Publication date: 08/14/2025
Changing cruising grounds in the summer season
During the summer season, many owners choose to move away from their usual cruising area to set off, by boat, to discover new regions, inland waters, for example, or coastal areas! Enthusiasts take advantage of the summer to travel, sometimes far from their original home port, and to explore new horizons.
In summer, boat owners often have more time. For boaters seeking new sailing conditions, fresh scenery, new people, and different local cultures, a change of cruising grounds is an excellent option. During the season, destinations are often pleasant to visit: quays and pontoons are livelier, and local events are frequently organised.
Discovering new destinations, encouraged by the Port Adhoc Network
Passionate owners often aspire to take a trip aboard their motorboat or yacht, for a short or long period. This is ideal: thanks to its strength and diversity, the Port Adhoc network allows them to sail between various European marinas, in cruising areas that differ greatly from one region to another, and always in excellent conditions.
With a smooth and coordinated system between our various marinas in France, Sweden, and the Netherlands, boaters can travel from one port to another with great flexibility.
Members of the Port Adhoc group can undertake the trip they wish and discover exciting new destinations. While on stopover, they always benefit from the same high-quality port services and the comfort of Port Adhoc facilities.
Thanks to the YouNav system used in our marinas, information about each boater and their vessel is centralised: if an owner wishes to visit a marina other than their home port, their boat’s size is already known, which greatly facilitates arrangements for handling, for example.
Stopping over in another Port Adhoc marina is always a guarantee of peaceful moments!
Everyone can choose their departure date, decide on their itinerary, and sail, of course, in complete freedom. Boaters in the network are supported, if they wish, in their logistical arrangements — obtaining information about their future host port, booking a berth, or even being put in touch with a transporter.
Boaters in our network who travelled this summer: stories
Among the boaters in the Port Adhoc group, Aurel and Ralf are two owners who decided to set sail far from their home port.
The first left the Dutch port of Lelystad Haven in mid-May 2025, heading for Port Napoléon — on the French Mediterranean. The second set off from the same marina at the beginning of the summer, bound for Svinninge Marina — in Sweden.
For this article, they kindly agreed to tell us about their voyages and plans.
A stopover in another network marina before the open sea
Aboard Moja, a Nautitech 395 catamaran, Aurel, his partner, and their two children have planned a major voyage:
“We decided to go on a round-the-world trip, starting in the Mediterranean,” explains the boat’s owner. “We’re leaving for several years.”
It was therefore decided to make Port Napoléon — one of the Port Adhoc group’s marinas on the Grande Bleue — the first major stop on the route:
“From Lelystad, I sailed to Port Napoléon alone, in about a month,” Aurel details. “From the Netherlands to Port-Saint-Louis-du-Rhône, I made a few stops in places like Brittany, the Spanish coast, and the island of Mallorca. Then, once at Port Napoléon, my family joined me for the rest of the journey.”
Aurel explains that the logistical reliability offered by the Port Adhoc group was a deciding factor when planning the boat’s route:
“Arranging a berth at Port Napoléon was made easy and very smooth. We even got to meet Aurore, who works at the Port Napoléon harbour office, before leaving Lelystad Haven — as she happened to be visiting the Netherlands.”
The voyage has only just begun, but Aurel and his family already know they will be able to count on the Port Adhoc marinas along their itinerary!
From the Netherlands to Sweden Under Sail: The Voyage of the Autumn Leaves Crew
Ralf Biermann, a German skipper of the Bavaria Cruiser 46 Style named Autumn Leaves, left one of our three marinas in Lelystad to reach the Baltic Sea. From Lelystad Haven, he set course for Svinninge Marina, on Sweden’s east coast.
Ralf explains that he has always dreamed of going on a long cruise with his own boat: “I’ve been sailing for over 40 years on the Markermeer, the IJsselmeer, and the Wadden Sea. As a child, I already enjoyed wonderful cruises with my parents in this region. A few years ago, I chartered a yacht in the western Swedish archipelagos, from Gothenburg to Oslo. Then I bought my sailing yacht two years ago, with the plan of discovering the rest of the country. With her, I’ll be sailing in the Baltic Sea and the Stockholm archipelago, among other places.”
Once again, the temporary change of home port was made easier thanks to support from the Port Adhoc team: “Leontine, in Lelystad Haven, helped me a lot to make first contact with Svinninge Marina and to secure a berth. This was much appreciated!”
In early summer, Ralf, his partner Uta, and a couple of friends left Lelystad Haven bound for the Baltic Sea. The first leg of the journey, from Lelystad to Svinninge, took just under four weeks.
The owner of Autumn Leaves greatly enjoyed sharing the details of this voyage:
“We started our cruise in Lelystad, our home port. The route took us, via Hindeloopen and Harlingen, to Terschelling. From there, we made our first overnight sail along the Dutch and German coasts, with a stopover in Cuxhaven, then on to Brunsbüttel and the Kiel Canal (NOK). After an exciting day on the canal and many encounters, we exited the NOK at Kiel-Holtenau.”
Once in the Baltic Sea, the crew made their first stop at Wendtorfer Strand, where friends celebrated Uta’s birthday at a restaurant. The next morning, at 5 am, they set course for Klintholm, on the island of Møn. This was the only Danish port visited by the crew.
“With the impressive chalk cliffs of Møn behind us, we headed for Ystad, our first stop in Sweden. We were accompanied for a while by a pair of porpoises in our wake — a magical and increasingly rare moment!” Ralf recalls enthusiastically.
“By this stage, we had already covered 463 nautical miles in 9 days. To keep our eyes on the prize — the Stockholm archipelagos — we began another overnight passage from Ystad to Kalmar, around 130 nautical miles. This leg was also rich in emotions: a spectacular sunset, the full moon, a sunrise over a perfectly calm sea…”
On the sunny morning of Saturday 14 June, the Autumn Leaves crew reached the beautiful city of Kalmar, in the strait of the same name. The next day, they continued towards the archipelagos, heading for Stora Masö, north of the strait. After several unsuccessful attempts to find shelter from the south-westerly Force 5 winds, and a light grounding, Ralf says they moored to the only available anchor buoy on the island. “We spent a pleasant evening and a peaceful night, as the winds had calmed.”
Along the rest of the route, the crew visited more beautiful stopovers: Byxelkrok — in the north of Öland and nicknamed “the pearl of the east coast”, Fyrudden, and Ringsö — “a superb anchorage in the heart of a group of islands,” according to Ralf. He also recommends a stop in the medieval town of Trosa: “There, we were able to attend the festivities on Midsummer Eve. The next day, we headed to the festive island of Utö to celebrate the occasion.”
Before arriving in Svinninge, Autumn Leaves stopped at the Wasahamnen marina, and the crew visited Stockholm: “For two days, we explored a modern, historic, welcoming, and cosmopolitan city. But two days is too short: we’ll be back!”
Ralf, Uta, and their friends made a final stop in Grinda before officially arriving at our Svinninge marina after sailing nearly 1,000 miles. “I’ve done several long cruises as skipper on charter yachts in the Mediterranean. But with my own boat, this has so far been the longest voyage!” Ralf points out.
Since mid-July, the Autumn Leaves crew has been sailing again in the Baltic Sea. They are currently undertaking the second part of their trip.
The crew will spend the summer sailing in the Stockholm archipelago, and Autumn Leaves will then remain comfortably berthed in Svinninge — thanks to a winter storage contract with the marina until next summer. From this new base, Ralf and Uta will be able to continue discovering Sweden’s east coast and the Baltic Sea.
Are you interested in joining our network of European marinas? Do you hold a Port Adhoc contract and would like to visit other marinas in the group? Let’s talk about your plans!
