From the Kalmar Sound to Rostock

From the Kalmar Sound to Rostock on the Baltic

Please note the following about the itinerary described: This route is optional and can be changed without notice due to the wind and weather conditions. The captain often decides the course of each day's sailing on that day and will, whenever possible, of course try to take into account your wishes. This ensures that your cruise will be a pleasant mix of adventure and comfort, from joining in and simple enjoyment. The length of the cruise is designed to give sufficient time for visits to ports or quiet moments anchored at sea. This is not a cruise full of hustle and bustle. In harmony with the wind and the sea, we will unwind ourselves and discover the power of taking it slow. This cruise guarantees and strives for deep relaxation.

Recreation and Adventure under Full Sails

"Welcome aboard!" to an unforgettable summer voyage to some of the most attractive port cities on the Swedish, Danish and German Baltic coasts. After a safety briefing and instruction in sailing, you'll soon be able to participate in the active operation of the ship, if you want. Hoisting the shrouds, keeping the course on the ship's wheel and hauling in the rigging will all make this trip a memorable holiday experience with a difference. All sailing manoeuvres are performed by the experienced crew completely by hand. Setting and trimming the sails is always a fascinating show of skill going back to ancient seafaring days which you can relax and enjoy from the deck.  

Embarkation in Kalmar: Visit to the former home port of 1924

Our crew will welcome you on board in the port of Kalmar in the historic province of Småland. This is a trip down memory lane for the ‘Eye of the Wind’, because it was here in Kalmar that the ship was rechristened after thirteen years of service in March 1924, after being bought from her first captain by a Swedish ship-owner. The former ‘Friedrich’ was re-named ‘Sam’ by her new owner.

Recommended: Stopover in Sweden

Kalmar is just a few hours from the international airport in Stockholm. To explore the riches of Sweden's capital, we recommend spending an additional night in the city – we'll be glad to help you plan your stay. Use your stay in Scandinavia's largest city for a visit to the Vasa Museum on the Djurgården peninsula, where a completely preserved warship from 1628 is on display. The royal palace and the parliament building are other architectural highlights of the cityscape. In summer evenings, it's worth strolling through Stockholm's Gröna Lund amusement park, located right on the water (right: the "Strandvägen" boardwalk in evening light; image courtesy of Henrik Trygg, imagebank sweden se).    

Karlskrona - the Baroque city on Sweden's south coast

On the day after boarding, you'll hear "Leinen los!" as we set sail from Kalmar Harbour and make our way to the open sea. Depending on wind, weather and travel progress, we will make our first stop at the port of Karlskrona in the Swedish province of Blekinge. "Sweden's only baroque city" is shaped by its maritime history, the ferries that dock here and the fishing industry. The naval port with its former shipyards was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Alternatively, we will sail to south-westerly towards the Danish island of Bornholm until late at night or maybe even overnight without stopping – another highlight of the trip and at the same time a genuine seafaring adventure just like in ancient times!

Setting sail for Bornholm

Soon the coast of Bornholm will appear on the horizon. From the sea, the 85-mile coastline presents itself as a mixture of unique, bizarre rock formations, endless white sandy beaches and picturesque fishing villages with the characteristic chimneys of the fish smokehouses. As a starting point for a leisurely trip ashore, we will choose between the ports of Rønne on the west side of the island or Nexø on the east side, known for being Denmark's sunniest town. Bornholm can be easily explored by hiring a bicycle or by bus and offers numerous attractions for visitors of all ages: you can visit Hammershus, Europe's largest fortress ruin, on the north side of the island. From there, you can enjoy a breath-taking panoramic view of Christiansø and across to the Swedish coast. The Opalsøen Lake, Stone age rock paintings and the small Hammerodde lighthouse can be found near the village of Allinge. Also worth seeing are the four round churches in Nylars near Rønne, estimated to be more than 900 years old and whose origin remains a mystery. From the port of Nexø, a worthwhile trip would be to the dunes of Dueodde which invite you to take a long walk on the beach. In rainy weather, you may want to check out the new Nature Bornholm museum, which tells visitors the 1.7 billion years of history on Bornholm. For families with children, the Joboland amusement park in Svaneke, the Butterfly Park in Nexø or the birds-of-prey show are worth a visit. Our advice: Be sure to try the excellent Bornholm kippers.

   
Typical Bornholm impressions from Rønne (image courtesy of Thomas Nykrog) Hammershus (Jørgen Schytte)
and Nylars with its round churches (Lennard Nielsen).

Side trip to Ertholmene, Denmark's easternmost point

A true insider up for visitors to Bornholm is the tiny Ertholmene archipelago. Christiansø and Frederiksø form the easternmost point of Denmark. Offering a place for ships to berth, the rocky island of Christiansø looks like a former hideout for pirates. It now has fewer than 100 inhabitants and has no cars. After the day-trippers have left the island, there is an indescribable silence here that you'll want to preserve and take home with you.

Aerial view of the Ertholmene archipelago (image courtesy of Jan Winther); the idyllic harbor of Christiansø (Denmark Media Center).

Sailing west with the wind    

Our journey continues through the waves of the Baltic; a possible goal for the day may be the port of Sassnitz on the German island of Rügen. In the immediate vicinity of where we would dock is an historic fishing harbour and museum as well as a real British Oberon class submarine, put into service fifty years ago and now open to the public. You can hike the famous chalk cliffs of Rügen with the "King’s Chair" in the Jasmund National Park. The view from the sea which you would enjoy from on board our ship is even more spectacular.

Møns Klint – from German to Danish chalk cliffs

From the waters around Rügen, we then set sail towards the Danish town of Klintholm on Møn. Here, it would be worthwhile taking a field trip to Liselund Palace, a country house with an English-style garden maintained by the Danish National Museum. We will experience a scenic highlight of the trip as we sail past the impressive Møns Klint. These chalk cliffs extend four miles along the eastern edge of Møn and are in spots as high as 128 metres, making them the highest cliffs in Denmark (image courtesy of Niclas Jessen).

As an alternative to going ashore in Klintholm, we might seek a sheltered spot to anchor in the scenic landscape of the Darss.

Over the Warnow to Rostock

The gentle, steady rocking of the ship's hull in the waves, the vastness of the sea and the faint creaking of the rigging are the best ingredients for a relaxing holiday experience. The soothing uniformity of the sea takes root in your soul and the stress of everyday life drains away. Depending on the progress of our journey, we'll spend our last night on board in the Baltic spa town of Warnemünde before heading to the city harbour of Rostock. Red and green pier heads mark the entrance to the former fishing village. Here we'll make our berth close to the huge cruise ships. Go ashore to take a pleasant stroll along the quay at Alter Strom with its numerous bars, cafés, small shops, chippies, ships and boats. The best view of the scenery can be had from the 30-metre high lighthouse, open to visitors daily. From here it is only a few meters to the Baltic Sea beach, which offers not only fine sand but is also safe for swimming. Our tip for the evening is to head over to the Vörreeg, a narrow, cobblestone street just off Alter Strom. Here you'll find cosy pubs where you can exchange stories of your time on sea with your fellow sailors before we continue our journey the next morning.    

Farewell in Rostock and returning home with a duffel bag full of impressions

Enjoy your time in Rostock by taking a tour of the old town. Some parts of the city wall with its defensive towers remain as well as the thirteenth-century city hall and cloister churches with hidden gardens. The entire appearance of the largest city in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern is dominated by the Gothic brick buildings of the Hanseatic period. Or you can take a walk along the old warehouses along the banks of the Warnow and through the picturesque town and historic harbour. By the way: From 1916 to 1924, Rostock served as home port for the ‘Eye of the Wind’ until she was sold to her new owner in Kalmar, Sweden. This completes the circle for us as we follow the early history of our traditional sailing ship. You'll disembark with a duffel bag full of memories You'll be departing with some relaxing summer days on the Baltic Sea behind you. The trip offers plenty of variety with a balance between time sailing and relaxing shore excursions.

Highlights of this trip:

• Sailing in the area of the Baltic Sea between Sweden, Denmark and Germany
• Spectacular views of natural landscapes on the islands of Bornholm, Rügen and Møn

Services included:

• 7 nights' accommodation on the 100 year-old historic 'Eye of the Wind'
• Accommodation in exclusive double cabin with hot and cold running water, shower, toilet and air conditioning
• Full board (including all meals, soft drinks, coffee & tea)
• Lounge with TV/video and extensive on-board library, some limited WiFi access available

Not included:
Travel to Kalmar and from Rostock, shore excursions and alcoholic beverages. We will be glad to help you make individual plans for your arrival and departure. Please contact us.