Clear, typically green Baltic Sea water and pleasant temperatures: In midsummer, the Bay of Lübeck around Scharbeutz and Timmendorfer Strand offers the best conditions to start with the SUP on the Baltic Sea and to go on a relaxed tour. I have a few good reasons for you why the Baltic Sea is the perfect area for Stand Up Paddling and I will give you valuable tips on what you should definitely consider when SUPing on the Baltic Sea. A small field report.

Fortunately, with Stand Up Paddling you are not dependent on the whims of the wind, as is often the case with sports such as kitesurfing or windsurfing. Rather, the challenge is to choose the right waters for the paddling adventure. In Northern Germany there are many beautiful lakes waiting to be explored with the Stand Up Paddle Board. My goal is to experience as many of them as possible.

But what about that one? Stand Up Paddling on the Baltic Sea? At first glance, the Baltic Sea seems to be the perfect place for a SUP tour. In fact, it is one of the best SUP spots in Germany. But like any body of water, the Baltic Sea also has its advantages and disadvantages. These must be taken into account in order to have an unforgettable SUP experience.

Anyone who is enthusiastic about stand up paddling on the Baltic Sea should not hesitate to put their plans into action. SUP on the Baltic Sea is not only incredibly fun, but is also an unforgettable experience. In the Summer you can see happy SUP fans exploring the inland sea all along the coast. There are many good reasons to try stand up paddling on the Baltic Sea. I have listed some of them below:

Overview - Stand Up Paddling on the Baltic Sea

• The Baltic Sea is one of the best stand up paddling locations in Germany.
• You can rent a SUP board cheaply in many holiday resorts and take it to the Baltic Sea.
• The inland sea is ideal for long tours and, if the waves are good, for SUP surfing.
• When paddling, however, you should pay attention to some safety instructions, as the sea can be a challenging body of water, especially for beginners.

Video – Visit with the stand up paddle board at the pier in Scharbeutz

Below you will find my video of SUP on the Baltic Sea. I tried to show you as clearly as possible why stand up paddling on the inland sea is so beautiful.

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Optimal conditions - good reasons for SUP on the Baltic Sea

There are so many great opportunities throughout Northern Germany to go on a tour with a SUP board and discover waters with the vehicle. The local hero in the far north in stand-up paddling is definitely the Hamburg Alster with its diverse canals, ponds and really attractive SUP conditions.

The small canals simply offer a lot of variety, there is always something new to discover, the impressive Outer Alster invites you to really step on the gas, and you can even take a detour to the Inner Alster up to the Alster Fountain. I believe that the Alster in Hamburg is perhaps the best place for Stand Up Paddling in Germany.

Nevertheless, there are very good reasons for this, including those Baltic Sea to discover while stand up paddling. Sure, paddling with a SUP on the Baltic Sea can be a challenge for first timers due to the waves. But a trip to the sea can also be very educational for beginners, as they learn how to deal with waves and wind.

I have collected the most important reasons for a SUP Baltic Sea tour for you. Of course, stand up paddling on the Baltic Sea is at your own risk - and as a beginner you should act carefully and, if possible, take a SUP course or instructions first.

1. Perfect water conditions for SUP on the Baltic Sea

Like the Mediterranean Sea, the Baltic Sea is an inland sea and therefore quite well protected. Compared to the rough Atlantic, as a stand up paddler you have - at least mostly - quite manageable water conditions. The wind often comes from the west or east. Accordingly, you can adjust to the water conditions:

If the wind comes from the east, you have in the Bay of Lübeck on the beaches of Scharbeutz, Haffkrug, Timmendorfer Strand and Niendorf have a lot of waves and can throw themselves into the rough sea with the SUP with a clear conscience, because the wind keeps pushing the SUP athlete and board towards the shore. Conversely, when there is a westerly wind you have wonderfully smooth water, but the wind pushes the SUP away from the shore. Accordingly, the tours should be planned closer to the shore and parallel to the beach.

2. SUP on the Baltic Sea: easy access to the beach in the Bay of Lübeck

Parking is such a thing: in high season you can hardly get a parking space in the hotspots. It is no different in Scharbeutz, Niendorf, Timmendorfer Strand and Haffkrug. However, there are numerous free parking options that are a little out of the way or affordable parking spaces near the beach.

The parking meters only eat up a fraction of what you get in many places in and around Hamburg pays. And if you make a little effort to search, you will also find a parking space in the first location directly on the beach. There you can inflate your SUP board directly at the car and carry it the few meters into the water.

3. Ideal for stand up paddling: relatively little traffic on the Baltic Sea

Anyone who is out and about in the Mediterranean or the Canary Islands these days will find in many places that all hell is going on on the water. Jet skies, swimmers, sailors, divers, rowers and all kinds of water sports enthusiasts save themselves from the high temperatures in the south into the water. Everyone who owns a sailboat, a kayak or a stand up paddle board can now paddle in the Alster.

Things look completely different in the Bay of Lübeck: Once you have fought your way through the crowds of people lying on the beach and sunbathing or splashing in the water right next to the beach, you have the Baltic Sea to yourself. Anyone who has made it to the first palisade of float buoys is practically alone on the water. Sure there are one or two boats or one or two paddlers, but overall you are still on your own.

4. Stable weather on the Baltic coast with SUP on the Baltic Sea

Compared to the extreme heat on the Mediterranean or the Canary Islands, the weather conditions on the Baltic Sea are rather moderate. Of course, this can deter some sun seekers. But if you're not looking for the heat, the Baltic Sea is the right place for you: While the heat storms are raging all over Germany, the weather up in the far north is rather temperate.

It is often overcast or even rains a bit, but if that doesn't put you off, the Baltic Sea is the right place for you. Because at just over 20 degrees Celsius, the stand-up paddler will certainly warm up on the water with a good workout.

5. SUP on the Baltic Sea: benefit from the sheltered location of the Bay of Lübeck

When SUPing, you should always try to assess your skills correctly, pay attention to safety and, if possible, wear a coil leash, have a signal buoy with you and carry a cell phone in a wetpack when out on open water. Fortunately, the Bay of Lübeck itself is not as tricky as many other bodies of water thanks to its sheltered location in a kind of basin at the southwestern end of the Baltic Sea.

The bottom is flat and shallow, so you can still stand quite far out. And even if you are aborted in Scharbeutz, the probability of being washed up again in Haffkrug, Neustadt, Travemünde or Pelzer Haken is quite high.

6. Stand Up Paddling in Scharbeutz: Many good surf schools for stand up paddlers on site

Admittedly, the Bay of Lübeck is not exactly littered with surf schools. For a long time, surfing and windsurfing were the hobbyhorse of these schools in the appropriate wind conditions. Nevertheless, in every town from Pelzer Haken, Neustadt, Sirksdorf, Haffkrug, Scharbeutz to Timmendorfer Strand and Niendorf as well as in Travemünde and Lübeck, there is at least one branch in every town that looks after surfers directly on the beach.

Pelzer Haken is the hotspot when it comes to the number of schools. Especially for beginners, it is certainly an advantage to be near a surf school, where a surf instructor can keep an eye on you and your stand up paddling board if in doubt.

7. Timmendorfer beach, Scharbeutz and Co: optimal program in the villages of the Bay of Lübeck

No matter whether Timmendorfer Strand, Scharbeutz, Hafkrug or Niendorf – there is always something going on in the Bay of Lübeck. In summer there are exciting events almost every weekend, which also offer a lot for water sports fans.

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Tips for SUP on the Ostee - the sea can be treacherous

The Baltic Sea is an inland sea and at the same time the largest brackish sea in the world. The weather conditions are therefore rather moderate and cannot be compared with the rough Atlantic, as we know it in surfing locations like Lanzarote, or the North Sea, which is also influenced by the Atlantic. In short: the Baltic Sea is protected. And the Bay of Lübeck is even better protected at the southwestern end of the Baltic Sea.

In this respect, the best conditions for all water sports enthusiasts. And yet the sea here can be very tricky. There are strong currents. Every year many swimmers drown in the Bay of Lübeck because the sea looks so harmless at first glance. Anyone who has ever been grabbed by a surface current out of nowhere knows what I'm talking about. That's why you should keep a few important tips in mind when SUPing on the Baltic Sea:

1. Pay attention to the weather conditions

Already hours before you embark on your Baltic Sea SUP tour, keep an eye on the weather. Is there a thunderstorm going on? Should the wind turn? Are there strong temperature changes?

2. Keep an eye on the wind direction

The wind direction of the SUP on the Baltic Sea is crucial. East wind means that there are neat waves. At the same time, the wind keeps pushing you back to the beach. West wind means there are hardly any waves. But beware! The wind drives you out to the sea. It is still best if there is no wind and you paddle in the morning sunshine on the mirror-smooth Baltic Sea!

3. Have someone on the beach for reference

That should be self-explanatory: if someone sits on the beach and takes care, every sport on the water is safer. For example, many water sports enthusiasts basically only go into the water for a couple, so that someone can always call for help if necessary.

4. Pay attention to current

If you get a strong current, do not try to paddle against the current. Try to paddle out at an angle to the current and head for the nearest land.

5. Use a leash

A leash on the foot is essential especially for tours that are a bit further away from the country or in waves. With the foot band you can be sure that you will not lose the SUP board when you fall down. Very important!

6. Be sure to use a life buoy 

We use a life buoy for every SUP tour on the Baltic Sea. A buoyant body can save lives in case of doubt. By the way, also highly recommended for swimming and snorkeling.

7. Take your smartphone with you in a waterproof case

We always have a dry bag with us on our tour and a smartphone in it so that we can call for help in an emergency. Even if critics say “You probably don’t take your cell phone into the water!” A cell phone on the SUP has saved many an athlete. Alternatively, you can take the smartphone with you in the underwater housing.

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Where is the best place for stand-up paddling on the Baltic Sea?

I find the Baltic Sea ideal for Stand Up Paddling because it is usually not as wild and rough as the Atlantic. If you want to experience the Baltic Sea in a sporty and relaxed way, then Stand Up Paddling is just the right thing for you. With a SUP board you can move on the water, enjoy nature and train your body. The Baltic Sea offers many attractive options that you can choose according to your preferences and skills.

The Baltic Sea has a varied coastline with many islands, bays and beaches. Here you will find both calm and turbulent waters that are suitable for different SUP experiences. Whether you prefer to paddle leisurely along the coast or hit the waves, there is something for everyone.

To give you an overview, here are some of the most popular spots for stand up paddling on the Baltic Sea:

1. The Bay of Lübeck

This stretch of coast is in Schleswig-Holstein and includes several well-known Baltic Sea resorts such as Scharbeutz, Timmendorfer Strand, Grömitz and Travemünde. There are long sandy beaches, shallow water and a good infrastructure for water sports enthusiasts. Various SUP tours can be booked here that lead to the Hemmelsdorfer See or Neustädter Binnenwasser nature reserves. There you can admire the idyllic landscape and the wildlife.

2. Fehmarn

The island is located in the Baltic Sea off the coast of Schleswig-Holstein and is connected to the mainland by a bridge. Fehmarn is a paradise for water sports enthusiasts as it is surrounded by the sea on all sides. You have the choice of paddling the calm inner side or the hilly outer side of the island. There are several SUP stations on Fehmarn where you can take courses or rent equipment. You can start, for example, in Burgtiefe or on the south beach.

3. Fischland Darß-Zingst

I was recently on the water in Ahrenshoop for the first time with the SUP board and was absolutely thrilled. The place is so beautiful and the water in the area is particularly clear. We really had fun with our board here. You can also paddle directly on the beach and take the board assembled with you to the water. Ahrenshoop and the surrounding area are definitely my tip for extended SUP tours in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.

4. Complaints

The island off the coast of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania is the largest German island. Rügen offers a varied landscape with chalk cliffs, lagoons and sandy beaches. You can paddle in various places, for example from Binz along the coast or on the Mönchgut peninsula. There are also several SUP providers on Rügen where you can book courses or rent the material. You can start in Sellin or Glowe, for example.

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SUP on the Baltic Sea – Stand Up Paddling at its best in Scharbeutz?

My conclusion

There are numerous excellent locations for stand up paddling in Germany that you can discover. As already mentioned, the Outer Alster is in Hamburg (travel report) very attractive and the SUP on the Dove Elbe near Hamburg is also super interesting. Of course, there are a number of SUP locations across the country that you can use. However, the Baltic Sea is unique. Because when do you have the opportunity to go out to sea with a SUP?

The Baltic Sea is a good choice, especially for beginners, and is ideal for practicing near the beach. SUP surfing also works wonderfully here if the swell allows it. This way you can discover many exciting places and charming stretches of coast along the coast. Of course stand up paddling on the Baltic Sea cannot be compared with SUP on Phuket or SUP on the Maldives, but who does one anyway? Holidays in Germany (tips) on the Baltic Sea can let off steam on the greenish water.

Have you ever been on the Baltic Sea with SUP? What is your favorite stand up paddling location?