Poel/Timmendorf / Mecklenburg-Vorpommern / Germany

The island of Poel is situated in the Baltic Sea between the Wismar Bay and the Bay of Mecklenburg. It has excellent conditions for sailing as well as for surfing, windsurfing and kitesurfing at intermediate to expert levels. Timmendorf can be found on the west side of the island. The surfing season is practically all year round as long as a thick wetsuit, gloves, mask and gloves are word during the very cold winter months.

There is a wide sandy beach with plenty of space apart from July and August when it can get very crowded with holiday makers. To the south there is a small harbor and that area gets very busy with tourists. You can get here by driving to Wismar and then take the 105 north east following signs for “Insel Poel”. Get to Kirchdorf and drive all the way to the west side of the island where you will easily find Timmendorf.

The best winds are from fall to spring with depressions. The predominant winds tend to be westerlies although the best directions for the spot are south west, west, north west, north and north east. The water is clean with waves of up to 2.5 meters, depending on wind speed and direction. The summers are warm here and the water temperature can be a pleasant 22 degrees, dropping to around 15 degrees during fall and spring. Air temperatures can reach as high as 30 degrees in the summer, dropping to about 15 degrees for spring and fall. The winters months are very cold and you will definitely need a thick wetsuit.

There are shower and toilet facilities at the beach. For shops, bars and restaurants head into Timmendorf itself. You can also try Wismar or Rostok if you want a greater variety and some nightlife.

Do not ride in the swimmers' zone, especially when it is crowded and also steer clear of the harbor area.