We present these spots:
Shallow, warm water and always a shore in sight - the Salzhaff is a dream. Here, where nature has been spared from mass tourism, you will find enough space to escape the stresses of everyday life.
Get on the board, clip in and glide off. No chop disturbs you. The wind is steady. We accelerate further and further, leaving only a fleeting trail behind us. Looking into the crystal-clear water, you can see how the sun's rays are refracted on the surface and lost in the dark blue depths. On the horizon, yellow rape is in bloom, dark pine trees sway in the steady breeze, seagulls play in the wind. We sail towards the vastness of the Baltic Sea and yet are protected from the rough sea - by small islands on which the salt marshes bloom in spring. Deadlines and everyday life are forgotten.
Sheltered, flat, windy - a dream spot for the whole family
Yes, those magical moments of windsurfing when you really feel in flow with the elements - you can experience them on the Salzhaff. The numerous bays invite you to cruise. You can even venture out onto the open Baltic Sea. However, you are usually better off in this sheltered side arm of the Baltic Sea. The waves remain manageable. Winds are thermally amplified. There are also very shallow spots where you can practise new moves. Although there are some quieter corners away from the main spots, it is precisely this harmonious coexistence between beginners, intermediates, slalom riders and freestylers that makes well-known spots like Pepelow so appealing. This is the perfect place for a family holiday where everyone gets their money's worth. A warm shower after a long day of surfing, followed by a cold beer and juicy grilled meat - that's every windsurfing camper's dream come true - especially at the newly renovated pitch in Pepelow.
If you want to combine a full day of waves on the Baltic Sea with a freeride session on the lagoon, Rerik is the ideal starting point. The pier on the Baltic Sea beach offers a beautiful view of the headland and the lagoon behind it. At the same time, the Baltic Sea wave breaks powerfully onto the sandbanks here.
Conflicts of interest
However, as is the case everywhere that is beautiful, parties with different interests are fighting for supremacy here too: the closed peninsula of Wustrow, where nature is currently still able to develop freely, has long been the focus of an investor who wants to build hotel beds for 2,200 guests. This is opposed by the desire of many residents for peace and tranquillity. Windsurfers also come directly into play in the conflict between tourism and nature conservation. The discussion that has been going on for some time about the regulations for travelling on the Salzhaff has created a lot of uncertainty among water sports enthusiasts. It is clear that the area around the Wustrow peninsula, Kieler Ort and the Kroy brackish water area should not be navigated. In order not to further exacerbate the situation and avoid spot closures, we ask that you only use designated parking areas, even if these are of course subject to a charge during the season.
Spot info Salzhaff
Journey
When travelling to the Salzhaff, use the legendary A20 motorway, which is an alternative to the B105, at least in the places that don't sink every now and then. There are generally more roadworks than usual on arrival and departure journeys. A spontaneous road closure also caused some interesting detours into rural Mecklenburg-Vorpommern during the creation of this Spot Guide. All in all, you need to plan just under 1.5 hours for the journey from Hamburg.
Wind, weather & neoprene recommendation
Like all spots in the north, the Salzhaff is largely dependent on the general weather conditions. The area operates in a maximally large wind window. According to Windfinder statistics, the gliding wind rate in the summer months is between 30 and 50 per cent - not quite on a par with Fehmarn or Rügen, but certainly not a bad figure. Due to the sheltered location on the edge of the Bay of Lübeck, westerly winds in particular are generally somewhat more moderate than on the open Baltic Sea. With easterly winds, however, there is regularly a thermal amplification that is not taken into account by the usual forecast models - this makes for some positive surprises at the spot.
Because the Salzhaff is separated from the Baltic Sea by the Wustrow peninsula, water exchange can only take place through a narrow entrance north of the Boiensdorfer Werder and north-east of the island of Poel. The water of the Salzhaff therefore warms up faster than average. Especially in spring, when the first warm days occur, the lagoon is already noticeably warmer than the Baltic Sea. How long the season lasts here in autumn depends on the quality of the neo and your personal pain threshold - the large standing area along the eastern shore at least ensures that you are quickly back on your board on cold days. In some places there are shells or scattered stones in the water, so surf shoes are definitely recommended even in summer.
Living & Camping
From Pepelow to Rerik there are holiday flats, apartments and small holiday homes to rent, some within walking distance of the spots. There are also several campsites around the Salzhaff, here is a selection:
Rerik:
Pepelow:
Boiensdorf:
Surf stations & shops
Of course, there are also opportunities to book courses or hire the latest equipment on the Salzhaff, e.g. in:
- Rerik: www.surfschule-rerik.de
- Pepelow: www.san-pepelone.de
The surf school at the campsite in Pepelow is the first port of call for many people on the Salzhaff. Here you can also hire SUP boards or use the fitness studio and wellness area as well as numerous other leisure activities.
There is no surf shop directly on the lagoon, so you have to rely on the well-stocked shops in the neighbouring towns:
- Supremesurf Rostock: www.supremesurf.de
- Surf Centre Wismar: www.surfcenter-wismar.de
Shady sides
A weed fin should be part of your basic equipment from mid-June at the latest. The Salzhaff is generally very safe, only at the narrow exit to the Baltic Sea north of the Boiensdorfer Werder is there sometimes a strong current, as this is where all the water exchange between the Baltic Sea and the lagoon takes place.
Please avoid travelling to the Wustrow peninsula at all costs, as this is a nature reserve. Keyword "nature conservation": Access to the Salzhaff is very strictly regulated, so please keep to the surf zones marked by signs and help to ensure that the surf spots remain accessible.
Alternative programme
If you want to take the kids to a fun pool when the weather is bad and cold, you should visit the Wonnemar in Wismar. The charming old towns of Rostock, Schwerin and Wismar are also well worth a visit.
The best windsurfing spots on the Salzhaff
1st Rerik Baltic Sea
Rerik is located at the northern end of the Salzhaff, exactly where the mainland merges into the Wustrow peninsula. A narrow headland divides the shallow water spot and the Baltic Sea surf here. Access to the Salzhaff is not possible from the headland unless you walk straight through the reeds - not a good idea! If you're looking for shallow water action, it's better to get in further south, e.g. at the clinic. On the Baltic side, wave fans get their money's worth in strong winds from WNW to NW, when official two-metre ramps run onto the beautiful sandy beach. Surfing usually takes place west of the large pier. WNW blows sideonshore from the left, with onshore north-westerly winds the waves get significantly bigger, but the conditions are difficult due to the current and onshore wind.
This is when wave fans should make a trip to Kühlungsborn! When the wind shifts back to west to westerly, the waves become smaller, but the wind blows almost sideshore. Rerik is therefore perfect for a short trip into the surf on moderate days. The spot is also easy to ride in the north-east, when the conditions on the beach usually remain moderate - with sideshore winds and surf of up to 1.5 metres, even less experienced surfers don't usually have to worry. Rerik is also surprisingly good when the wind blows off-shore from the south-east - you can heat up to your heart's content in the mirror-smooth water or foilboard to your heart's content.
2nd Rerik Surf School
There is also a small surf school in Rerik, which uses the shallow water at the southern end of the town for training. You can only park here for a limited time and for a fee at the side of the road, which is why the number of surfers on the water is limited. The conditions on site are well worth a visit - winds from the south-east to west as well as from the north arrive freely and relatively evenly, the water remains smooth and the shore area has a standing area that is suitable for intermediates. Caution is only advised in the nearby fairway, as there is heavy boat traffic here.
3rd Rerik Clinic
It's a long walk from the car park at Rerik Hospital to the spot. You park in a car park on the southern outskirts of Rerik and carry your equipment about 800 metres to the spot. Why do all this? In contrast to many other spots, you can surf here in really good flat water conditions even in SSO winds! No chop will interfere with your manoeuvres or freestyle tricks, only the first 200 metres can be very flat in this wind direction because the water is pushed out of the salt lagoon by the SE wind. Anyone who thinks that you'll be surfing alone here due to the secluded location is mistaken. Kitesurfers in particular flock to this beautiful spot in large numbers.
4 Roggow
When you used to be able to surf in Teßmannsdorf, Roggow was pretty lonely. In the meantime, this spot was also quite busy in summer. But in 2022, the only access road to the small car park, an already difficult dirt track with potholes, was closed. The area is designated as a nature reserve, including a ban on driving through. Wild camping, barbecues and campfires are of course also strictly prohibited. "The public order office checks here at least twice a day and the police also like to stop by. Of course, you are welcome to walk down here, but driving a vehicle costs at least 55 euros and the public order office has no mercy," report locals.
Those who walk to the spot will find plenty of space on the water, while an extensive standing area on the shore makes the hearts of climbers, freeriders and trickers beat faster. Southerly wind directions are somewhat covered, ideal is wind from west-south-west to north-east - this then blows freely across the lagoon and arrives relatively evenly. The spot conditions are the same as everywhere on the Salzhaff - smooth water, with only small chop and therefore ideal for heating and practising manoeuvres. On good days there are lots of kiters here too, but you can make arrangements.
5 Pepelow
Pepelow is clearly the heart of the Salzhaff surfing region, where you will find the complete set-up: accommodation close to the spot, a large campsite right on the spot, beach bar, holiday homes, well-equipped surf school, snack bars, restaurants and playgrounds - everything a surfing family could wish for is waiting for them here. And the whole thing is surrounded by beautiful nature - there are even large pine trees growing on the campsite.
The wind blows freely across the Salzhaff from south-east to west to north-east and is accordingly constant. There is a huge standing area to the north-east of the campsite, especially in westerly winds, where you can sail your long strokes parallel to the shore without ever having to leave the shallow area - no wonder there are so many climbers on the water here.
Although easterly to south-easterly winds are not ideal, as they come offshore over a field, the spot remains surfable if you go out to the north-east of the campsite. Sometimes it is very flat there with this wind direction, as the wind pushes the water out of the salt lagoon. If you start directly in front of the campsite, where the boats are anchored, then you need to be a little careful, as there are sometimes stone slabs on the bottom. All in all, however, Pepelow is the perfect place for different skill levels or a family holiday!
6 Boiensdorf
Two motorhome pitches provide at least a rudimentary infrastructure at the spot during the season. Access to the water is subject to payment, but you can park relatively close to the water's edge in idyllic surroundings. There is a playground for children and also a kind of beach snack bar that offers small snacks. Depending on the water level, the first 100 to 150 metres are shallow - but the standing area here is rather small by Salzhaff standards. Further out, it gets deep quite quickly. For this reason, Boiensdorf is also suitable for longer fins or foils. However, seaweed can also be a problem here, depending on the time of year and wind direction.
Due to its location at the southern end of the Salzhaff, the bay of Boiensdorf is particularly suitable for wind directions from north-north-west to east. Due to the greater water depth, a nice chop builds up here in places, which invites you to jump around - far away from the surf, but also no longer mirror-smooth water, as at other spots in the area. The fact that a kitesurfing school is based here need not bother you any further, as there are clear zones for windsurfers and kiters on the water.
If the wind takes a southerly turn, it gets gusty in Boiensdorf, then it is worth moving to Pepelow or taking a long beat out towards the mouth of the lagoon. On such excursions, you should only be careful not to surf into the Kroy, the nature reserve south of the offshore peninsula of Wustrow. The northern shore area of the Boiensdorfer Werder to the west of the starting point should also be off-limits, as there are some large stones just below the water's surface that have killed many a fin.
7th Boiensdorfer Werder
The Boiensdorfer Werder spot is located on a peninsula and can only be accessed via the local campsite. If you start here, you can also get on the water in westerly and south-westerly winds without any problems. A lot of chop can build up here in strong winds, as the water gets deep quickly. With a light gliding wind, there is of course a small chop here too. Due to the greater depth of the water, the spot is particularly suitable for surfers with slightly more advanced riding skills, who also want to put the pedal to the metal with a slalom board and long fins, or strap on the foil and take long strokes to the west towards the Baltic Sea.
Caution is only advised at the northern end of the Boiensdorfer Werder peninsula, where there are some large stones in the water in the shore area that are difficult to spot. In the deep area north of the peninsula, the current can be noticeable, as almost all of the water exchange between the Salzhaff and the Baltic Sea takes place via the narrow opening. In any case, the Boiensdorfer Werder spot, which is only shallow in the immediate shore area, is not very suitable for intermediates.
