In this publication10 photos
Through the Wadden Sea. Part 3. Glückstadt – Cuxhaven
Into the wind
3 August 2025. Left at nine, an hour before high water. Uncertain how long Cuxhaven would take with the streams. Twenty-five knots, two reefs in the main. North along the Elbe we could still sail. Like the Baltic prevailing winds are westerly.
Ninety minutes later, the river bent west, wind dead ahead. Genoa furled, main and engine. Waves grew to a metre, each hitting the bow and slowing us to two knots. Impossible. We began tacking under main and engine, between north cardinal marks guarding shallows and green buoys at the shipping-channel edge. Tacking usually doubles the distance, but speed quadrupled to 8.5 knots.
Under the sprayhood, watching wind, buoys and shipping. Kostya on the tiller, rain hammering the deck. Commands followed rapidly: ‘Left! More left! Hard right!’ At one point: ‘Turn left! Cargo ship coming at us!’ Kostya asked: ‘Why’s he coming here?’ Only a joke for an answer: ‘Because he wants to.’.
On like that to Cuxhaven. Sometimes churning, opposing streams turned the water sandy-coloured. All new. Last seen something similar in the Solent at the entrances to the Beaulieu River and Newtown Bay.
Thirty miles in five and a half hours.
Waiting out the storm
Plenty of marina space. €19 a night. The harbourmaster gives free beach tickets, normally paid. Also the last chance for bio-free diesel before the Wadden Sea.
Three days’ delay: across the North Sea came storm Floris, with sixty-knot winds near its centre. On MarineTraffic, I watched Grigory, who’d left when we did but headed for Norway. He sheltered north-east of Jutland. That prompted the idea of a Telegram bot showing friends’ yacht positions. Built most of it underway; finishing touches left.
Quiet, cosy town. Waterfront, beaches and cafés north; centre and shops south. Park walks, shells collected, wet feet in the sea. A castle-museum paper-art exhibition impressed me enough to buy its catalogue.
Ocean-weather forecasts
On 6 August, Windy showed 24 knots. Reef and leave? Even when wind eases, the sea takes time. Waves keep travelling for days, especially across unobstructed North Sea fetch. Looking only at wind is a mistake. Open the wave map and consider the previous day. Apparently manageable twenty knots can mean three-metre seas beyond boat or crew’s readiness.
Wave height exceeded the boat’s beam. Still dangerous, despite the moderate wind.
#passage
Into the wind
3 August 2025. Left at nine, an hour before high water. Uncertain how long Cuxhaven would take with the streams. Twenty-five knots, two reefs in the main. North along the Elbe we could still sail. Like the Baltic prevailing winds are westerly.
Ninety minutes later, the river bent west, wind dead ahead. Genoa furled, main and engine. Waves grew to a metre, each hitting the bow and slowing us to two knots. Impossible. We began tacking under main and engine, between north cardinal marks guarding shallows and green buoys at the shipping-channel edge. Tacking usually doubles the distance, but speed quadrupled to 8.5 knots.
Under the sprayhood, watching wind, buoys and shipping. Kostya on the tiller, rain hammering the deck. Commands followed rapidly: ‘Left! More left! Hard right!’ At one point: ‘Turn left! Cargo ship coming at us!’ Kostya asked: ‘Why’s he coming here?’ Only a joke for an answer: ‘Because he wants to.’.
On like that to Cuxhaven. Sometimes churning, opposing streams turned the water sandy-coloured. All new. Last seen something similar in the Solent at the entrances to the Beaulieu River and Newtown Bay.
Thirty miles in five and a half hours.
Waiting out the storm
Plenty of marina space. €19 a night. The harbourmaster gives free beach tickets, normally paid. Also the last chance for bio-free diesel before the Wadden Sea.
Three days’ delay: across the North Sea came storm Floris, with sixty-knot winds near its centre. On MarineTraffic, I watched Grigory, who’d left when we did but headed for Norway. He sheltered north-east of Jutland. That prompted the idea of a Telegram bot showing friends’ yacht positions. Built most of it underway; finishing touches left.
Quiet, cosy town. Waterfront, beaches and cafés north; centre and shops south. Park walks, shells collected, wet feet in the sea. A castle-museum paper-art exhibition impressed me enough to buy its catalogue.
Ocean-weather forecasts
On 6 August, Windy showed 24 knots. Reef and leave? Even when wind eases, the sea takes time. Waves keep travelling for days, especially across unobstructed North Sea fetch. Looking only at wind is a mistake. Open the wave map and consider the previous day. Apparently manageable twenty knots can mean three-metre seas beyond boat or crew’s readiness.
Wave height exceeded the boat’s beam. Still dangerous, despite the moderate wind.
#passage
Original and discussionOpen post in Telegram ↗
