Poland is an ideal holiday destination for water leisure enthusiasts – her mild sea coast and an interconnected network of navigable lakes, rivers and canals provide perfect conditions for all sorts of water sports. This is probably why the sailing tradition in Poland remains very strong and Polish sailors count among the best in the world.
The sailing season in Poland opens in early May and closes towards the end of September. During the summer months sailing clubs and schools organise cruises and training courses, which enable wannabe sailors to gain hands-on experience and sailing knowledge that is necessary to obtain sailing certifications of the Polish Yachting Association (PYA). Mind you, if you are looking to hire a sailing boat in Poland – whether inland or offshore, the prerequisite is that you hold a PYA certificate of competency. Alternatively you can hire a boat with a qualified skipper at the helm.
The Masurian Lake District is a true mecca for all water sport lovers and sailors, who go there to explore its countless lakes and canals, especially around the towns of Mikołajki, Giżycko and Węgorzewo. The Masurian Lakeland is the largest and most varied inland waterway in Poland with over 15 percent of the area covered by water and a beautiful landscape of verdant rolling hills, poppy fields and tracts of forest, which are home to many unique plant, bird and animal species. Inland sailors also find relaxation and leisure in the picturesque Augustów Lake District as well as on the Lakes Solina, Żywieckie and Charzykowskie, which host major national and international regattas and sailing events in the summer and turn into natural skating rinks suitable for ice sailing in winter time. If you are looking for an unforgettable travel experience, river cruises on the Vistula might be the right holiday option for you. The Vistula river cruises operate between Kraków, Warsaw and Gdańsk, taking guests along Poland’s longest river to discover medieval castles, cities and villages along the riverbanks. The boat makes several stops on the way so that river sailors may enjoy not only the sights but also fun activities such as hiking, cycling and horse riding.
For coastal and offshore sailing it is best to head for Poland’s Baltic coastal ports (Świnoujście, Kołobrzeg, Ustka, Łeba, Władysławowo) or for the port cities and towns on the Bay of Gdańsk and the Bay of Puck (Hel, Gdynia, Gdańsk, Jastarnia, Puck). This is where most Polish sailing clubs and schools are based and this is where private yacht charter companies have their offices. The infrastructure along the Polish sea coast is getting thicker and better every day, with examples such as the newly built marina in Sopot and the recently renovated marina in Gdynia, which can now accommodate more boats than before. Polish coastal ports are great spots for international regattas and sailing festivals but more importantly (from a sailor’s point of view) they are convenient starting points for distant offshore trips in the Baltic, whether to Germany, Denmark, Sweden or Finland.
The history of sailing in Poland is long and eventful – it essentially began with sea scouts after the First World War and was shaped by figures such as Antoni Aleksandrowicz and Mariusz Zaruski, founders of the first Polish Yacht Club. The mission of the Polish Yacht Club has since been to train sailors, whereas the supervision and issue of sailing certificates of competency has been the domain of the Polish Yachting Association. Over the course of the last century Polish sailors were able to sail further and faster, reaching distant shores and breaking new limits. Today Poles take pride in the gold medal won by Mateusz Kusznierewicz in the Sydney Olympics, in the expeditions and educational experiments of Krzysztof Baranowski and in the racing victories of Karol Jabłoński and Zbigniew Gutkowski.
