Krautsand

About This Anchorage

Krautsand is one of the few quiet anchorages on the middle Elbe — a low-lying island covered in reed beds and willows, with the main Elbe channel to the west and the quieter Süderelbe to the east. The anchorage in the lee of the island provides a respite from the constant commercial traffic of the Hauptfahrrinne. The island is uninhabited and a designated nature reserve — nesting birds in spring and summer mean access to the island itself may be restricted. The anchorage gives a sense of the pre-industrial Elbe — reeds, willows, herons, and the distant sound of ship engines. The Hamburg skyline is visible to the east on clear days. A popular stop for Elbe cruisers seeking a quiet night between Hamburg and the lower Elbe.

Hazards

• !Ship wash from main Hauptfahrrinne (main shipping channel to the west) — significant wash 0.5–1m from large vessels
• !Tidal currents 2–3kt; set anchor at HW slack
• !Nature reserve — no landing on the island April–August
• !No facilities — self-sufficient passage only

Skipper's Tips

• →The quietest overnight anchorage on the middle Elbe — in good weather, the only sounds are reeds in the wind and distant ship engines
• →Krautsand makes an ideal waypoint on the Hamburg–Brunsbüttel passage — stop for lunch on the flood current, depart on the ebb for a free ride to Brunsbüttel
• →Binoculars essential — the reed beds support excellent birdlife (herons, marsh harriers, kingfishers); observe from the dinghy at dawn

Nearby Anchorages