Kolobrzeg, Darlowo and Leba

After 3 nights in Swinoujscie we set sail for Kolobrzeg - a distance of just under 50 miles - soon after 0700 on 20th May. A decent sail with the wind behind us saw us alongside before 1600 - a very civilised time to arrive!

There wasn't a lot to look at on the way. Baltic Poland is one long sandy beach backed by forest. There's nothing wrong with that of course, but a little variety would be nice!

Sandy beach backed by forest - and a lighthouse!

A kite surfer who came to visit us

Kolobrzeg from the sea

We had to run the gauntlet of Vikings...

... and pirates!

That's a lot of wood

The visitors area of the marina was empty. At least, the section we went to was. The other part was rammed! It surprises me how yachts like to flock together. Every yacht that arrived after us, with the exception of Red Roo, went to the crowded bit! Perhaps we're just anti-social?

The following day we embarked on our traditional walking tour:

Parseta River. Jo said the blocks reminded her of Gosport

Part of the Museum of Polish Arms

Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Rebuilt after 1945

Kolobrzeg Town Hall

Fuse Tower - part of city wall. 15th century and the only one remaining

There were lots of green spaces in Kolobrzeg, with many areas of flowers

Kolobrzeg street scene

We came across these boards in one of the city's parks and were keen to investigate. Fortunately, each board had a brief section in English so we could understand what it was about.

Boards commemorating some of the victims of Stalin's regime

Each of the boards told a little about an individual who had been executed by Hitler's and Stalin's totalitarian regimes. Their remains had been identified from those buried in quarter "L" of a military cemetery in Warsaw using modern genetic techniques.

It is estimated that around 250,000 people were arrested between 1944 and 1956 and that the death toll reached 50,000. Military field courts sentenced 6,000 to death (about 3,000 executions were carried out) and over 20,000 died in prisons. In the majority of cases the dead were buried in secret - in unmarked and, often, mass graves. Measures were taken to make the identification of the bodies difficult.

For families it meant permanent uncertainty about their relatives. They could not bury them properly, say goodbye or visit their graves.

The search for secret graves is ongoing.

I've nothing to add

Hornbeam Alley - Formed in the 19th century and 130m long. The "Alley of Love"

Lighthouse built in 1945 on the site of Estuary Fort

Poland's Wedding to the Sea Monument- 1945

Kolobrzeg's beach and Pier - the most romantic place in the province. Apparently

Another beach picture

Kolobrzeg's fishing port

The picture above reflects the fact that Kolobrzeg is a busy fishing harbour. Now everyone has to make a living and I don't mind a bit of fish myself from time to time but I thought pot markers were a problem until I came across one of the Polish methods of fishing!

To the uninitiated, pots lowered to the seabed and used to trap crabs and lobsters are marked by means of something floating on the surface.

In England, the methods used to mark the pots are inconsistent and it's not unusual to see an empty oil can or similar floating in the sea. These have  a length of rope attached to them, the other end of which is tied to one or more pots. They are a hazard to small boats because, if you don't see them in time and keep well clear, the lines can get caught around a keel, rudder or (worst of all) a rotating prop - thereby incapacitating the vessel.

In Poland they may use pots too for all I know, but they also float nets just below the surface (sometimes the clearance is just 1 metre). These are clearly marked at intervals by flags standing on posts a metre or two above the level of the sea. However, if you see just one of these, how are you supposed to know which direction the net is going away from it?

Some posts have 2 flags on them which can either be the seaward end of a net anchored perpendicular to the coast, or the west end of one anchored parallel to the coast - so that helps a bit. But see a single flag and, as far as I can tell, you're trusting to luck!

We've sailed over a few nets when we've seen a second flag too late to respond and so far we've got away with it. Let's hope our luck holds!


0700 on Monday 22nd May saw us heading for Darlowo. This time we had no useful wind and had to motor for all but the 20 minutes during which the wind rose enough to trick me into flying all sail before vanishing once again.

A favourable current of a few tenths of a knot helped us get to Darlowo (34 miles) 10 minutes after the 1300 bridge opening time, so we tied up to some old truck tyres on the wall and waited 50 minutes for the next one. I think Jo spent about the same amount of time cleaning the black marks off of her (previously) pristine fenders when we arrived at the marina!

Waiting for the bridge at Darlowo

Darlowo is known as "The King's Town" after Eric (somehow Eric just doesn't sound as regal as Charles, Henry or James!) the last king of all Scandinavia. 

In the beginning of the 15th century, when Eric was banished from Scandinavia, he became a pirate and made Darlowo the base from which he attacked and pilfered his old kingdom. Incidentally, his wife was a daughter of Henry V of England. Sounds like she fell in with some rough sorts...

King Eric's (and Elisabeth's) sarcophagi are housed in the Church of Saint Mary.

King Eric's and Elisabeth's sarcophagi

Darlowo's Town Hall. The fountain from 1919 was erected in honour of the people of the sea. That'll be us then!

Darlowo's remaining town gate

14th Century Pomeranian Castle. King Eric's birthplace and where he spent his last years

Castle and working water wheel

Whoever painted this had a head for heights if not a mastery of perspective. Methinks he needs a bigger boat!

Darlowo beach

Darlowo's fish market on the left bank and bridge in the distance

We could either stay one night in Darlowo or 5. This was because the Polish military were going to close a large area of sea to the east of it for 3 days so they could get some firing practice in. Whilst this was a blooming nuisance to us, you can't blame them for wanting to keep on top of their game given Poland's recent history.

We elected to stay just the 1 night and so left our berth in time to exit when the bridge opened at 0700 (that time keeps cropping up!). Once again we had no wind to speak of and motored the 49 miles to Leba, our next port of call.

I complain when it blows 30 knots and complain when it doesn't!

En route to Leba you pass the Slowinski National Park, which is on UNESCO's list of World Biosphere Reserves. This is famous for its spectacular shifting sand dunes where the very fine white sand, which covers a vast distance, "dances like waves at the slightest breeze".

Sand dunes from the sea

Phil and Red Roo waiting outside Leba's harbour entrance...

... and entering the harbour

Like other Polish places we'd visited on this coast, Leba had:

A fishing fleet

Viking boats and Pirate boats...

... quite intricate detailing on some of them

And a sandy beach

There's sand dune there. Geddit? Dune there?!!

Our next stop is Wladyslawowo and then it's Gdansk. We're looking forward to that.

Finally, I can't finish this post without mentioning Gerry who's been a regular reader from the start.

Gerry retires from the civil service today after 37 years of, well, getting paid at the end of each month and waiting for a fat pension.

What's that got to do with this blog? Well, I'm going to have to make the posts shorter now as he won't have all day to read them at "work" any more!

Only joking Gerry! Have a great time, whatever you choose to do next.

Thanks for reading.