Skirvytė River Branch

About This Anchorage

The Skirvytė River is one of the distributary arms of the Nemunas Delta, a quiet channel through the heart of the wetland that feels entirely remote from the outside world. Anchoring in the Skirvytė branch is to enter a landscape unchanged for centuries — the river winds between walls of reed beds and overhanging willows, its banks alive with the constant movement of birds and the occasional splash of a beaver. The channel provides natural shelter from all wind directions, the vegetation on both banks forming an effective windbreak regardless of conditions. The deep delta mud provides outstanding holding — one of the most secure anchoring bottoms in the Baltic region. This is a stern-and-bow-anchor anchorage in the narrower sections, requiring careful positioning to avoid swinging into the riverbank. The water is a dark amber colour from the tannins of the surrounding alder and birch forests, characteristic of delta water throughout the Lithuanian wetlands. White-tailed eagles nest in the gallery forest, and otters are regularly seen at dawn and dusk. The silence of the river at night — broken only by the call of the corncrake and the hoot of owls in the alders — is one of the most profound natural experiences in the eastern Baltic.

Hazards

• !Channel is narrow — bow and stern anchors required in narrowest sections
• !Unmarked shallow sections in the delta branches — slow speed and depth sounder mandatory
• !Submerged tree roots and debris — avoid engine damage by going slowly
• !Completely self-sufficient required — no facilities whatsoever

Skipper's Tips

• →Go dead slow in all delta channels — wake damages the fragile reed banks
• →Use bow and stern anchors to control the swing in narrow channel sections
• →Dawn on this river is unforgettable — mist, birdsong, and complete solitude
• →Rusne Island (2nm by channel) has basic provisions and a fish smokehouse

Nearby Anchorages