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The German-Polish neighbourhood: not friends, not enemies, living in distant proximity and having more clichés at the ready than city names east of the Oder and Neisse rivers. Admittedly, the fall of the Berlin Wall and the Schengen Agreement are about as far back in time as if the neighbour had just cleared out their moving boxes. But perhaps this is precisely the right time to get to know each other better.
The ghostly empty A20 motorway from Rostock takes you quickly to the border. It takes us three hours by car from Hamburg. The seaside resort of Swinoujscie is hidden behind a never-ending bazaar with the scent of Krakow, perfume and cheap leather. Hardcore strollers can also reach the spa town at the eastern end of Usedom via Europe's longest beach promenade from Bansin. Swinoujscie is pretty - spa architecture, hotels in renovated villas, a fine sandy beach. It's a sunny Sunday lunchtime and the town's cafés are full. Two permed Polish ladies at the table next to us finish their dark beer and then order a coffee with a shot.
We stop the first surf van that crosses our path with a frantic salvo of flashing lights. Of course, the driver is called Tomek and speaks German. Tomek gives us a road map and marks all the spots in the area on it, and gives us an introduction to Polish swearwords: "You can surf any wind on the Szczecin Lagoon, but - Curva - it's gusty there! On the Baltic Sea - Curva - you have nice waves in the north-east, especially in Miedzyzdroje - Curva - it can get high! But today you only have, we Poles say, potato water, Curva! Better you go to the lighthouse - Curva - it's as flat as a mirror!".
A little later, we are standing in front of a lighthouse at the end of a small headland, behind which it is actually as smooth as glass in easterly winds - curva (I'd rather not know what that means) - and also shallow. After a freestyle session at Tomek's secret city spot, we take the ferry across the Swine, then continue on a bumpy country road to Miedzyzdroje, one of the most famous seaside resorts on the Baltic coast.
Despite the fresh, cross-onshore wind, there is a lot going on on the beach, which - Curva! - is already Caribbean white again and feels like icing sugar. A long pier branches off from the promenade and lends the setting the charm of times gone by. Kaiser Wilhelm II is said to have often taken a health cure here. I set up my 4.8 and regret the fact that windsurfing wasn't invented earlier. The colourful sails in front of an endless sandy beach and wooded hills in the background - that would certainly have done the melancholy Prussian good.
Going to Hel(l)
Some time later, we follow an autumnal low-pressure area into eastern Poland. Our first destination is the Hel headland to the north of Gdansk. In the high season (July/August), there is said to be so much going on here on and off the water that the long, narrow peninsula gladly earns a second L at the end of its name. A shallow water area the size of Lake Chiemsee, several good wave spots and a vibrant party scene make the area THE wind sports Mecca of Poland.
But first we have to survive 300 kilometres of Polish country roads. While the highway from Szczecin to Warsaw feels like the tarred reincarnation of the legendary Transrapid, the coastal road through Pomerania is more like an icy mogul track. Be especially careful with speed limits: A 70 sign before a bend does not mean that you should turn in at this speed, but that you probably won't survive the bend at 70. There is also a certain element of surprise in unlit horse-drawn carts and stalls that are placed everywhere but NEXT to the road by adrenaline-addicted pensioners. The fact that these insidious stalls often lie in wait behind bends is clever marketing, however: anyone who has just survived a 70 km/h bend will certainly be happy to treat themselves to a home-brewed drop.
Tower room with sea view
The humour of local phrases such as "Gdansk is rancid" is debatable. In terms of content, the harbour city certainly doesn't deserve the flippant play on words with its name. About two hours' drive from Hel, Gdansk is one of the most beautiful metropolises in the East and could pass as the big sister of Wismar or Lübeck: Patrician houses, restored cogs and of course - Poles are generally devout people - the largest brick church in Europe. Tourists stream through the alleyways and the bars in the old town are also full despite coffee prices of up to the equivalent of five euros. However, both cases are the exception, as Poland is anything but overcrowded or expensive.
We drive on towards Leba. An almost familiar picture on the beach: A dense forest behind us, fine white sand in front and a 19th century castle, now converted into a five-star luxury hotel. The prices are fair: the tower suite with a sea view is available for less than 100 euros a night. On the other hand, it is priceless to take a cutback in clean two-metre waves directly in front of the time-honoured building. On the outer sandbank, I almost forget that I'm on the Baltic Sea. Although the wind is not particularly strong at around 20 knots and is also blowing slightly to the south, the waves here are surprisingly big. The waves are also almost North Sea-sized. You can tell that the water masses have much more run-up in westerly winds than on the German Baltic coast. We want to find out and set off in search of side-off conditions. The coast bends in Debki, the wind direction is diagonally offshore and the waves are correspondingly smaller. Nevertheless, a few head-high sets come through and allow us to ride down the line with real feeling.
Unfortunately, the fun doesn't last long, as a thunderstorm brings the session to an abrupt end. I swim the last few metres to the beach and set up my equipment under the pine trees, which are so thick that I don't even get wet. While I enter "Kiel" into the navigation system, a deer cleans the wing mirror of my car with its tongue. Delighted with so much service, we set off on our journey home. After the indoor event in Warsaw and the Ostwind trip to Swinoujscie, this was my third barbecue party at a neighbouring Polish town within a year. It would be an exaggeration to speak of a newly kindled love affair with our neighbours, despite the animal hospitality. Nevertheless, it feels good to have shaken hands with a neighbour about whom you inevitably pick up so much half-knowledge and prejudice.
The best windsurfing spots in Poland
1) Szczecin Lagoon
In Czarnocin, a large standing area offers perfect conditions for beginners and manoeuvring enthusiasts. Westerly winds come onshore, making drifting virtually impossible. Approach from Goleniow via Stepnica to Czarnocin. There are car parks on the beach.
2) Swinoujscie
Directly on the western bank of the Swine, a strong east-north-easterly wind (from the right) produces the best waves in West Pomerania, which break on a sandbank off the coast. As the wave runs out moderately, a wide sandy beach lies to leeward and there is hardly any current, this spot is also easy to ride for wave beginners. Westerly winds bring small chops for jumping with wind from the left. You can park directly behind the dune. Perfect flat water for tricks is available in easterly to north-easterly winds downwind of the small headland at the end of which the lighthouse stands.
3) Miedzyzdroje
You can surf to the west of the long pier. From the water, you have a great view of the seemingly endless white sandy beach. However, the surfing conditions are only as good as the ambience when there is a strong north-easterly wind - then the leisurely bump & jump turns into decent wave conditions with wind from the right. In principle, all northerly directions are also possible, but then very onshore and with a small shorebreak. WNW winds bring nice and harmless bump & jump conditions with a few waves to jump.
4) Dzwirzyno
Only locals know how to pronounce the name of the spot, but the surfing conditions are moderate and offer something for every taste: at the Baltic Sea spot, the surf is moderate in the west to north-west on the wide sandy beach, but you should watch out for the groynes. There are various entry points, to the west of the small harbour entrance the distances between the groynes are somewhat greater. In a north-easterly direction, it is also possible to drive, but then it is worth travelling to Miedzyzdroje or Swinoujscie. To the south-west of Dzwirzyno, Lake Resko is a great shallow water area with a shallow bottom in places.
surf tip: An even better wave spot is hidden a few kilometres further on in Kolbrzeg in westerly winds. Downwind of the large harbour pier, the waves run more orderly onto the beach.
5) Rowy
Perhaps the best waves in Poland run here in strong south-west to west-south-west winds! You can get in west of the river mouth, in front of the Slowinska Perla campsite. The waves break powerfully on the offshore sandbanks. There are no dangers in the water, just a little current. It's also a good wave spot in a north-easterly wind from the right. If it gets too rough, you can return to the shallow water next door: on the Jezioro Gardno, you can comfortably heat up and hone your manoeuvres. In westerly and north-easterly winds, the best entry point is at the south-eastern end of the lake at Gardna Mala or Gardna Wielka.
6) Leba
Westerly to WNW winds provide excellent wave conditions downwind of the harbour pier. On bigger days, the waves directly at the pier are so clean and powerful that you at least feel like you're in the North Sea. Jumps are also possible thanks to the larger run-up on the outer sandbank. As you get further away from the pier, the wave height increases, but so does the current. It is also easy to ride on the western side of the pier when the wind is blowing from the right and the waves are also good. After the session, a popular beach bar awaits on the beach, where the evening party is taken very literally in the summer months. On the nearby and beautiful Lebsko Lake, flat-water riders get their money's worth in all northerly directions. Entry points are rare, as the lake is surrounded by a protected reed belt. The best spot is at the south-western end near Kluki.
7) Debki
Due to a slight bend in the coastline, NW winds are still good for sailing here when the wind is already too onshore in Leba and the shorebreak and current become too strong. Neither is a problem in Debki, as it remains calm for a long time. You can surf directly in front of the mouth of the small river Piasnica. Together with the white sandy beach, the steep coastline and the pine forest, this is a fantastic setting.
8) Hel
Campsites, surf schools and potential entry points are lined up along the 30-kilometre-long headland. On the inner side of the headland there is a large standing area with flat water - this is where Poland's surfing heart beats, from intermediates to freestyle cracks, everyone has fun here - ideally with westerly to southerly winds. On the Baltic side, there are good waves at the Jastarnia spot in NW winds, with a fine point break for the cracks running over a reef. Even SE winds are surfable here with moderate waves and wind from the right. In northerly winds, the spot south of the village of Jurata at the southern tip is great!
Area information Poland
Wind, weather & neoprene
The wind conditions on the Polish coast are comparable to the German Baltic coast: especially in spring and autumn, low-pressure systems bring a lot of wind and - during storms - waves up to the height of a mast. Water temperatures often only rise above ten degrees in May, so a warm wetsuit, shoes and a bonnet are recommended. In summer, the Baltic Sea warms up to 18-20 degrees, so a 4/3 neo is sufficient. The high pressure conditions that often occur from April to August with winds from the east to north-east are also worth a trip. May/June and September/October are clearly the best times to visit, with the best combination of wind, empty spots and bearable temperatures.
Seaweed
In summer, seaweed also blooms in Poland, so fins are recommended from July to October!
Campsites
A German-language camping and pitch guide for the whole of Poland is available online at www.campingpolska.com. Prices for a campervan and two people are around 15 euros. In addition to the campsites listed, there are numerous private and cheaper pitches that also offer electricity, toilet and water connections. Simply follow the "Camping" or "Pole Namiotowe" signs in the village. Wild camping is tolerated in the low season as long as you follow the rules.
Surf schools & shops
- Hel: www.orkasurf.pl
- Gdansk: www.surfshop.pl
Worth seeing
In Warsaw, postmodern tower blocks meet the Palace of Culture, a skyscraper in the confectionery style of the Stalin era. There is also a thriving art and party scene. In the nightlife, keep an eye out for jazz-hiphop concerts, a rare but highly party-worthy music genre. The most beautiful city and actual capital of Poland is Krakow, the Paris on the Vistula, whose city centre was spared from the war and has been preserved in its original state. Wroclaw, the Venice of Poland, has also earned its nickname for good reason.
There are a total of 22 national parks in the country, of which the Slowinski National Park between Leba and Rowy is probably the most spectacular with its 50 metre high shifting sand dunes and desert-like exoticism. The Masurian Lake District in the north-east of the country is also a scenic highlight.
Food worth eating
Typical Polish meals include "barszcz" (a beetroot soup), beefsteak tartare or carp in aspic. You should also definitely try pierogi (meat-filled dumplings).
This article first appeared in surf 4/2015
