Discovering the Baltic

Showers are destroyed,’ pronounced a workman, gesturing towards the dilapidated marina building at the Riga Yacht Club. I had no Latvian and he spoke very little English but valiantly explained the futility of my search.

We’d arrived in Riga at 0500. It was the end of April and according to the pilot charts the ice in the Gulf of Riga may have only just receded. The generator, our main source of hot water, had packed up somewhere off Gdansk. So we were all a little crestfallen at the news. ‘WiFi?’ asked a crew member before hurriedly retracting it with, ‘just joking!’ as I glowered at him. But I remember it now because it was the low point in an otherwise magical tour of the Baltic that inspired me to return and sail there again and again.

CULTURE, HISTORY, WILDERNESS

History and geography make the Baltic a rich and rewarding place to sail. Hanseatic trade routes once crisscrossed the sea and a group of states grew around these maritime connections. As such it is uniquely suited to exploration by water. The concentration of beautiful cities, many of them capitals, which you can sail right into is unrivalled.

It also played a pivotal role in some of the defining events of the 21st century: the first battle of World War II and the fall of the USSR began on its shores. But there’s wilderness too. Sail out of Stockholm, Helsinki, Oslo or Gothenburg and you’re soon surrounded by nature in tranquil archipelagos. At its widest point it measures 150 miles across – far more compact the Mediterranean and a summer cruise could be done entirely day-sailing, especially since the days are so long. At the height of the season there’s a festival atmosphere as everyone heads to the coast, but before July or by late August you’ll have it largely to yourself.

HOW TO GET THERE

The main challenge in cruising the Baltic is getting there in the first place. It’s 350 miles from Dover to Brunsbüttel, the start of the Kiel canal. There’s an Inshore Traffic Zone along the Dutch and German coasts keeping yachts clear of the busy shipping routes, but it’s a busy stretch of water and you’ll need to keep a careful lookout. The Friesian islands make for lovely places to stop along the way, Vlieland has a good marina,