Sailing
Sailing in Poland may be best enjoyed in the region of the Great Mazurian Lakes located in the northeastern part of the country. This lake district, with the highest concentration of lakes in Poland, picturesquely set among forests, attracts thousands of water sports enthusiasts.
The Mazurian lakeland boasts Poland's largest lakes such as Lake Sniardwy (106 sq. km.) with eight islands and Lake Mamry (104.9 sq. km.) with thirty-three islands.
The region has a comfortable system of canals interconnecting the lakes which allow for the functioning of both numerous passenger services and a great number possible of sailing routes. Many marinas are located on larger lakes such as Beldany, Nidzkie, Talty, Niegocin, Kisajno, Mamry, Swiecajty, Mikolajskie and Rynskie. Here sailors will find everything they might need: hoists, slips, workshops, easily accessible electric energy sources, equipment for recharging of batteries, etc. Chartering of yachts is also possible, but it is advisable to make such arrangements in advance. Most popular among sailors are sailing routes such as
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Pisz - Mikolajki (28 km.)
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Mikolajki - Gizycko - Wegorzewo (65 km.)
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Pisz - Ruciane-Nida - Karwica (55 km.)
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Gizycko - Mikolajki (37 km.).
For example, the Mikolajki harbour has moorings for about 150 yachts; there is also a hangar for safekeeping of yachts in wintertime, boatbuilder's workshop, shop with sailor's gear and two taverns.
Sailing is also popular on such lakes of the Pomeranian Lakeland as Drawskie, Charzykowskie, Wdzydze, Gardno, Miedwie and Dabie.
Poland's largest sailing academy is located on Szczecin Bay. At Trzebiel water sports enthusiasts can rent sailboats, improve their knowledge of sailing and also leave yachts for wintertime storage.
The Solina artificial lake, picturesquely situated in the mountainous landscape of the Bieszczady (southeastern part of Poland), is another water expanse perfectly suited for sailing. Sailors in Poland need a sailor's license and sailboat registration card.
Sources:
Zalew Soliński
Great Mazurian Lakes
Mazury (Masuria) is an historical and ethnographic region in northern Poland, encompassing the Masurian Lake District, a vast land subdivided into several smaller lake districts like the one around Suwałki and Augustów.
The area is often referred to as "a land of a thousand lakes", which hardly does it justice as the actual number of lakes is about four thousand. The largest are Śniardwy (113.8 sq km) and Mamry (104.5 sq km); the deepest is Hańcza (10,8108.5 m) in the Suwałki Lake District, and the longest is Jeziorak (27 km) in the Iława Lake District. Most are linked by rivers and canals, of which the main tourist attractions are the Augustów and Elbląg canals. Another very popular waterway excursion along the Great Masurian Lakes covers a distance of 88 km.