Boating Information Waddenhaven Schiermonnikoog
For a voyage to Schiermonnikoog, a draft of up to approximately 1.40m is advisable, taking into account the tide. The harbor almost dries out at low tide, leaving you in soft mud. Ships can dry out on the east side next to the harbor. Contact the harbor master at: 0519-531544 or VHF channel 31.
- Use the current nautical chart 1811.3 of the western Wadden Sea area.
- Take safety precautions such as a VHF radio, life jackets, and distress signals.
- Check the weather forecast and pay close attention to the wind forecast.
- Keep your VHF radio on standby and listen to the weather reports.
Routes to Waddenhaven Schiermonnikoog
From Lauwersoog: Depart half an hour before high water at Lauwersoog. Distance 5 miles, travel time 1 hour (with some counter-current), depending on wind strength and engine power. After passing the harbor heads, head northwest towards Z18 or Z16. A choice must be made at Z14-BZ15:
From Lauwersoog, ships with a draft of up to approximately 1.40m: via Zoutkamperlaag towards Z8-GL1. Follow the Glinder (keeping green buoys to starboard) towards the separation buoy GL4-GvS5. Then head eastward into the Groote Siege until the Reegeul, and then follow the buoys of this shallow and narrow channel to the head of the harbor.
From Lauwersoog, draft of 1.10m: via the Geul van Brakzand, the last stretch to pass from 2 hours before to 1 hour after high water. Keep green buoys to port until separation buoy GZ1-BZ2. Then head eastward into the Groote Siege until the Reegeul, and then follow the buoys of this shallow and narrow channel to the head of the harbor.
From Ameland via the North Sea: follow the route through the Reegeul along the ferry pier towards Westgat Ameland. From the last buoy WA1, pass above Bornrif and the Ameland flats towards Westgat Schiermonnikoog. At the Gat van Schiermonnikoog, head eastward to the Reegeul. Then follow the buoys of this shallow and narrow channel to the head of the harbor.
From Ameland via the Wadden Sea: follow the route through the Reegeul along the ferry pier, then through the Veerbootgat and across the sandbank via the Zuiderspruit, Friesche Wad, Wierumer Wad, and Paesenrede. You will then enter Zoutkamperlaag and turn starboard towards Gat van Schier and the Groote Siege. From the Groote Siege, head towards the Reegeul and then follow the buoys of this shallow and narrow channel to the head of the harbor.
The most recent depth charts.
Since the depths in the navigational channels constantly change, new depth charts are published several times a year, both for the western and eastern Wadden Sea area.
VHF Channels in the Wadden Sea Area Schiermonnikoog
- Channel 64: Robbengatsluis Lauwersoog
- Channel 5: Schiermonnikoog Sea Traffic Post.
Ship and weather reports 30 minutes past every even hour. - Channel 16: Coast Guard Center
Emergency, urgency, and safety traffic, storm warnings, weather forecast announcements
- Channel 4: Central Reporting Point Wadden Sea.
Reporting pollution, missing navigational marks, disturbances of nature, and information about weather and the Wadden Sea.
- Channel 31: Waddenhaven Schiermonnikoog
- Channels 23 and 83: Coast Guard Center Den Helder
Media
An interesting article was featured in the Motorboat magazine on how to navigate from inland waters to the Wadden Sea harbors of Schiermonnikoog and/or Ameland.
The magazine SLOEP! published a guide on how to sail to Schiermonnikoog with your sloop.
