Preila Lagoon Anchorage

About This Anchorage

Preila is the smallest and quietest of the three villages on the Lithuanian Curonian Spit, perched on a forested dune hillside above the lagoon shore. Unlike the more visited Juodkrantė and Nida, Preila has remained largely uncommercialised, retaining the character of a genuine fishing community where wooden smoked-fish stalls line the lagoon bank and cats lounge on jetty posts. The anchorage in Preila Bay is in the characteristic shallow water of the Curonian Lagoon — depths of 1.5–3.5m over mud and sand — offering good shelter from the westerly winds that flow across the lagoon from the open Baltic. The village has a miniature harbour with space for a few small boats and a summer fish market selling the local speciality: smoked bream, perch, and eel caught in the lagoon by the village's remaining fishermen. The surrounding landscape is the classic Curonian Spit mixture of ancient pine forest, white dune faces, and the almost Mediterranean blue of the lagoon in calm summer conditions. Preila makes an ideal overnight anchorage for sailors exploring the spit who want to avoid the crowds at Nida and Juodkrantė.

Hazards

• !Very shallow lagoon — keep depth sounder active at all times
• !Exposed to east wind chop across the full lagoon width when wind is from E or NE
• !Unmarked shallow banks near the spit shore — approach from deeper water to the east

Skipper's Tips

• →Buy smoked fish directly from the village fishermen — the freshest on the lagoon
• →Walk the dune path north toward Pervalka for panoramic lagoon and Baltic views
• →Preila is ideal for a quiet overnight stop when Nida and Juodkrantė feel crowded
• →The sunsets over the lagoon from Preila's hilltop viewpoint are exceptional

Nearby Anchorages