Boating on the Baltic Sea
Photo: NormanEinstein, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
The Baltic Sea is in many ways good for cruising on small craft. There are many towns worth seeing, an abundance of guest harbours – and large archipelagos with thousands and thousands of islands and islets. The Baltic is also a safe destination, with well organized societies, short distances, no typhoons and no tides. Finland and Sweden in the north have large inland archipelagos in addition to the coastal ones.
In the archipelagos and lakes you do not necessarily need a yacht. Although the coastal archipelagos and the biggest lakes are indeed big enough for any yacht, smaller boats or even a kayak offer a different experience.
Countries and territoriesThe countries of the Baltic Sea, clockwise from the Danish straits (links to country sections):
UnderstandThe Baltic Sea is connected to the Atlantic through the Danish straits (Little Belt, Great Belt and Øresund).
Get inYou can come to the Baltic through the Danish Straits, the Göta Kanal, the Kiel Canal, the central European waterway system (connected to the Atlantic, the Mediterranean and the Black Sea) or the Russian waterway system…
Get aroundThe Baltic is a busy sea. There are many important cruise ferry and roro routes. Most of Finnish foreign trade is shipped over the Baltic sea, as is a large amount of that of the other countries.
DestinationsThere are many towns and cities worth seeing. See Baltic Sea ferries and Cruising the Baltic Sea for some of them, some more in the country sections below, and the country articles for the rest.
Boating in DenmarkThe western and northern shores have tides. Tidal currents are significant in the Danish straits, although also unrelated variations in the sea levels affect the currents.
Boating in SwedenSweden has a long coastline, and together with Finland and Norway possibly the highest number of leisure boats per capita worldwide. Cruising on small craft is a national pastime, at least when weather allows.
Boating in FinlandAs Finland is at high latitude, the sailing season is quite short. The peak season is from Midsummer in late June to when schools start in mid August. This is the time when most Finns have their summer holidays.
Boating in RussiaAs Russia is not a Schengen country, you need to go through border formalities and probably get a visa. You don't need a visa, though, for the Saimaa Canal, unless you are going to set foot in Russia.
Boating in EstoniaEstonia has some great boating destinations especially The West Estonian archipelago with widely different looking sights than the archipelagos of Finland and Sweden.
Boating in LatviaThe main rivers flowing into the gulf are Daugava, Lielupe, Gauja, and Salaca.
Boating in LithuaniaLithuania has a short stretch of coast sailed well in a day, including half of the Curonian Spit. Main towns on this coast are
Boating in Kaliningrad OblastAs Russia is not part of the Schengen area, you have to go through border formalities and probably need a visa. Check requirements beforehand.
Boating in PolandBiggest polish city on the Baltic Sea coast is Gdansk, a city famous for its dockyards instrumental in formation of the Solidarność labor solidarity movement in 1980 which became a reactive catalyst towards the collapse…
Boating in GermanyThe Baltic Sea Coast of Germany is a vacation region located in the northern federal states of Schleswig-Holstein and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The eastern part of it is known as the German Riviera.
DrinkDuring the long winter nights the Northerners developed a taste for strong drinks. So when civilisation made its mark during the 19th century, there were national rules introduced in order to rule in these bad habits.
Stay safeWater at sea is cold. Life jackets are necessary even when the shore is near. Keep your clothes on to stay warm longer.
RespectDisposal of garbage in the Baltic Sea is forbidden, with varying degrees of control. Septic tanks emptying is provided for free in many guest harbours, at least in Finland and Sweden.
ConnectThere are GMDSS A2 areas in the Baltic Sea, but you can easily choose your route such that you mostly or always are in the GMDSS A1 areas, with coast station VHF/DSC coverage.g.
Sources and licences
- Guide text adapted from the Wikivoyage article "Boating on the Baltic Sea" by its contributors, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read on Wikivoyage · Contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Photo: NormanEinstein, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons