A Personal Guide to Polish Waters
Nicholas Hill
Swinoujscie
Unlike all its neighbours to the east, Swinoujscie is not a holiday town, but a busy commercial harbour. The town centre is also much more commercial, full of shops boasting designer labels. It is considerably more prosperous - partly because it did not rely on the fishing industry for a living.
The marina seems very popular with Germans over from the weekend. It is only a short distance from the island of Rugen, or from the Stettiner Haf.
If you are approaching from the east, the high rise buildings and harbour cranes make it visible from a long way off.
The entry channel has a well buoyed shipping lane which is probably best to keep clear of. The Border Guards can be found just beyond the breakwaters on the port side. If coming from the west, this is probably your first port of call in Poland, and so you will have to tie up to have your passports inspected. The quay is not well protected against swell with a north westerly wind.
The main hazard here will be shipping in the channel. As well as Swinoujscie itself, shipping going down to Szczecin also use the entrance.
berthing
Although there may be some small yacht clubs further down, there is a marina (see below) in a very large empty basin on the starboard side not far from the entrance. There are some stern-to mooring buoys, one pontoon which you can tie alongside, some very thin finger pontoons, and lots of quayside.
The surroundings are attractive and treelined. It is about a kilometre walk into town, and supplies are not easy to find. There is a distinct lack of supermakrkets or grocery shops.
facilities
Electricity on the pontoon, but you will need a long hose for water. The ablutions are fair, but not really adequate at weekends when the marina fills up.
Google Earth
As well as the alongside pontoon, where Prospero is tied up, there are also some small pontoons beyond, and some stern buoy moorings to the right.
There is also a lot of quayside. This is taken looking out towards the entrance to the basin.
Fuelling pontoon.
All photographs copyright CNH/COH. Please ask if you wish to use them and please acknowledge the source.