who answered....Looks like the Kiel canal will be the one for us, gives some time to explore some of the places along the way.
I wish you all a Happy, healthy and prosperous New Year.
Pete
I wish you all a Happy, healthy and prosperous New Year.
Pete
Joker
Well-Known Member
Oh, and beware in the Holtenau locks. The floating pontoon to tie on to is very slippery. It also has no freeboard, so your fenders pop out. It also uses rings thru which you have to thread your lines - a major nuisance.
