On this cool, sunny September day, we leave Wolgast and the sky-blue Peene Bridge behind us. The welcome drink has been drunk, the sailor’s snacks ordered and the wind is picking up. Now comes the moment everyone has been waiting for. “Set sail! “, shouts Captain Jane Bothe. The crew grabs the ropes and the white sails slowly rise into the sky, catching the wind as it sweeps across the water. We are on board the Weisse Düne, a magnificent two-master that has been cruising the shallow coastal waters of the North and Baltic Seas since 1909. The ship measures 45 meters in length, 6.60 meters in width and its two masts rise 29 meters high. Since 2011, Jane Bothe has been at the helm of the old sailing ship, which is now the only sailing passenger ship in Germany to take tourists across the waters around Usedom and Rügen.
Throughout the summer, the top sailing schooner cruises on the Achterwasser and the Peenestrom. The ship departs from Neppermin, Wolgast or Karlshagen several times a week. Jane Bothe steers the flat-bottomed ship safely through the shallow waters, where the shallow depths demand the utmost precision. “It is important to me to show our guests a piece of old seamanship. For us, this always includes setting sail,” she says. “The Weisse Düne fits perfectly into this region. With a draught of just 1.60 meters, she glides effortlessly through the shallow waters. In the Achterwasser and the Krumminer Wiek, there are usually only small waves, even in storms. That’s very easy on the stomach – so our maritime snack tastes good even in rough weather,” she adds with a laugh.
From art studies to captain’s license
Jane Bothe grew up in Berlin and fell in love with shipping at the age of ten. Passenger ships fascinated her even as a child. Through the Youth Red Cross, she sailed as a skipper on old sailing ships in the Netherlands and the Danish Baltic Sea during her vacations. There she experienced women in shipping – an image that inspired her, even though the industry in Germany hardly attracted any women. Despite family objections and a detour via art studies and education, Jane Bothe finally found her way into shipping. Together with her husband Detlef Bothe, she chartered ships, organized sailing trips and accompanied addicts on boat tours. The next step led the couple to the maritime school in Enkhuizen. In 2011, they bought the Weisse Düne and developed new excursion formats: Picnic tours to Rügen, sailing with the master brewer, evening cruises in the Greifswalder Bodden or weddings on board.
Working on a classic car
The Weisse Düne, a Dutch flat-bottomed ship, is an old cargo sailing ship built in the Netherlands in 1909. It was once part of a fleet of around 1,000 cargo ships that transported charcoal and potatoes. These ships were the first riveted steel ships built by the Dutch. The Germans still relied on wood at the time. Thanks to the steel, this fleet was very robust. The ship was rebuilt several times, explains Jane Bothe, and in the 1940s it received its first engine. The Weisse Düne lasted the longest in this fleet: Until 1999, it served as a cargo ship, most recently supplying the North Sea island of Norderney with building materials. This is why the ship bears the name of the white beach on the island, says Jane Bothe, outlining the history of the Weisse Düne.
The old lady has her ailments, that’s for sure. Repairs are carried out in the winter months. But this is becoming increasingly difficult because knowledge about the old engines is dwindling in the workshops. “You can’t just google it,” says Jane Bothe. “We craftsmen have to pass this knowledge on to the next generation.” She now carries out many repairs herself – out of concern that the old ship mechanics will retire, as most of the Weisse Düne’s sister ships have long since done. Jane Bothe appreciates the collegial cooperation at the shipyards. What counts here is ability, skill and intellect – gender is irrelevant. “When I turn up at the shipyard in my work overalls with oil-smeared hands and talk about cylinder problems, there are no stupid remarks or raised eyebrows. Instead, we talk about solutions – and celebrate the craft!”
Of white shirts and old thought patterns
Jane Bothe experiences time and again on board just how stubbornly men cling to outdated role models. Even today, guests still order a beer from her. A woman in a white uniform? For many, that can only be the waitress. When the men then realize that she is the captain, they are rarely embarrassed. Instead, they react with surprise: “Oh, you’re really the captain? We thought that was a costume. ” But instead of being annoyed by these backward-looking views, Jane Bothe prefers to focus on promoting young women in the industry.
Women at the helm!
Jane Bothe is a captain, mentor and role model for women. In 2024, Clara completed her training as a bargewoman on the Weisse Düne. Just like Jane, she was fascinated by shipping as a child. At the age of eleven, she got her hands on a brochure advertising the Weisse Düne and was immediately smitten. For four years, she persistently begged her parents to let her go on a sailing ship. On her 15th birthday, her wish came true. Since then, the Chemnitz native has returned to the Peene River again and again during the vacations and worked as a skipper in the high season. After studying theater studies, she began training as a captain. Clara’s story also shows that you can question social norms and break new ground.
Facination water and wind
Jane Bothe enjoys the quiet moments on the water: “Sailing through the morning mist over the Achterwasser with a pot of coffee in my hand.” She loves the feeling of being in harmony with nature. When the almost 50-metre-long boat glides along under the force of the current and wind.
Gnitz peninsula and Krummin natural harbor
Usedom is known for its imperial resorts of Ahlbeck, Heringsdorf and Bansin, for its piers, 40 kilometers of fine sandy beach and impressive spa architecture – all reasons to visit. But the Achterwasser is also fascinating. This lagoon of the Peenestrom flows into the Baltic Sea. In Low German, “Achter” means “behind” water, i.e. the sea behind the island. Salt water or fresh water? “Salt water,” says Jane Bothe. And the best thing is that the Achterwasser remains much calmer than the Baltic Sea, which is very close in some places. At Zempin, between Zinnowitz and Ückeritz, only 100 meters of land separate the Baltic Sea from the Achterwasser. While the Baltic Sea beach is bustling with holidaymakers at the height of summer, the Achterwasser remains quiet, rural and idyllic.
A paradise for nature lovers and landscape explorers, ideal for boat trips, long bike tours and hikes. Vast reed beds and picturesque harbors with individual character characterize the area. The natural harbor of Krummin, near Zinnowitz, is a small idyll. You can enjoy a good meal on the terrace of the harbor restaurant, go on canoe trips, learn to sail or charter yachts. Under the Gnitz peninsula, 2,000 meters away, lie eastern Germany’s largest oil deposits. Until the 1990s, 1,000 tons of oil were extracted here every day. Today, the former loading port serves as a marina and popular parking space for motorhomes.
Sailing trip with the Weisse Düne
“My favorite place is Neppermin,” says Jane Bothe. “It’s a beautiful, unspoilt bay at the southern end of the Achterwasser. From May to October, you can see the Weisse Düne and its captain there. The ship departs several times a week from Neppermin, Wolgast or Karlshagen for trips through the Achterwasser. All sailing tours of the Weisse Düne
Tips for excursions on Usedom
You shouldn’t miss the futuristic Koserow pier. It attracts many visitors, especially at sunset. Beautiful hikes lead to the southern tip of Gnitz, the Long Mountain and along the cliffs near Bansin. At the Krummin natural harbor, you can enjoy solid meals with a view of the water and the Gnitz peninsula. At the Winery Welzin you can taste the first original Usedom wine, and the Inselmühle Usedom in the village of Usedom offers the best Usedom specialties. Every year in September, the Week of Spa Architecture is celebrated. The Europapromenade from Ahlbeck to Heringsdorf is part of the Kaiserbäder-Erlebnispfad and provides information about the villas along the way via app.
The research was supported by Usedom Tourismus
