10 July 2012 – Warnemund Hohe Dune Marina

54:10.90N

12:58.60E

Firstly, Wismar is a great place.  It is small in scale and had wide, open boulevards.  All the streets are cobbled and so not bike-friendly.   It isn’t busy, like Lubeck, and so is the more charming.  Restoration is definitely work in progress – there is a lot of work going on, including by Unesco, who are funding initial stages of the rebuilding of the Marian Kirke (bombed by the Allies and then blown up in 1960 by the E Germans.)  But there are still a lot of dilapidated buildings, crumbling in front of you; and a mass of bombsites.

There are pics, but the signal here in Warnemunde is not up to uploading them: so they will have to wait!

We went cycling on Monday afternoon: through what looked like allotment gardens, each with its neat rows of vegetables, flower garden and shed/chalet/bungalow; up the west side of the estuary coast path.  Very pleasant.  As we got back, about 4.30pm, the heavens opened again (maybe there’s something about continental weather patterns here?) and so went to the Hafen café for Kaffe und Kuchen.  Of course this killed the appetite for supper -  instead we walked round the town with our helpful “Fascinating Wismar” brochure, and had biscuits and chees when we got back.

The harbour office in West Hafen is formally open between 8 and 10 – after that the harbour master tells me he has to do some work(!)  I’d paid 30 euros up front for the deposit on the doofa and a 10 euro charge – the total charge for our stay was 33 euros all in for a 2 night stay.  So the balance was a cash transaction.  Good value – here in Warnemunde the cost is 43 euros for 2 nights (and the wifi is (and I quote) f***ing useless!)

Before leaving I went to get a few necessities from the supermarket at the end of the harbour – it’s a Netto.  Not a particularly good range of products, and my credit card was rejected.  When I got back the Customs were in residence.  This was the third visit – once in Heilingenhafen;  a second in Lubeck; and this third where the two officers had a form to fill in.  Roger said that the priority was the passports, and they made a phone call to check whether we were on a banned list.  Other than that they wanted to know about ships stores and alcohol; where we had come from and where we were going to.  I asked for what in France is le fiche.  Not possible, but they could put a stamp in the ship’s log.  So the log was taken away and came back in a surprisingly short period of time with an impressive stamp, and initials.  Whether it’ll make a difference next time – we’ll see!

We had a cracking sail – 15-20 knots from behind - to Kuhlungsborn but found the marina full.  Rather than raft up we pressed on the next 12 miles to this BIG marina, which has wide box moorings.   The moorings are wide (good) and easy to get into.  The staging is low: from the bow there’s a long jump down and to get back on is athletic!  Knees up to the armpits and upper body strength to haul yourself up!    The infrastructure is very swish – the marina office is like a hotel reception, and the facilities likewise – dark mahogany staining and marble surfaces.  But: (for the first time) a harbour receptionist with no English at all; showers and water are at supplementary cost; the electricity is iffy and so there’s a sense of all mouth and no trousers (as the saying goes.)   What continues to impress is how helpful all the neighbours are – a Swedish boat has advised in impeccable English on approaches to Stralsund; and we have met our first Brit!  A Hunter Nomad from Woodbridge, cruising here for 10 years!