Pāvilosta Outer Roads

About This Anchorage

Pāvilosta is the gateway town to the Latvian West Coast — a small but characterful sailing harbour at the mouth of the Saka River, sheltered by breakwaters and offering one of the better visitor berths on the exposed Latvian western shore. The outer roads provide a staging anchorage for vessels approaching or departing the harbour, or for those drawing more than the harbour's limiting depth. The town of Pāvilosta is dominated by its sailing culture — the Latvian Sailing Association has a strong presence here, and the harbour fills with Baltic sailors in summer. The surrounding landscape of sand dunes, pine forests, and the flat, open Baltic horizon gives the area its characteristic West Coast atmosphere — dramatically different from the sheltered Gulf of Riga. The Rīva river provides a pleasant dinghy excursion inland, and the dune landscape south of town toward Bernāti is extraordinary. Pāvilosta hosts an annual Baltic sailing regatta in summer that draws competitors from across the eastern Baltic.

Hazards

• !Exposed to W and SW from open Baltic — outer anchorage only in settled conditions
• !Sand and gravel holding — fair only; set carefully with extra scope
• !Harbour approach bar — call VHF Ch 16 for current depth before approach

Skipper's Tips

• →Call Pāvilosta harbour VHF Ch 16 — visitor berths often available and significantly more comfortable than outer anchorage
• →The Latvian Sailing Association base here makes this a good place to meet local sailors
• →Dune walk south from town toward Bernāti nature reserve is spectacular
• →This is an excellent waypoint for passages between the Gulf of Riga and Ventspils